Disappointment of the ICS for not of the IMO to the acceleration of the study on the fuel availability to low sulfur tenor for the ships



The shipowning association world-wide International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has manifested disappointment for the decision of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to reject its demand to accelerate the definition of the study on the total fuel availability to low sulfur tenor for the ships. Marine Envionmento Protection Committee (MEPC) of the IMO, than currently is in reunion to London, in fact has rejected the request of the ICS, invitation - he has emphasized the shipowning association - that is rejected by a small majority of Member States of the guided International Marine Organization from the United States. The ICS however has evidenced as it has been reached close to a favorable ballot of the IMO as the demand, beyond to having the support of important marine Countries as China and of various opened registries, is sponsored also by some Member States of the EU.

Scope of the demand for the ICS was to convince the IMO to start without ulterior lingers the study deepened on the fuel availability to low sulfur tenor so as to take in consideration, before it is too late so that the oil industry takes the necessary provisions, which will be the impact of all the modifications demanded from new annexed YOU of marpol convention stiff to reduce the atmospheric pollution ( of 8 April 2008). The worry of the shipowners, in fact, is that not there is sufficient fuel availability in order to allow with the ships to respect the severe norms of the IMO in matter of sulfur emissions and that therefore, own because of the insufficient fuel offer, the costs for the ships that will have to retrieve such fuel could become prohibitive.

The current differential of price between the residual fuel oil currently in use and the fuel to low sulfur tenor is of 50%, differential that second the ICS would be destined to increase ulteriorly if to the new question created from requirement MARPOL a greater offer will not correspond.

"In some cases - it has emphasized the ICS - this could carry to a meaningful modal transfer towards modality of terrestrial transport, with negative consequences for the congestion and the atmosphere. Draft of topics - it has still evidenced the shipowning association - than has not been taken in consideration when the norms are approved of".

"Some governments - the general secretary of the ICS, Peter Hinchliffe has declared, after the ballot of commission MEPC - still seem to have the head under the sand regarding the fuel availability". "We - he has added - continue to think that it is essential that an exaustive study on the fuel is lead with sufficient advance payment regarding the 2020 (year in which the sulfur tenor in the fuel will have to be not advanced to 0.5%, ndr) for giving to the refineries the sufficient time in order to invest and to be ready. Perhaps the main modifications necessary to bring to the refineries could demand a minim of four or five years, also more, and are convinced that to complete the study in 2018 it would be simply too late".

"the ICS - it has specified Hinchliffe - has not renounced, and will newly carry the issue to the attention of the IMO the next year".

While by the EU commission the necessity is restated to reduce the produced polluting emissions from the marine transport. In a statement combined the vice president of the EU commission, Siim Kallas, and the European commissioner to the Action for the climate, Connie Hedegaard, has emphasized that "the marine transport is a total industry and demands total solutions in order to face the environmental impact. Consequently - they have explained - we are all working for a total solution agreed to international level in order to reduce the gas emissions to greenhouse effect produced from the ships".

"The International Maritime Organization - they have found Kallas and Hedegaard - has made meaningful and absolutely a welcome step forward in July 2011 with the Energy Efficiency Index Design, but this measure - than 2015 are only applied to the new ships beginning from - alone will not be sufficient to guarantee that the emissions of the shipping are reduced enough fastly. Arguments on ulterior total measures are on in center IMO, but we need intermediate stages in order to quickly put into effect a reduction of the emissions, as for example measures of energy efficiency also for the ships in exercise".

Kallas and Hedegaard have remembered that "to European level they are under consideration various options, between which mechanisms based on the market. The necessary starting point - they have specified - is a simple, decided and flexible approach towards the creation of a system of monitoring, reporting and verification of the emissions based on the fuel burnup. This will contribute to advance to total level and feeding process IMO. It is therefore our common will - they have emphasized the representatives of the EU commission - to reach to such a system of monitoring, reporting and verification in the first months of 2013. Meanwhile we will continue to discuss with the interested parts about which measure it can satisfy the objectives of reduction of gases greenhouse of the European Union".

"The same marine industry - they have found Kallas and Hedegaard - is in the better position in order to take the initiative and to obtain fast and effective reductions of the gas emissions greenhouse and in such a way to reduce the costs and to prepare the field for the future. The Commission - they have concluded - is ready to make its part, in Europe and to level IMO".