The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), l An independent non-profit organization created to promote the improvement of the environmental performance of the transport, highlighted the need to extend the application of the limit of 0.1% of the sulphur content in fuels beyond the scope of the Emission Control Areas (ECAs) in which is currently in force. The ICCT recalled that the International Maritime Organization has progressively tightened up limits on the sulphur content of marine fuels to safeguard human health and the environment by also introducing stricter limits in ECA areas low emission area air pollutants and whereas, therefore, ships currently have to comply with an overall limit of 0.5% sulphur in fuels, and a limit of 0.1% in ECA areas unless they use scrubbers, the equipment installed on board ships to reduce emissions by cleaning exhaust gases. "However – highlighted today by the ICCT - studies have shown that ships that use scrubbers with heavy fuel oil emit more particulate matter and black carbon compared to those using diesel for maritime use'.

ICCT then presented an analysis that assesses how a further reduction globally of the maximum content of sulphur allowed in fuels, going from 0.5% to 0.1%, could affect emissions of air pollutants and premature mortality from fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

The analysis considers three compliance paths. A first course "Scrubber Max" scenario in which ships using very-low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) intermediate with low sulfur content (<0.5%), switch to oil HFO heavy fuel with high sulfur using scrubber to comply with the global limit of 0.1% sulphur in fuels. A second "Scrubber Allowed" scenario in which ships equipped with scrubbers use them to comply with the 0.1% sulphur limit and ships without scrubbers normally used VLSFO switch to MGO marine diesel to comply with and with ships using other fuels such as LNG or methanol that continue to use these fuels. The analysis notes that this scenario can be considered the most likely compliance path based on regulations in force as scrubbers are currently allowed as an alternative means of complying with IMO regulations on the sulphur in fuels, except in national courts or where they are restricted. Finally, one "Distillate Only" scenario where scrubbers are not permitted and ships using primary fuels or residual, regardless of the presence or absence of a scrubber, to the MGO to comply, while it has been assumed that ships using other fuels, such as LNG or methanol, continue to use them.

The ICCT analysis finds that, compared to a baseline scenario based on 2023 vessel traffic data, reduce the content of sulphur in marine fuels to comply with a limit of sulphur of 0.1% would allow in the first place to mitigate air pollution. In particular, with reference to the three compliance scenarios, it is estimated that emissions of attributable to maritime transport would decrease by 75%-85%, PM2.5 emissions 46%-66% and elemental carbon emissions by 27%-41%, with the scenario banning scrubbers that would produce the largest estimated emission reductions.

In addition, extending the 0.1% limit would make it possible to reduce premature deaths. The analysis shows that the three scenarios of compliance would make it possible to avoid between 3,930 and 4,459 premature deaths per year, with the most obtained when scrubbers are not allowed.

Finally, there would be significant economic benefits. It is estimated, in fact, that the economic health benefits would vary between 9.3 and $10.9 billion per year depending on the compliance and the use of more fuelled fuel would be incentivised. with an overall standard of 0.1% of the sulphur content that would have the effect of increasing the costs of fossil fuels and reduce the price gap between conventional fuels and those with zero or almost zero greenhouse gas emissions.