IMO To Ban Non-Compliant Fuels By 2020

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) signaled that it will likely ban seagoing ships that do not have sulfur-stripping equipment or “stack scrubbers” after March 2020.

The ban was proposed at an IMO compliance meeting in February. IMO’s head of air pollution and energy efficiency told news sources that the proposal met with no dissent, suggesting it will pass.

Additional IMO committees will vote to formally approve the rule at meetings in April and October.

The rule will make it illegal even to have high-sulfur fuel in fuel tanks, making enforcement easier. Current rules require proving that a vessel actually burned the fuel.