A recent article published in Seatrade Maritime News, the London-based Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee (GSCC) says that the world’s shipowners are not getting enough support on new environmental regulations.
What is the charge?
The London-based Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee (GSCC) has charged the world’s shipowners are not getting the required back-up support on new environmental regulations.
According to them, the owners are left to their own devices to deal with the problems they face to comply with:
- IMO 2020 sulphur cap,
- GHG emission reductions and
- building cost-effective ships.
Complication due to composition difference
Sufficient quantities of LSFO
GSCC chairman, Haralambos J Falalios, in his introduction to the GSCC’s 2019 – 2020 annual report said:
- the initial bottlenecks regarding the supply of compliant bunker fuel have calmed down and
- now most ports have sufficient quantities of low sulphur fuels to meet fleet requirements.
Difference in composition
However, Fafalios said “technical problems have multiplied as the composition of this new fuel is not the same globally” and a vessel’s purification systems “as well as the main engines themselves are incurring much more maintenance and a fair amount of damage.”
“These main engine damages have compromised vessel safety. IMO must be made aware of this. We must still get to the point of having a common composition to this fuel.”
GHG reduction targets
He said 2050 GHG reduction targets is a project that requires an enormous amount of work, investigation and experimentation.
Half-baked solutions
According to Fafalios, few non-IMO legislators seem to want to progress in an unseemly and hasty manner often based on half-baked solutions.
Help from technology providers
He continued that with little or no help from technology providers, the shipping industry is valiantly trying to come forward with viable short, medium and long-term solutions.
He said: “It must be stressed that this must be carried out through the IMO only and not through other less experienced institutions.”
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Source: Seatrade Maritime News
