Industry experts weigh in on global fuel sulphur limit in Zhoushan

The bunker fuel industry committee of the China Petroleum Circulation Association holds a regular meeting in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province from June 13 to 14. [Photo/zj.zjol.com]

A meeting focusing on how to respond to the global fuel sulphur limit was held in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, from June 13 to 14. 

The meeting, which was a regular session of the bunker fuel industry committee of the China Petroleum Circulation Association, was attended by more than 100 representatives from the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Ecological Environment, Hangzhou Customs, China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone and the bunker fuel industry. 

Ship emissions have become a major source of air pollution in ports around the world. Analysts predict that global bunker fuel consumption will reach 300 million metric tons by 2020.

To reduce sulphur oxide emissions from ships, the International Maritime Organization announced a stricter limit on global fuel sulphur content, cutting the ceiling from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent. The limit will come into effect on Jan 1, 2020. 

China has already taken measures in response to the new limit. The Ministry of Transport has issued a rule that requires domestic ships to use bunker fuel containing no more than 0.1 percent sulphur when entering inland rivers. 

A spokesman for the ministry introduced some of its measures at the meeting, and Hangzhou Customs also interpreted some of China's customs policies on strengthening regulation on fuel used in ocean-going vessels entering or exiting China.

In addition, a cooperation agreement on the pricing of domestic trade bunker fuel was inked between the bunker fuel industry committee of the China Petroleum Circulation Association and related companies.