Shipowners are being incentivised to accelerate their switch to 0.5% sulphur fuel because disruptions to Saudi Arabian oil is reducing high-sulphur bunker supply.

Analysts at JBC Energy expect that some shipowners will prefer to start their switch to low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) soon due to price incentives, ahead of the IMO's 1 January 2020 deadline for compliance.

The price of 3.5%