Environmental groups are pushing the IMO to enforce a ban on the carriage of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic based on the increased threat of pollution from a new generation of very low sulphur fuel oils (VLSFO).
A possible ban on the use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic is the main discussion at this week’s Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) meeting at the IMO.
A German and Finnish paper, which claims that the VLSFO fuels launched to help shipowners meet the requirements of IMO 2020, are aromatic in nature and increase emissions of black carbon, is being used to add weight to the argument that heavy fuel oils should be banned.
A collective of 18 environmental groups acting under the umbrella of the Clean Arctic Alliance said ships should be forced to switch to distillates in the Arctic.
It said: “Recent revelations suggesting that the use of some new low sulphur fuel oils with a high aromatic content, introduced to meet the IMO’s 2020 sulphur cap, could increase black carbon emissions, add to the urgency of such a switch. Switching to distillate fuels in the Arctic and the use of a diesel particulate filter will lead to black carbon reductions of over 99%.”
However, the view that VLSFO results in higher black carbon emissions is not clear cut.
Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR), in its preview of the IMO PPR meeting, said: “LR does not support these assumptions that the new low sulphur fuels contribute to increased black carbon emissions. LR is of the view that the nature of VLSFOs is more paraffinic, supporting the initial guidance given by the petroleum industry.”
Paraffinic fuels are not associated with higher levels of black carbon emissions.
Analysis conducted by a group of six shipping organisations including the International Bunker Industry Association, the International Association of Classification Societies and International Union of Marine Insurance also found the new fuels to be paraffinic rather than aromatic. But it urged regulators to make decision on the issue at this week’s meeting.
“We fully agree that all black carbon related submissions should be reviewed thoroughly and seriously by the international fuel oil supply and shipping community. The upcoming IMO PPR Sub-Committee is the most effective forum to progress that debate,” the group said.
Some operators such as Norway's Hurtigruten have a policy of not using heavy fuel oil in the Arctic regions.
