Major charterer Cargill and Norwegian ferry operator Fjord Line are joining a trade group aimed at ensuring fair regulation of low-sulphur fuel standards for shipowners.
The Trident Alliance, which was founded in 2014, aims to improve enforcement of sulphur regulations in the ECA zones in North America and Europe.
In a statement announcing Cargill and Fjord Line as new members, Trident said: “implementation and enforcement of sulphur regulations remain patchy and more ship owners and operators are joining in the work for more robust enforcement of sulphur regulations.”
Earlier this year, the Trident Alliance came out against a proposed move by Swedish regulators to charge a fee to shipowners to inspect ships for compliance with ECA regulations. The Swedish Transport Agency had argued the fee was necessary since emissions enforcement was not a regular part of port state control inspections.
Trident’s other members include Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, Hamburg Sud, Ardmore Shipping and Scorpio, among other European shipping firms.
Sulphur emissions regulations will be a focus in the coming quarter. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is expected to release a report this coming October on the availability of low-sulphur marine fuel. The study is the first step to deciding whether it will implement a global sulphur cap of 0.5% for marine fuels starting in 2020 or in 2025.
