MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is now the fourth shipowner since May -- and the second today -- to announce plans to impose a fuel surcharge onto customers come 2020.
"MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA's operating costs are expected to increase significantly as we continue to prepare for the 2020 low-Sulphur fuel regime," the company said today.
"We are therefore introducing a new global fuel surcharge as of 1 January 2019 in order to help customers plan for the impact of the post-2020 fuel regime."
The Diego Aponte-led diversified owner said the "various changes we are making to our fleet and its fuel supply" will cost more than $2bn per year.
MSC said the surcharge will replace existing bunker surcharges and will reflect a combination of fuel prices at bunkering ports worldwide and costs such as transit times and fuel efficiency.
Earlier today, French liner CMA CGM announced plans to pass on IMO 2020 fuel costs, saying the move was "inevitable".
A few weeks ago, Hapag-Lloyd said it planned to pass on $1bn in costs while Maersk announced a similar move a week ago to relay $2bn in fuel expense.
The UN International Maritime Organization requires that sulphur content in ship fuel must drop to 0.5% from 3.5% by 2020.
"The company is committed to contributing to global efforts to reduce ship emissions and fully supports the UN IMO’s work in this area," MSC said.
MSC said it plans to maximise fuel efficiency and improve service reliability by evaluating trade routes is also expected to help limit fuel use and improve service reliability.
"Further details will be provided in due course," the company said.
