Ipieca and a number of shipping, refining, fuel supply and standards organizations have worked together to produce Joint Industry Guidance on the supply and use of 0.50%-sulphur marine fuel.
The publication is designed to provide guidance for stakeholders across the marine fuels and shipping industries, from fuel blenders and suppliers to end users. It presents the specific safety and operational issues relating to the supply and use of max. 0.50%-sulphur fuels, an overview of fuel quality principles, and the controls that should be put in place to ensure that safety issues are identified, prevented and/or mitigated.
The Joint Industry Guidance addresses issues such as fuel compatibility, fuel stability, and fuel handling and storage, and contains a comprehensive review of existing operational factors that can affect safety. It does not address issues related to compliance with Flag State, Port State or International Maritime Organization (IMO) rules or guidelines, or alternative means of compliance (e.g. Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems), and does not include a discussion of alternative fuels such as liquefied natural gas, hydrogen or methanol.
The publication is supported by Sulphure 2020, a free e-learning course on compatibility and cold-flow properties of marine fuels. Thecourse aims to:
- Provide an understanding of MARPOL Annex VI and its potential impact on the management of fuels on board ships.
- Raise awareness of and offer solutions to potential fuel management issues.