South Africa is on track to not only supply low sulphur fuel, but also enforce the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) new regulation come January 2020.
Delivering the keynote address at the opening of the International Bunker Industry Association’s (Ibia) 4th African conference in Cape Town today, Dumisani Ntuli, acting deputy director general Maritime Transport, said all government agencies were currently preparing for the IMO 2020 sulphur cap that would be introduced on January 1.
“Let us be very clear, South Africa will be enforcing the new regulation of a 0.50% sulphur limit,” he said. “We therefore expect compliance from all vessels entering our waters and our ports. Our government agencies are currently preparing to ensure the right infrastructure is in place to not only be able to supply low sulphur fuels to vessels, but also to enforce the regulation and take action against any vessels infringing on the ruling.”
Bunkering experts from around the continent are attending the two-day conference where the pending sulphur cap is at the top of the agenda.
The aim of the IMO was to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by the end of this century, said Unni Einemo, Ibia director and IMO representative.
“We are facing one of the most disruptive global regulatory changes the industry has ever seen; we must remember that we are in this together,” she said. “To make this new low sulphur regime a success, we need to work together.”
This, she said, included improving communication and understanding around the issue, something the conference is aiming to do.
