By L. Karageorgos
Sources in the shipping hub of Piraeus told “N” this week that several Greek-owned companies that have already installed expensive scrubbers on their vessels are livid over a proposal by the world’s top ship registries – Marshall Islands, Liberia, Bahamas and Panama – calling for postponement of a deadline to introduce mandatory low sulfur fuels in the maritime shipping sector.
Greek shipping interests that spoke to “N” said the proposal, if accepted, would counter the competitive advantage gained by installing scrubbers, as opposed to shipping companies operating vessels without the pricey filter systems.
The four national ship registries have called on the IMO to allow for a further “adaptation period” in the use of the more environmentally friendly bunkering fuels, with the current deadline being 2020. Proponents of an extension have pointed to concerns over the safe use of the new fuels and sufficient quantities.
The four registries contain 45 percent of the world’s fleet, based on tonnage, while vessels with scrubbers in 2020 aren’t expected to exceed 2,000.
