On 1 July 2024, an international ban on the use of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) in the Arctic came into effect, a move which Danske Rederier (Danish Shipping) supports, as it includes a transitional arrangement that gives shipping companies time to adapt while simultaneously protecting the Arctic from oil spills.
The ban, adopted by IMO in June 2021, aims to protect the vulnerable Arctic waters from the risk of oil spills. With the new ban, it will be illegal for ships to carry HFO as fuel in their tanks in the Arctic. However, the ban includes a transitional arrangement that allows ships with protected fuel tanks to use HFO until 2029. Danish Shipping has supported the ban from the beginning and praises the initiative.
Nina Porst, Danske Rederier Director of Climate, Environment, and Safety, said: “This ban is a significant step towards protecting the Arctic. By allowing ships with protected fuel tanks to continue using HFO until 2029, we ensure that shipping can adapt to the new rules in a practical and responsible manner while simultaneously protecting the fragile environment in the Arctic.”
The transitional provision applies to ships built after 2010 that meet the international MARPOL regulations with protected fuel tanks. These ships are designed with an extra protective barrier around their fuel tanks, significantly reducing the risk of oil spills in the event of an accident. However, there are ships built before 2010 that meet the same design requirements. Danish authorities have chosen to include these ships in the transitional provision, a decision supported and advocated by Danske Rederier.
Image: carriage of HFO is now the subject of an IMO prohibition in Arctic Waters (source: Danske Rederier)
