Vessel operators who plan to run ships on scrubbers to meet the International Maritime Organization’s global sulfur cap rule should lock in long term contracts now with bunker suppliers, industry sources said. The IMO’s global sulfur cap regulation will require ships to burn 0.5% sulfur-compliant bunker fuel from 2020, compared with a 3.5% sulfur limit currently, and is one of the most pertinent issues facing the shipping industry. Options to comply with the rule include distillates, other 0.5% sulfur bunker fuels, marine gasoil, blended fuels, HSFO with scrubbers and alternatives such as LNG. Although less than two years remain for the cap to be implemented, confusion still reigns as the industry grapples with the magnitude of the change and the possibility of additional costs. There are about 95,000 ships on the water. Currently less than 300 are installed with scrubbers, sources said. However, the installation of scrubbers could accelerate […]