It is the first in a series of steps the global maritime industry is supposed to take to address energy consumption and emissions. The actions will substantially raise operating costs and prompt ship operators to reconsider what will power their vessels in the future. But Ioannis Plakiotakis, Greece’s merchant marine minister, told the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations’ shipping regulator, in late November that operators simply aren’t ready to meet the demand to cut sulfur emissions. “We are yet to be confronted with the full scale reality of the availability, compatibility and safety challenges and grave risks of the new marine low-sulfur fuel,” he said. Greece runs roughly 20% of the world’s commercial fleet and has been leading a campaign to push back the IMO implementation date. Countries including Russia, India and Indonesia also have voiced concerns over the fuel switch. The IMO’s move, which has […]