On the eve of the implementation of the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) Global Sulphur Cap on 1 January 2020 – which requires the world’s commercial shipping to use fuels with a sulphur content of 0.5 percent or less, down from the current 3.5 percent – the Cyprus Shipping Chamber would like to send a message to the International Shipping Industry and its regulators.

The President of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, Mr Philippos Philis, stated:

 “There is no doubt that the new regulation will have great environmental and human health benefits.  The Cyprus Shipping Industry has supported the implementation of the regulation.  Our Members have worked intensively in the past months to assure readiness and compliance with the regulation. We urge bunker fuel suppliers to ensure the supply of safe and compliant fuel and at the same time we wish to call on governments and their Port State Control authorities to provide consistency and a common-sense approach to enforcement during the initial weeks of implementation, provided shipowners can demonstrate they have done everything in their power to comply. The global shipping industry is determined to address the environmental impacts of shipping so that we can continue to drive global trade sustainably.”