Protecting the Arctic from Shipping Black Carbon Emissions

A study submitted to PPR 7 by Finland and Germany as document PPR 7/8, indicated that blended low sulphur residual fuels that had been developed to meet the IMO 2020 sulphur limit would result in a significant increase in Black Carbon emissions. The document requested IMO to mandate an urgent switch to distillates for ships operating in the Arctic and proposed specific measures in that regard.

On the other hand, MEPC 75/5/7 (IPIECA and IBIA), responded commenting that those claims were based on flawed assumptions about the nature of the fuels that were expected to come on the market and that, contrary to the claims made, early data suggested that VLSFOs on average were more paraffinic in nature than the high sulphur fuel oils (HSFOs) they had replaced.

After deliberations, the Committee invited Member States and international organizations to submit to future sessions of the Sub-Committee outcomes of additional Black Carbon measurement trials using different types of VLSFOs to collect further information on the possible impact of fuel oil parameters, such as aromatic content, on Black Carbon emissions.

However, the Committee recognized that Black Carbon is a potent short-lived contributor to climate warming, and adopted the Resolution MEPC.342(77) on Protecting the Arctic from Shipping Black Carbon Emissions and urged Member States and ship operators to voluntarily use distillate or other cleaner alternative fuels.

RELEVANT DOCUMENT (AVAILABLE ONLY TO SUBSCRIBERS):

MEPC.342(77) - Protecting the Arctic from Shipping Black Carbon Emissions