THE arctic could face more severe environmental impacts from oil spills if shippers switch to very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) following new, restrictive fuel regulations in the region, according to the Arctic Council, Reuters reports.
Ships sailing through Arctic waters can no longer use or carry heavy bunker fuel, following a new regulation from United Nations shipping agency the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) that aims to reduce pollution.
The widely used alternative to heavy fuel oil (HFO) is VLSFO. European shipowners broadly opted for VLSFO in 2020 when the same regulation took effect there.
If exposed to cold water in a spill, VLSFO forms clumps, whereas HFO remains liquid. Current oil spill equipment is not designed to collect oil clumps, Arctic Council working groups Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR) and Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) have found.
'We are not in a position to comment on specific studies. However, IMO welcomes submissions from Member States and international organisations to the relevant IMO body,' said the northern Norway-based Arctic Council.
Shipping traffic in Arctic waters rose by more than a third from 2013 to 2023, according to PAME, and the distance travelled by vessels more than doubled, raising the risk of a spill.
'The IMO had the best intentions when they introduced the Heavy Fuel Oil ban, and it will no doubt make a positive environmental impact in many ways,' said expert and project lead for PAME and EPPR, Jon Arve Royse.
'However, in the event of an oil spill, the new fuels being used as a result of this ban could have a far worse environmental impact than the old fuels they are banning.'
SeaNews Turkey
Ships sailing through Arctic waters can no longer use or carry heavy bunker fuel, following a new regulation from United Nations shipping agency the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) that aims to reduce pollution.
The widely used alternative to heavy fuel oil (HFO) is VLSFO. European shipowners broadly opted for VLSFO in 2020 when the same regulation took effect there.
If exposed to cold water in a spill, VLSFO forms clumps, whereas HFO remains liquid. Current oil spill equipment is not designed to collect oil clumps, Arctic Council working groups Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR) and Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) have found.
'We are not in a position to comment on specific studies. However, IMO welcomes submissions from Member States and international organisations to the relevant IMO body,' said the northern Norway-based Arctic Council.
Shipping traffic in Arctic waters rose by more than a third from 2013 to 2023, according to PAME, and the distance travelled by vessels more than doubled, raising the risk of a spill.
'The IMO had the best intentions when they introduced the Heavy Fuel Oil ban, and it will no doubt make a positive environmental impact in many ways,' said expert and project lead for PAME and EPPR, Jon Arve Royse.
'However, in the event of an oil spill, the new fuels being used as a result of this ban could have a far worse environmental impact than the old fuels they are banning.'
SeaNews Turkey