Environmental Coalition Urges Canada and Russia to Implement Prohibition on HFO in the Arctic Environmental advocates criticize Russia’s and Canada’s decision to reject or delay the implementation of a new regulation that will ban the use and carriage of HFO in the Arctic starting in mid-2024.
Russia and Canada Opt Out of Voluntary Heavy Fuel Oil Ban for Arctic Russia and Canada will not be acceding to the International Maritime Organization’s 2024 prohibition on heavy fuel oil. Canada’s move is likely only temporary until it can formally adopt the underlying agreement, while Russia aims to use heavy fuel oil for at least five more years.
IMO Adopts Voluntary Measures to Reduce Black Carbon Emissions in Arctic Black carbon emissions from maritime shipping have a disproportionate effect on climate change and the environment in the Arctic. Now the IMO is taking first, albeit voluntary, steps to address the issue.
IMO and Arctic States Face Criticism Over Weak HFO Ban An IMO sub-committee approved a proposed Arctic heavy fuel oil ban. Environmental advocates and indigenous peoples’ groups criticized the ban as insufficient and called on Arctic states to pass stronger regulation on their own.
Proposed Arctic Heavy Fuel Oil Ban Ineffective New Study Warns Just three months before the International Maritime Organization will finalize a ban on the carriage and use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic, new research suggests that the proposed regulation would be highly ineffective at reducing heavy fuel oil use and Black Carbon emissions in the Arctic.
Greenlandic Shipping Company Royal Arctic Line Faces Criticism For Planning to Use Heavy Fuel Oil Until 2029 Greenland’s state-owned shipping operator Royal Arctic Line faces criticism after the company’s CEO voiced concern about the timeline of the IMO’s newly proposed ban on Heavy Fuel Oil.
IMO Moves Forward with Ban of Arctic HFO But Exempts Some Vessels Until 2029 The IMO agreed on a draft regulation which would phase out the use and carriage of HFO in the Arctic starting in 2024. Environmental groups criticize loopholes which delay the ban until 2029 for Arctic-flagged vessels.
IMO Mandate For Low Sulphur Fuel Results in High Black Carbon Emissions Endangering Arctic In an effort to reduce sulphur emissions in marine transport new rules require a switch from heavy fuel oil to very low sulphur fuel oil. Now scientists and environmentalists are sounding the alarm as this new type of fuel can unexpectedly result in high levels of black carbon – a pollutant especially harmful to the Arctic environment.
Rosatom To Invest $7bn in Arctic Shipping to Compete with Suez Canal Russia’s Rosatom Group plans to spend $7 billion to become one of the world’s largest container shipping operators. The company aims to offer container liner service along the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route (NSR), a shortcut between Asia and Europe, competing with the Suez Canal.
Expedition Cruise Operators Formalize Ban on Dirty Heavy Fuel Oil in the Arctic While the IMO has not been successful in its attempts, expedition cruise operators have now formalized a self-imposed ban on the use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic. Environmental organizations praise the decision.
Nike and Ocean Conservancy Call On Companies to Join Pledge Against Arctic Shipping American sportswear company Nike has partnered with environmental advocacy group Ocean Conservancy to launch a global campaign against Arctic shipping routes.
IMO Inches Forward With Ban on Heavy Fuel Oil in Arctic The International Maritime Organization (IMO) continued its efforts to adopt a ban of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) in the Arctic by 2021 during a meeting in London. Environmental advocates laud the work, but urge Russia and Canada, the only two Arctic states yet to commit to the ban, to sign on to the initiative.
