(LONDON) — A ban on the use of heavy fuel oil (HFO) in the Arctic went into effect Monday, Bunkerspot reported. It is now illegal for ships to carry HFO as fuel in their tanks in the region, but the measure includes a transitional arrangement that allows ships with protected fuel tanks to use HFO until 2029.
The ban was approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2020 and was adopted during the 76th Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 76) the following year.
Pablo Rodriguez, the Canadian minister of transport, said the ban will protect the Arctic environment and northern communities from the “disastrous effects” of heavy fuel oil spills.
“Canada will always work with other countries, northern residents, and marine stakeholders to keep our environment protected for future generations,” he said.
However, the effectiveness of the ban has been called into question by some non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
“Governments and NGOs fought long and hard to achieve the ban on the use and carriage of HFO in the Arctic, yet see that it will be half-implemented is quite simply not good enough,” said Dr. Sian Prior, lead adviser to the Clean Arctic Alliance.
“IMO member states, especially Arctic coastal countries, must go further than the IMO ban by implementing it in ways that truly protect the Arctic from HFO spills and black carbon emissions – and that means refusing to offer loopholes to the shipping industry,” she said.
