ENVIRONMENTALISTS, campaigning to get the UN's International Maritime organisation (IMO) to impose greater sulphur fuel emission restrictions may drive cargo costs up to the point where freight is diverted to trucks, already under fire for causing even more pollution.

    Alfons Guinier, Secretary General of the European Shipowners' Association (ESA), addressing a Copenhagen ro-ro conference, said research had shown that up to 30 per cent of volumes could be switched from ro-ro services to overland truck transport on long-haul routes.

    The cause, said Mr Guinier, was the higher cost of using fuel with a sulphur content of 0.1 per cent would drive cargo to switch to road transport, which in turn, would increase emissions.

    "We have tested whether it would be possible [to change the sulphur content level from 0.1 per cent to 0.5 per cent] through the back door of the IMO, but it seems like it is an extremely difficult, if not impossible, thing to do," he said. "So we have started to look at whether it is possible to meet the requirements by 2015."

    As he saw it, the possibilities were fitting ships with scrubber technology to remove the sulphur content or fitting ships with LNG-powered engines, reported London's International Freighting Weekly. "2015 is simply too early to apply this regulation. The ECA member states should speak up and propose something to the IMO."

    Mr Guinier said ESA research indicates that not many shipowners had examined the LNG option, making it unlikely this would provide the answer as the cost and availability of fuel with a sulphur content of 0.1 per cent makes its use doubtful and the availability of scrubber technology questionable.

(Source:http://www.schednet.com)