Welcome to IBIA’s August newsletter: All Change
We have been speaking of change being on the horizon for some time. Now, those changes seem about to happening as we gear up for a crucial IMO meeting in October, when MEPC is expected to decide on the timing of the global sulphur cap.
Next week, IBIA takes to SMM in Hamburg where we take part in a debate with ship owners, oil majors, engine manufacturers, P& I clubs, lawyers, and mariners. The debate centres on stakeholder response to the impending IMO decision. The debate is followed by IBIA’s forum on being prepared, which is open to members and non-members.
A week later, IBIA is in Cape Town, with more and more shipping taking the Cape route instead of Suez, as the low cost of fuel makes this a more cost effective solution. What an opportune time to hold a bunkering forum and hear about increased bunker supply in the region. In a short interview, Aegean provides the background to this development. You have still time to book your flight and a delegate pass!
The forum also looks at the ingredients for an ideal bunker hub. If you can’t make it we still would like your input, as we are really keen to hear from suppliers about examples of best practice.
Moving east, we are seeing that the success of using mass flow meters in Singapore is inspiring other developments. In this newsletter, we hear about an adaptation with regard to their use, this time managing discharge of ship sludge. The MFM can identify the characteristics of liquid being pumped and thereby recognise if there is a proportion of fuel oil in the waste discharge.
We also bring you information about the early implementation of Chinese domestic ECA requirements in the Chinese port of Shenzhen, along with an overview of the next steps of China’s ECA regulation.
Moving to the Americas, we hear from Eugenia, who is the Association’s honorary treasurer, chair of the finance committee and chair of the events committee. She’s the subject of one of our regular features, which is hearing from a board member.
Completing the great circle navigation of change, we make landfall in Gibraltar as we learn about the Governments and Port Authority signing an agreement with Shell to provide options for LNG bunkering, now that the LNG terminal is well underway. This is yet another reason why Gibraltar makes such a good location for IBIA’s annual convention, where we can hear and observe bunker market developments first hand. Why not come and see in November.
In between all this we have a full week of activities at SIBCON, but more about that next month.