For preparing for the Global Sulphur Cap, via BKI Corporate Communication, Sjaifuddin Thahir, with respect to the issue of fuel availability and the economic impact on the industry, there is also growing concern about the implementation of the global cap that will reduce the sulphur content in fuel consumed outside ECAs to 0.5%. This is scheduled to take place in 2020, with an option for IMO to decide to delay until 2025 if necessary, depending on the outcome of an IMO fuel availability study due, as required by MARPOL, to be completed no later than 2018.

It is assumed that most ship operators will comply with the global cap using a blend of distillate and residual fuel. The EU has already decided that the global 0.5% cap will apply in the EEZ of EU Member States from 2020, regardless of the outcome of the IMO study. Nevertheless, at the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting in April 2014, ICS repeated its plea that the conduct of the IMO study should be brought forward. This is so that any necessary action can be taken by governments to ensure that refiners produce a sufficient quantity of diesel grade fuel, especially as shipping will be in competition with land based demand for similar fuel from trucks, trains and users of heating oil.

In April 2014, the IMO MEPC agreed to continue its consideration of a methodology for conducting the fuel availability study, under the leadership of the United States. While this is welcome, it remains to be seen whether IMO will conduct the study in sufficiently good time before the entry into force of the global cap.