More change ahead for the shipping sector
An unwinding of some Covid-related effects might challenge VLSFO’s initial IMO 2020 win
It is easy to overlook, amid the fallout from and response to Covid-19, the seismic shift that fundamentally altered the global bunker industry over the last year. At the beginning of January, the permissible sulphur content of marine fuels was lowered from 3.5pc to 0.5pc, a seemingly small regulatory change with lasting implications across multiple industries. IMO 2020, as the regulation is known, has forever transformed the global bunker market, although many of the more dire expectations surrounding the regulation have been temporarily blunted by the market reaction to Covid-19. One year after its rollout, the bunker market remains in a precarious position. The new sulphur standard has s
Also in this section
24 July 2025
The reaction to proposed sanctions on Russian oil buyers has been muted, suggesting trader fatigue with Trump’s frequent bold and erratic threats
24 July 2025
Trump energy policies and changing consumer trends to upend oil supply and demand
24 July 2025
Despite significant crude projections over the next five years, Latin America’s largest economy could be forced to start importing unless action is taken
23 July 2025
The country’s energy minister explains in an exclusive interview how the country is taking a pragmatic and far-sighted approach to energy security and why he has great confidence in its oil sector
