HFO-Free Arctic
Exhaust emissions from Marine Diesel

Oil companies must explain how their new “Super Pollutant” shipping fuels ever came to market

Dave Walsh–Press releases–

Responding to the discovery that some of the new blended low sulphur shipping fuels developed and marketed by oil companies to comply with IMO 2020 air pollution standards will actually lead to a surge in the emissions of a Super Pollutant known as Black Carbon, the Clean Arctic Alliance is calling for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to support an immediate switch to distillate fuels for ships in the Arctic and develop a global rule prohibiting fuels with high Black Carbon emissions

The need for an urgent switch to distillates for ships operating in the Arctic

MEPC 75/5/4: The need for an urgent switch to distillates for ships operating in the Arctic

Dave Walsh–Publications–

This document discusses the implications for the Arctic of a recent study indicating that blended low sulphur residual fuels that have been developed to meet the IMO 2020 sulphur limit requirement will result in a significant increase in Black Carbon emissions, and calls on IMO to mandate an urgent switch to distillates for ships operating in the Arctic to avoid a sharp rise in emissions of short-lived climate forcers in this vulnerable area

Infographic: The Use of Heavy Fuel Oil in Arctic Shipping

Infographic: The Use of Heavy Fuel Oil in Arctic Shipping

Dave Walsh–Infographics, Publications–

This infographic details how many ship operating in the Arctic use heavy fuel oil (HFO) – the residual waste of the petroleum refining process. It is extremely viscous and virtually impossible to clean up in the case of a spill. It also looks at Black Carbon, a critical contributor to human-induced climate warming, especially in the Arctic. The combustion of heavy fuel oil produces high levels of Black Carbon.

The need for urgent action to stop the use of blended low sulphur residual fuels leading to increases in ship-source Black Carbon globally

PPR7 Submission: The need for urgent action to stop the use of blended low sulphur residual fuels leading to increases in ship-source Black Carbon globally

Dave Walsh–Publications–

This document responds to a recent study showing that new blended low sulphur residual fuels designed to meet the IMO 2020 mandated 0.50% global sulphur limit will result in very significant increases in ships’ Black Carbon emissions, reflects on the implications of this for shipping’s contribution to the climate crisis and calls on IMO to regulate to stop their use

The need for an urgent switch to distillates for ships operating in the Arctic

PPR7 Submission: The need for an urgent switch to distillates for ships operating in the Arctic

Dave Walsh–Publications–

This document discusses the implications for the Arctic of a recent study indicating that blended low sulphur residual fuels that have been developed to meet the IMO 2020 requirement will result in a significant increases in Black Carbon emissions, and calls on the IMO to mandate an urgent switch to distillates for ships operating in the Arctic to avoid a sharp rise in emissions of short-lived climate forcers in this vulnerable area

The sinking of the Erika

The Erika Heavy Fuel Oil Spill – 20 Years On

Dave Walsh–News–

‘The anniversary of the Erika HFO spill serves as a stark reminder of the need for urgent action to protect the Arctic from HFO spills, while the recent evidence from fuel oil spills demonstrates that only a few hundred tonnes of HFO could easily lead to an ecological disaster in the Arctic,’ argues Dr Sian Prior

Cruise ship, one of the biggest to visit Iceland, leaving Akureyri, on the way out of Eyjafjörður ©Adam Asgeir Oskarsson

Iceland’s New Scrubber Rule: Welcome, But Doesn’t Address Spill Risks or Black Carbon

Dave Walsh–Press releases–

“Iceland’s new regulation to limit exhaust emissions with high levels of sulphur from shipping in Iceland’s waters is a positive step forward by Environment Ministers Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, but fails to address emissions of black carbon, which accelerates Arctic sea ice melt, and in turn accelerate the effects of human-induced climate change,” said Árni Finnsson, of the Iceland Nature Conservation Association. “The only viable step forward is for Iceland to completely ban the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil from its territorial waters, ahead of an International Maritime Organization ban currently in development to ban its use and carriage in the Arctic”.