As the International Maritime Organization (IMO) moves towards a ban on heavy fuel oil (HFO) in Arctic shipping, the Clean Arctic Alliance has called for further action.
The alliance welcomed the progress made at the IMO’s sub-committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 6) but has called on Russia and Canada to add their support for a ban on HFO in Arctic Shipping.
Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and the USA already support the ban. The Clean Arctic Alliance has called on these nations to remain focussed on ensuring the ban is adopted in 2021 and phased in by 2023.
“There is still much work to be done before the Arctic ecosystem and indigenous local communities are afforded the same level of protection as Antarctic waters from the risks of HFO,” said Sian Prior, lead advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance. “It is imperative that when the PPR sub-committee meets again in early 2020, it finalises the development of a new regulation to ban HFO use and carriage as fuel in the Arctic”.
www.hfofreearctic.org
