One out of ten ships don´t comply with the Sulphur emission directive
Results from distant optical measurements carried out by Chalmers on ships in Swedish and Danish waters some 90% of all ships fulfill the more stringent Sulphur directive from 2015. The directive means that the Sulphur content in fuels must not exceed 0.1 weight percentage or Sulphur oxide emissions to corresponding level through after treatment of Sulphur dioxide fumes in scrubbers. The follow-up measurements were done from stationary on–land devices and from air planes further out at sea. The results indicate that certain ship owners systematically breach regulations. Other observations from the optical measurements is that ships that seldom calls ports within the Sulphur emission control area and ships heading towards the sea are more inclined to violate the regulations. Most ships have different fuel tanks for low Sulphur fuels and ordinary cheaper high sulphur fuels which gives a significant economic benefit for those using non-allowed fuels.