On November 21, 2012, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted Directive 2012/33/EU, amending Council Directive 1999/32/EC as regards the sulphur content of marine fuels. The directive, known as the Sulphur Directive, has been in force since January 1, 2015.
The main premise of this publication is the real threat to the long-term maintenance of the competitive position of ferry companies in the passenger and freight transport market in the Baltic Sea. This is caused by rising ferry operating costs, necessary capital expenditures, and the expected increase in the price of fuel with a 0.1% sulphur content, in connection with the implementation of the new European Parliament Sulphur Directive amidst the ongoing economic crisis.
The content of the article presents an original, proprietary research concept aimed at creating a model for a systemic, multi-criteria assessment of the impact of European Parliament environmental directives on the economic situation and operational activities of ferry shipping companies in the Baltic, with particular emphasis on the Sulphur Directive, using the example of the Świnoujście – Scandinavia shipping lines.
Effects of implementing the European Parliament’s Sulphur Directive
The Sulphur Directive aligns European Union regulations with the amendment to the MARPOL Convention of the International Maritime Organization. The amendment imposes on all ferry operators running vessels in the so-called ECA (Emission Control Area) in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and the English Channel, the necessity of using marine fuel with a trace sulphur content of 0.1%. Compared to IMO regulations, the directive tightens the criteria for fuel use in European waters outside the ECA from the 3.5% introduced by the IMO to 1.5% proposed by the EU. It should be emphasized that since January 2010, fuels with a sulphur content of up to 1% have been used on ships sailing in the Baltic Sea.
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Source: Logistyka Magazine