TEHRAN – Secretary general of Iran Ship Owners Union (IRSOU) says enough low-sulfur fuel has been supplied for the country’s maritime fleet, Tasnim reported on Wednesday.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line [IRISL] and National Iranian Tanker Company [NITC] are cooperating for storing tin [low-sulfur] fuel,” Yahya Ziaei, who represents IRSOU, said.

Mentioning the new regulations introduced by the International Maritime Organization, Ziaei said in recent years, Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) has had many negotiations with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and the Oil Ministry for the production and supply of low-sulfur fuel, but unfortunately, the Oil Ministry has neglected the issue.

Earlier this week, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh was summoned to the parliament to answer some questions about the oil ministry’s negligence regarding the production of enough low-sulfur fuel for the country’s maritime fleet.

Zanganeh said modification and improvement of the country’s refineries need $10 billion of investment, and securing the mentioned $10 billion for modification of the country’s refineries is impossible under the sanction condition.

The minister, however, said that the plan for modification of the refineries so that they can produce low-sulfur fuel is currently underway in Abadan Refinery, in the southwest of the country, but the plan was halted in Isfahan Refinery.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) introduced new regulations to reduce air pollution resulting from the use of high-sulfur fuels by vessels.

Based on the new regulations, sulfur will be cut drastically from global shipping transport fuels in 2020.

From 1 January 2020, ships have been allowed to use only fuel oil with very low sulfur content, under rules brought in by the International Maritime Organization. This cut in sulfur content has been more than a decade in the planning, and almost all shipping around the world is expected to comply, or face penalties.

EF/MA