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The Sulphur Content of Marine Fuels Directive (2005/33/EC)

The Sulphur Content of Marine Fuels Directive amends the Sulphur Content of liquid Fuels Directive (1999/32/EC).

The Directive is aimed at reducing pollution from sea-going ships.

Emissions of SO2 from the maritime sector in Europe are projected to surpass total emissions from all land-based sources by 2020 according to the European Commission’s Clean Air For Europe (CAFE) emission estimates, assuming no action is taken. This is due in a large part to considerable reductions made by shoreside industry and other terrestrial sources.

To address the significant health and environmental impacts of ship emissions, the European Commission adopted an EU strategy in November 2002 to reduce such emissions.

The aim of the strategy is to define the contribution made by ships to atmospheric emissions and environmental problems in the EU as well as to set out a broad series of objectives, actions and recommendations for reducing these emissions over a ten-year time period.

One result of the Commission’s strategy was the Sulphur Content of Marine Fuels Directive (SCMFD - Directive 2005/33/EC) which came into force on 6 July 2005 amending the existing Sulphur Content of Liquid Fuels Directive (SCLFD - Directive 1999/32/EC).

The Directive must be transposed (put into UK law) by 11 August 2006. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) will transpose the marine requirements of the Directive and consult in due course.

Defra consulted on the implementation of the minor elements that affect land based fuels.

The basic obligations of the SCMF Directive include:

  • A 1.5% sulphur limit for fuels used by all ships in the SOx Emission Control Areas of the Baltic Sea, from 11 August 2006, and the North Sea and English Channel, from either 11 August 2007 or 12 months after the entry into force of the International Maritime Organisation designation, whichever is the earlier;
  • A 1.5% sulphur limit for fuels used by passenger ships on regular services between EU ports, from 11 August 2006;
  • A 0.1% sulphur limit on fuel used by inland waterway vessels and by ships at berth in EU ports, from 1 January 2010;
  • A ban on the marketing of marine diesel oils with sulphur content exceeding 1.5% by mass, from 11 August 2006, and;
  • A ban on the marketing of marine gas oils with sulphur content exceeding 0.1% by mass, from 1 January 2010

As an alternative to the use of low sulphur marine fuels to comply with Articles 4a and 4b of the Directive, member states can allow trials of unapproved and, use of approved, emission abatement technologies as an alternative to low sulphur fuel provided that these ships:

‘…continuously achieve emission reductions which are at least equivalent to those which would be achieved through the limits on sulphur in fuel specified in this Directive.’ (Article 4c, paragraph 4)

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Page last modified: 30 July 2008

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs