OOCL fleet moves forward to meet IMO 2020 regulation
With new Sulphur cap on marine fuel lowering from 3.5% to 0.5%, approximately 85% of Sulphur emissions is expected to be reduced but at a significant cost to the entire industry, estimated at about US$60 billion each year.
Currently, the industry has been grappling with the challenges associated to fleet adjustment options, including uncertainties in the availability and accessibility of the 0.5% Low Sulphur Fuel (LSF) in the market and the premium that will be charged for the cleaner fuel. OOCL will begin its transition into the use of LSF for our entire fleet during the second half of 2019, the company said in its press release.
By looking into the expected bunker consumption of its fleet and the projected price difference from switching to the compliant fuel which may possibly become increasingly expensive due to tight supply in the market, OOCL expects the additional cost impact to easily fall well above half a billion dollars.
In preparation for the surge in this operating cost and in consideration of the continual trend of rising fuel prices in the market, OOCL will be introducing a bunker recovery approach based on a floating bunker formula that will better reflect the changes in the industry environment. This approach will take various factors into account, including the different fuel types being used, fuel price fluctuations, ship size and capacity, and vessel utilization levels.
“Orient Overseas Container Line" and “OOCL" are trade names for transportation provided separately by: Orient Overseas Container Line Limited (“OOCLL") and OOCL (Europe) Limited respectively and both are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Orient Overseas (International) Limited, a public company (0316) listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Headquartered in Hong Kong, OOCL is one of the world's largest integrated international container transportation and logistics companies, with more than 360 offices in 70 countries. Linking Asia, Europe, North America, the Mediterranean, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East and Australia/New Zealand, the company offers transportation services to all major east/west trading economies of the world. OOCL is one of the leading international carriers serving China, providing a full range of logistics and transportation services throughout the country. It is also an industry leader in the use of information technology and e-commerce to manage the entire cargo process.
