Maersk vessels to burn low sulfur fuel near California coast

Maersk vessels to burn low sulfur fuel near California coast    Maersk Line on Friday announced a pilot environmental initiative that the carrier expects will remove nearly 400 tons of vessel-related emissions annually from the company’s fleet that calls the ports of Los Angeles and Oakland.
   Maersk will voluntarily switch from bunker fuel, with relatively high sulfur content, to low-sulfur distillate fuel on the main and auxiliary engines of its vessels as they approach 24 miles from port, while docked and until 24 miles out on departing journeys. The sulfur content of bunker is 2.7 percent compared to 0.2 percent for the low-sulfur fuel.
   Pilot results from the switch have shown substantial reductions in key pollutants that have potential health effects, the carrier said in a release. Maersk is projecting a 73 percent annual reduction in particulate matter, a 92 percent reduction in sulfur dioxide, and at least a 10 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide. The first vessel that performed the fuel switch was “Sine Maersk” in Los Angeles on March 31, but the program is being implemented on all vessels calling California.