Crowley joins clean-air shipping coalition

Trident Alliance members keep pressure on regulators to strictly enforce low-sulfur fuel requirements for vessels.    Crowley Maritime Corp. has joined the Trident Alliance, a coalition of ship owners and operators that want regulators to carry out strong enforcement of new international requirements for clean vessel emissions. 
   In January, the allowable sulfur level for marine engines in emission control areas around North America, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the Caribbean tightened even more to 1,000 parts per million, or 0.1 percent. Achieving the international standard requires the use of much more expensive marine diesel oil and/or alternative emission filtration systems. Global sulfur rules could tighten again in 2020 or 2025, and Europe is expected to require low-sulfur fuel for vessels traveling within a certain distance of its coasts within a few years.
   Trident members are complying with the ultra-low sulfur regulations and complain that some vessel operators are trying to save money by burning cheaper fuels with higher sulfur content, which puts law-abiding companies at a competitive disadvantage.
   Jacksonville, Fla.-based Crowley has signed a Trident commitment statement, agreeing to comply with sulfur regulations and support the robust enforcement of the regulations. Crowley is one of three member companies based in the United States. The other 32 Trident Alliance members are based in Europe.
   The Trident Alliance is in regular communication with regulators, especially in Europe, to advocate for tough enforcement and educate them about the economic impact on the industry when some don’t comply.
   Learn more about the Trident Alliance and clean-air regulations in the American Shipper July 2014 feature story, “Going after dirty cheaters.”