News / As pressure grows, Indonesia backs down on IMO 2020 defiance

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The Indonesian government appears to have made a complete u-turn on its announcement last month to allow its flag-state vessels to continue to consume fuel with a 3.5% sulphur content after the IMO’s 0.5% sulphur cap comes into force on 1 January.

According to Reuters, Indonesia’s ministry of transportation has confirmed that IMO 2020 requirements will apply to “all Indonesian-flagged vessels starting 1 January 2020, both for domestic and foreign shipping”.

The same government ministry just three weeks ago suggested that, because ...