News / Impact of IMO 2020 low-sulphur fuel rule will be “close to a perfect storm”, says Maersk

© Sheila Fitzgerald |

The IMO’s 2020 0.5% sulphur cap regulations could cost shipping giant Maersk more than $2bn a year.

Simon Bergulf, director for regulatory affairs at AP Møller Maersk, recently told Bloomberg: “I wouldn’t call it a perfect storm, but it’s close.”

Maersk Line, along with a number of its peers have decided against retrofitting their ships with exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) that would enable vessels to continue burning cheaper heavy fuel oil (HFO) from the 1 January 2020 deadline.

However, liner rivals, such as Maersk’s 2M partner, ...