The North of England protection and indemnity club has warned that the incoming 2020 fuel regulation could instigate a deluge of charter disputes and is urging owners and charters to be aware of the issues in the hope of avoiding a rush of costly freight demurrage and defence (FD&D) claims.

Tiejha Smyth, deputy director of FD&D at the North of England, says the 2015 switch to low-sulphur fuel in emission-control areas brought a number of charter disputes — but that is likely to be dwarfed by the conflict that could emerge from the 2020 global shift to fuel with 0.5%