IMO 2020 is fast approaching and will have far-reaching consequences for shipping and world trade.
The motives behind a curb on high-sulphur fuel emissions are commendable. If alternative, environmentally friendly fuels are available, then shipping should strain every sinew in cutting needless pollution.
However, the inflexibility of the guidelines and high compliance hurdles are leading to solutions that are unlikely to benefit the planet and, worse, may place a dramatic strain on the arteries of world trade.
