More change ahead for the shipping sector
An unwinding of some Covid-related effects might challenge VLSFO’s initial IMO 2020 win
It is easy to overlook, amid the fallout from and response to Covid-19, the seismic shift that fundamentally altered the global bunker industry over the last year. At the beginning of January, the permissible sulphur content of marine fuels was lowered from 3.5pc to 0.5pc, a seemingly small regulatory change with lasting implications across multiple industries. IMO 2020, as the regulation is known, has forever transformed the global bunker market, although many of the more dire expectations surrounding the regulation have been temporarily blunted by the market reaction to Covid-19. One year after its rollout, the bunker market remains in a precarious position. The new sulphur standard has s
Also in this section
23 January 2026
A strategic pivot away from Russian crude in recent weeks tees up the possibility of improved US-India trade relations
23 January 2026
The signing of a deal with a TotalEnergies-led consortium to explore for gas in a block adjoining Israel’s maritime area may breathe new life into the country’s gas ambitions
22 January 2026
As Saudi Arabia pushes mining as a new pillar of its economy, Saudi Aramco is positioning itself at the intersection of hydrocarbons, minerals and industrial policy
22 January 2026
New long-term deal is latest addition to country’s rapidly evolving supply portfolio as it eyes role as regional gas hub
