Challenges Facing The Shipping Sector Due to Environmental Regulations

Abstract

Due to growing international regulatory pressure, especially on environmental issues, shipping companies will have to face, in the coming years, substantial investments and significant increases in their operating costs, as well as a considerable additional workload for the crews and the need to take important strategic and investment decisions.

This paper analyses three of these already adopted new measures, and the obligations and implications their application will have on the operation of merchant transport ships. In particular, the Ballast Water Convention, the reduction of the maximum sulphur content in marine fuels and the obligation to report on fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.