The introduction of low sulphur fuel requires co-operative action between the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments.
The BCNA is seeking a 0.1% sulphur content for marine fuel for ships berthing at Station Pier. This standard has applied in Sydney Harbour from 2015 and is the same standard that now applies in most of Europe, the North Sea, within 200 nautical miles of most of the North American and Canadian coasts, the United States Caribbean Sea since 1 January 2015, and for ports and inland waterways in Turkey from 2012. We are using this statement to explain our request.
The candidates’ responses are:
- Steph Hodgins-May supports the mandated use of 0.1% sulphur in fuel for all ships using Station Pier (download detailed response).
- Kate Ashmor states that the Government actively supports the work of the International Maritime Organisation to reduce airborne emissions, including sulphur and is working closely with shipping operators in Australia to support the transition towards a cleaner shipping sector, and is open to considering data in support of an Emission Control Area (ECA) mandating 0.1% sulphur in fuel that State Government agencies provide (download detailed response).
- Josh Burns states that most ships visiting Station Pier would now comply with the 0.5% sulphur standard (to apply to ships from 1 January 2020) with the TT-Line (Spirit of Tasmania) to tranisition to low sulphur fuel by the end of the year, and that Labor will work with the BCNA and industry to lower sulphur levels being emitted from ships (download detailed response).