Sulphur Limit (0.50%)

The 0.50% m/m global sulphur limit on marine fuel oil, known as IMO 2020, has applied outside Emission Control Areas since 1 January 2020 under MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14.1. It cut the previous 3.50% cap by a factor of seven, lowering SOx and sulphate particulate emissions worldwide. Ships comply by burning very low sulphur fuel oil or distillate, or by using a scrubber accepted as equivalent under Regulation 4. The carriage of non-compliant fuel for combustion, without an approved equivalent, was banned from 1 March 2020 under MEPC.305(73). Inside ECAs the stricter 0.10% limit applies.