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Clean Arctic Alliance: Will London shipping summit act to protect Arctic from spills and emissions?

Clean Arctic Alliance reiterates its request for the IMO to urgently require all ships operating in the Arctic to switch to distillate fuels, in order to significantly reduce black carbon emissions.
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The Clean Arctic Alliance, a coalition made of non-profit organisations (NGO), on Monday (17 February) called on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to agree to a new regulation banning the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil (HFO) as fuel by ships operating in Arctic waters during this week’s “Arctic IMO Summit” in London.

The week-long (17-21 February) meeting of the International Maritime Organization’s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR7) – dubbed the Arctic IMO Summit due to the Arctic-related issues dominating the agenda – includes negotiations on measures to reduce risks of use and carriage of HFO as fuel by shipping in Arctic waters, and on the reduction of impacts of black carbon emissions from global shipping on the Arctic region.

“With the effects of the climate crisis already having significant impacts across the Arctic region and Arctic routes opening up to increasing ship traffic, IMO Member States must strongly support the introduction of a HFO ban this week,” said Clean Arctic Alliance Lead Advisor Dr Sian Prior.

“We are overdue action and any delays or exemptions to a ban will only prolong the threat of a HFO spill in the Arctic, putting communities, livelihoods and wildlife at risk, and the views of Indigenous groups and individuals must be taken into special consideration while developing the ban”.

Support for an IMO ban on the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic had previously come from a number of countries, including six of the eight Arctic states. Canada, which, along with Russia, had previously withheld support for the HFO ban, has now also publicly voiced its support for the ban.

“Canada’s announcement to support a HFO ban on Arctic shipping is very encouraging news ahead of the tough negotiations at the IMO this week”, said WWF Canada Senior Sustainable Shipping Specialist Andrew Dumbrille.

“By becoming the 7th of eight Arctic nations to back the ban, Canada is showing vision and leadership in creating a pathway for cleaner shipping in the Arctic – but it must now ensure that it does not put any obstacle in the way of putting the HFO ban in place as soon as possible.

Andrew Dumbrille commended Canada for working towards protecting the Arctic marine environment and ensuring communities have access to a clean ocean for food and culture – but the federal government now has the obligation to ensure any potential costs associated with banning HFO don’t impact people in Northern communities.

Dr Prior added that IMO must not entertain any arguments calling for a delay in the implementation of an Arctic ban on HFO.

“The use and carriage of HFO in the Arctic is increasing, with a 46% increase in the volume of HFO fuel carried by ships in the Arctic between 2015 and 2017, and a 57% increase in the amount of HFO used – and this will only increase the risks of HFO spills and impacts from black carbon in the region. 

“IMO Member States, in particular Arctic governments, must cooperate on the delivery of a ban as quickly as possible,” she concluded. 

Already banned in Antarctic waters, if HFO is spilled in cold polar waters, it breaks down slowly, proving almost impossible to clean up. A HFO spill would have long-term devastating effects on Arctic indigenous communities, livelihoods and the marine ecosystems they depend upon.

Black carbon , a harmful air pollutant, is the product of incomplete combustion of organic fuels, and contributes from 7-21% of shipping’s climate warming impact. The largest sources of BC are fossil fuel, biomass and biofuel combustion. Ships emit more BC per unit of fuel consumed than other combustion sources due to the quality of the fuel used. 

BC has human health impacts and is a potent climate forcer. When emitted in the Arctic, Black Carbon particles fall on snow, on glacier ice and sea ice, reducing their reflectivity (albedo) and increasing the absorption of heat. As multi-season sea ice recedes due to climate change, Arctic waters will open up to increased shipping – which could lead to increased Black Carbon emissions, fueling an already accelerating feedback loop.

Recent revelations suggesting that the use of some new low sulphur fuel oils with a high aromatic content, introduced to meet the IMO’s 2020 sulphur cap, could increase black carbon emissions, add to the urgency of such a switch. Switching to distillate fuels in the Arctic and the use of a diesel particulate filter will lead to black carbon reductions of over 99%. The Alliance is further requesting that the IMO support the development of a global rule prohibiting fuels with high black carbon emissions.

Until new regulations can be developed and enter into force, the Clean Arctic Alliance is proposing that IMO Member States agree a Resolution at MEPC 75 (March 31- April 3rd) calling on ship owners, charterers, fuel providers and other stakeholders to implement a switch to distillate in the Arctic on a voluntary basis.


Photo credit: NOAA on Unsplash
Published: 18 February, 2020

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Environment

Indonesia to expedite removal of sunken Malaysia-flagged tanker “Silver Sincere”

Vessel sank while carrying about 1,000 mt of waste oil on 12 January 2025; the wreck was discovered in March 2025 and was found to have drifted about 13 nautical miles from its original sinking site.

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July 20, 2026

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Indonesia to expedite removal of sunken Malaysia-flagged tanker “Silver Sincere”

Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs on Tuesday (14 July) held a cross-agency coordination meeting to expedite efforts in handling the Malaysian-flagged tanker Silver Sincere that sank off Bintan Regency, Riau Islands.

The vessel sank while carrying about 1,000 metric tonnes (mt) of waste oil on 12 January 2025. 

According to authorities, the ship sank within Indonesian waters. After several surveys, the wreck was finally discovered in March 2025 and it was found to have shifted approximately 13 nautical miles from the initial sinking location.

The meeting was aimed to align cross-ministerial and institutional measures to expedite the handling of the Silver Sincere wreck while minimising risks to shipping safety, the marine environment, and national interests.

Deputy for Coordination of State Defense and National Unity Purwito Hadi Wardhono emphasised that the handling of the impact of the Silver Sincere sinking was the first case to be comprehensively coordinated, serving as a model for handling foreign vessels sinking within Indonesian jurisdiction.

Through this cross-sectoral coordination, the government will establish a clear and measurable framework that can serve as a reference for resolving similar cases in the future, while minimising state losses due to environmental pollution, damage to underwater ecosystems and infrastructure, and disruption to shipping lanes.

“The most important thing is to immediately stop and prevent the negative impacts of this ship sinking,” Purwito said.

“Therefore, a coordinating role is crucial, as maritime security governance involves various ministries and institutions with varying authorities, allowing for faster, more integrated, and more effective response,” he said. 

He added that the Silver Sincere was a Malaysian-flagged vessel that sank within Indonesian jurisdiction, and therefore, all handling processes must comply with the provisions of Indonesian laws and regulations.

In the meeting, Prof. Eko Ganis Sukoharsono, representing the SAE Energy Consulting Team, presented the results of an analysis based on 14 observation periods using Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite imagery. 

The analysis results showed strong indications of a waste oil spill that has resulted in marine pollution, damage to the seabed due to shifting shipwrecks, disruption of coastal ecosystems and fishing grounds, and potentially threatening the livelihoods of fishing communities around the Riau Islands. 

Purwito added these findings further emphasise the importance of accelerating the removal of the shipwrecks to prevent widespread environmental impacts, maintain shipping safety, and avoid the potential for greater state losses.

The meeting brought together representatives of related ministries and institutions including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Ministry of Environment, Attorney General’s Office.  

Related: MPA: Malaysia-registered tanker “Silver Sincere” sinks off Pedra Branca

 

Photo credit: MarineTraffic / Julian T
Published: 20 July, 2026

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Methanol

China launches methanol shipping supply chain alliance to accelerate green transition

Marine fuel suppliers in the alliance include Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales, China Marine Bunker (PetroChina), SIPG Energy (Shanghai), and Shenzhen Port Energy Development.
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July 17, 2026

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China Waterborne Transport Research Institute under the Ministry of Transport and China Transport News recently jointly launched a Methanol Fuel Shipping Supply Chain Innovation Alliance with 20 organisations spanning the shipping, port, energy, equipment, research and industry association sectors.

The alliance was officially announced during the main event of China Maritime Day 2026 on 11 July, where members also released a joint initiative to develop a collaborative methanol-fuelled shipping supply chain.

The alliance aims to implement China’s national strategy for green economic transformation and support the Ministry of Transport’s “One Network, Four Modernisations” initiative by building a safe, efficient, economical and reliable methanol marine fuel supply chain

Under the joint initiative, alliance members pledged to align with China’s national decarbonisation strategy by promoting methanol as a key pathway for the shipping sector’s green transition and optimising the industry’s energy mix.

The members also pledged to strengthen collaboration across the supply chain to improve coordination between bunker fuel production, transportation and end users while advancing technological innovation.

Lastly, the alliance will support the development of policies, planning and technical standards, promote resource sharing and joint research, and accelerate the large-scale adoption of methanol as a marine fuel.

The alliance brings together companies and organisations representing the entire methanol shipping supply chain.

Members include shipping and port members such as China Changjiang National Shipping (Group) Corporation, COSCO Shipping Bulk Co., Ltd., Shandong Port Group, and Wuhan Chuangxin Jianghai Shipping Co., Ltd.

Energy companies in the alliance include Sinopec Chemical Commercial Holding Company Limited and Methanex Corporation.

Marine fuel suppliers including Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales, China Marine Bunker (PetroChina), SIPG Energy (Shanghai) Co Ltd and Shenzhen Port Energy Development Co Ltd are also part of the alliance. 

Equipment manufacturers in the alliance are CSSC 711th Research Institute, CSSC Power (Group) Corporation Ltd and Chongqing Hongjiang Machinery Co Ltd.

Research, media and industry organisations participating in the alliance include the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute, China Transport News, and the Methanol Institute.

The Methanol Institute said methanol is moving beyond individual projects towards coordinated action across the entire value chain. 

“And China continues to play a leading role in advancing methanol as a marine fuel,” it said in a social media post.  

“We’re proud to work alongside our fellow alliance members to help strengthen the methanol supply chain and support the continued growth of methanol as a marine fuel.”

 

Photo credit: David Yu from Pixabay
Published: 17 July, 2026

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Wind-assisted

DNV awards TADC to Econowind for VentoFoil 3-Series

System actively harnesses wind power to generate forward thrust, helping to reduce bunker fuel consumption and mitigate FuelEU penalties.
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July 17, 2026

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DNV awards TADC to Econowind for VentoFoil 3-Series

Dutch wind-assisted propulsion technology firm Econowind on Wednesday (15 July) said it has received a Type Approval Design Certificate (TADC) from classification society DNV for its VentoFoil 3-Series boundary layer suction wing. 

The company said the certification confirms compliance with DNV’s ST-0511 standard for Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems and enables easier integration of VentoFoils on DNV-classed vessels worldwide. 

Econowind added that the approval accelerates the deployment of wind propulsion across the shipping industry.

“DNV is one of the world’s leading classification societies. This TADC gives DNV-classed shipowners confidence that VentoFoils meet the highest industry standards,” said Chiel de Leeuw, Chief Commercial Officer at Econowind. 

“It simplifies the approval process for both retrofits and newbuilds. VentoFoils are ideal for late-stage design integration and retrofit projects. This is an important milestone for Econowind and for the wider adoption of wind-assisted ship propulsion.”

The 3-Series VentoFoil is Econowind’s best-selling suction wing to date, with over 150 units sold. The system actively harnesses wind power to generate forward thrust, helping to reduce fuel consumption and mitigate FuelEU penalties. The system includes a tilting foundation, allowing the wings to be tilted down during port operations or in adverse weather conditions, making it a flexible solution.

The TADC applies to the 16-meter VentoFoil 3-Series product design and supports easy integration into DNV-classed vessels without repeating the full design assessment process. This enables shipowners, shipyards, and project teams to move more efficiently from concept to installation, reducing project complexity and accelerating deployment. 

Hasso Hoffmeister, Senior Principal Engineer at DNV Maritime, said: “It is a great pleasure to award Econowind this new certificate. WAPS have been going from strength to strength over the past few years, from 2022 the number of vessels in operation has increased five times, and we’ve now topped the century mark. 

“And with the current advances in technology, materials, and production capacity in the segment, we expect this to accelerate. So, while the wind always changes, the shipping industry is likely to be sailing strong for years to come.”

Econowind expects the DNV Type Approval Design Certificate to accelerate adoption of the VentoFoil, particularly among shipowners seeking proven, independently certified technology that can support fuel savings, emissions reductions, and decarbonization goals.

MS Heinz of HS Schiffahrt is among the first vessels to sail under this TADC.The company said the approval builds on Econowind’s growing installed base and further strengthens confidence in wind-assisted ship propulsion as a practical solution to address energy scarcity and high fuel prices. 

In addition to the 3-Series, Econowind offers the 5-Series for the deep-sea market.

 

Photo credit: Econowind
Published: 17 July, 2026

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