With the upcoming IMO 2020 rules, 0.5% sulphur fuels are expected to become the preferred choice in the global bunker mix — but it will likely take the shipping industry several quarters to adjust.
Refineries and bunker suppliers are rolling out IMO-compliant fuels in the bunkering hubs across the globe this year and in 2019, with the more optimistic officials expecting new consumption patterns to emerge by the end of March 2020.
