Are Any Countries in Favor of a Phase Out of Heavy Fuel Oil in the Arctic?

Yes. Several counties have spoken out in favor of a phase out of the use of HFO in the Arctic. Just recently at the Arctic Circle Assembly 2017, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade confirmed that a ban on HFO in the Arctic was the top priority for Finland while they Chair the Arctic Council. Venstre, the Danish Liberal Party, has previously announced its support for a ban on the use of HFO in the Arctic, while Norway, Sweden, France, Germany and the Netherlands have indicated support for an HFO phase out in the Arctic for a number of years. Finally, at the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 71), the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain and Sweden supported a proposal by Canada, Finland, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway and the U.S. calling for work to begin on mitigating the risks of use and carriage of heavy fuel oil (HFO) as fuel by ships in the Arctic.