Clean Arctic Alliance Manifesto for the Icelandic Chairmanship of Arctic Council

During its two-year Chairmanship of the Arctic Council, Iceland will focus on sustainable development in the Arctic, with a special emphasis on the Arctic marine environment, climate and green energy solutions, people in the Arctic, and strengthening the Arctic Council. These comprehensive themes provide Iceland with the opportunity to demonstrate global leadership with respect to a region of the world that is in serious trouble.

The Arctic HFO Ban: The Story So Far

Infographic: An Arctic Heavy Fuel Oil Ban: The Story So Far

Given the severe risks associated with HFO, the international shipping community banned its use and carriage by ships around Antarctica in 2011. A ban on HFO in the Arctic was considered in 2013 during the deliberations on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Polar Code, but while some member states were supportive, no consensus was reached. In April 2018, agreement was reached to develop a ban. Now, in 2019, with an Arctic HFO ban on the way – and this infographic charts the progress so far.

Residuals bunker fuel ban in the IMO Arctic waters CE Delft: Residuals bunker fuel ban in the IMO Arctic waters: An assessment of costs and benefits

CE Delft: Residuals bunker fuel ban in the IMO Arctic waters: An assessment of costs and benefits

The IMO has agreed to start working on the development of a ban on the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil (HFO) as fuel by ships in Arctic waters. Such a ban would not prohibit the carriage of heavy grade oil in bulk as cargo, but would require ships sailing in the Arctic waters to use and carry non-HFO bunker fuels only. This would lead to a reduction of black carbon emissions and reduce costs and damages in case of an oil spill, but also impose additional costs on ship owners/operators that otherwise would have used and/or carried HFO bunkers or blends thereof for on-board combustion purposes.