On the 1st of January 2015, when not interfered, the norm for sulfur emissions by sea ships will be updated in such a way, that the Dutch economy, and even worse, the environment, will suffer disproportionately.  This is stated by leading organizations in maritime industry and trading in a letter to the minister of Infrastructure and Environment and the Dutch parliament. In this letter, EVO, KVNR, ORAM, Deltalings and Fenex, ask the minister to make an effort for postponement and to start realizing realistic compensating measures which will enable the possibility of introducing the 0,1% norm in the years past 2015.
 
Norms for Northwest Europe stricter than for the rest of the world
The call of the maritime industry and trading organizations is a result of the measures which are determined by the International Maritime Organization to introduce a sulfur free zone for ships in the North Sea area. A result of this measure is a reduction of sulfur in ship fuel till 0,1% by January 1st 2015. At this moment, the already reduced norm of 1,0% is maintained. This strict norm concerns shipping through the Canal, the North Sea and the East Sea. The current norm for the rest of the world is 4,5%; from 2020 this norm will be 0,5%.
 
Negative environmental consequences.
As a result of the significantly higher prices of fuel with a low sulfur level, the cost price of transport by sea will dramatically increase, up to 32%. Therefore transport by road will become more attractive for shippers. The result will be a rising congestion on the mainland which will have negative consequences for air quality and road safety. This measure also conflicts directly with the latest European objectives to increase transport by sea instead of transport by land. Furthermore, research shows that the refinement process of fuel with low sulfur levels results in 3% higher CO2 emissions than is the case in refining other fuels. Therefore the measure will increase the greenhouse effect, while the global policy is to reduce these effects.
 
Postponement of clear compensating measures is required
Besides the negative impact on the environment, this measure also has serious negative consequences on the market position of North West European readers, harbors and shipping companies. The economical damage for readers which transport goods within Europe, and their shippers, will increase significantly when this measure will be introduced. This is why the industry and trading organizations would like to see this measure postponed, in order to create enough time to introduce compensating measures which will actually work. Without postponement and properly working compensating measures, the competitive position of Dutch companies will be disadvantaged. This is not an attractive scenario in a globalized world where durable transport by sea is increasing in importance, according to the organizations.