Ports and Shipping - Ships with scrubbers must lock in high sulfur fuel oil needs to avoid supply hassles.

Shipowners with scrubber-equipped vessels may face challenges securing fuel unless they lock in their requirements well ahead of the new low sulfur emission limits on bunkers that apply from 2020, a senior industry executive quoted as saying last week.

Large volumes of high sulfur fuel oil will be available next year but not all bunker suppliers will be willing to store, move and supply it, Douglas Raitt, Regional Consultancy Manager with Lloyd's Register Asia, said at the MARE Shipping Forum in Singapore. Lloyd's Register is one of the world's largest marine classification societies. Its fuel oil bunker analysis and advisory...