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Russia and Eurasian Union concur high-sulphur bunker fuel usage to 2026

Russia and its partners inside the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) have agreed to continue highsulphur bunker fuel usage and production for vessels inside the bloc up until the end of 2026, the Eurasian Economic Commission ( EEC) stated on its website.

The International Maritime Company (IMO), of which Russia is a member, implemented a 0.5% sulphur content limitation for bunker fuel worldwide from 2020, in one of primary changes for the marine market in the last few years.

However, the EEU has actually been sluggish to carry out the limit for its domestic water-borne transport, which allows its refineries to continue high-sulphur fuel sales.

Up until the end of 2026, for vessels involved in transport inside the Union, production of bunker fuel with sulphur material of 1.5% has actually been enabled to continue, the EEC stated in its declaration.

The EEC is a legal authority acting inside the EEU which consists of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Belarus.

Initially, bunker fuel output and usage inside the EEU was expected to be restricted to only 0.5% sulphur material from the beginning of 2024 in line with global standards.

The current modification in EEU regulations was implemented by the EEC at the end of November 2023.

Russia and the EEU, which were initially anticipated to carry out the exact same change for inland waters, said the regulations would be postponed for 3 years.

The current post ponement to the sulphur content limit guideline for bunker fuel, marks the 2nd such delay by Russia and the EEU to the policies.

The EEC said the rules were modified after a Russian proposal to ensure steady performance of regional logistics plans, consisting of providing items to regions like the Far North.

Russia's Ministry of Transportation did not respond to a request for a remark.