The International Maritime Organization made a "big mistake" when it approval ultra-low sulphur fuel for Europe's emissions control areas, the chairman of the European parliament transport committee said yesterday.

In a strongly-worded attack on the IMO, committee chair Brian Simpson said the IMO had "got it wrong" with its decision to impose 0.1% sulphur fuel in the Baltic, North Sea and Channel by 2015.

"We have a serious problem here," Mr Simpson told the committee. Both EU transport commissioner Siim Kallas and EU transport ministers recognised in private that they have "made a mistake" with the ruling, he said.

"It's unusual for the IMO to take such a decision," said Mr Simpson. "Normally it takes them 50 years. But when they take it quickly they get it wrong."

Industry has complained that the IMO amendment to Annex VI of the Marpol Convention was rushed through without an impact study. The new limits will lead to increased costs and a shift from ships to trucks, it is claimed.

Whereas industry has concentrated on the so-called modal backshift towards trucking, MEPs suggested the real issue was one of distorted competition between shortsea operators in the north and south of Europe.

They debated an amendment by German MEP Knut Fleckenstein that suggested emissions control areas should also apply in the Mediterranean.

"All European coastal areas should be protected against emissions" the amendment read, "distortion of competition by disparities in the strictness of emission limit values should be avoided and consequently, if overall environmental performance is improved by emission control areas, uniform rules covering the whole EU would be preferable."

Mr Simpson admitted Brussels was in a "predicament" as the emissions control area rules had already been agreed by the member states concerned.

The European Commission has rejected industry calls for a postponement to the 2015 deadline and is due to propose turning the IMO rule into EU law later this year.

Source: Lloyd's List