Petrobras decided to anticipate and adhere as of today, 01, the new specification established by the rules made by the International Maritime Organization.

As of today, October 01st, Petrobras will have all of its marine fuel (bunker) marketed with a maximum sulfur content of 0,5%. The state-owned oil company decided to anticipate and adhere to the new specification established by the rules made by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which aim to reduce the pollution forecast for 2020. Fire hits Petrobras' Revap refinery in São Paulo.

IMO it's a body responsible for ensuring a clean, safe and efficient global shipping industry. IMO 2020 promises changes in the fleet of ships and variation in freight rates in the international market.

This is because the new regulation determined to reduce the sulfur content from 3,5% to 0,5% in sulfur emissions as of January 1st of next year.

The new limit complies with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (Marpol), to which Brazil is a signatory.

This matter began to be debated in 2008 and its review was completed in 2016, with 2020 as the deadline for adapting the industry.

Petrobras began adapting its refineries and operating units for fuel production in April.

So far, the company has already exceeded the production of 1,2 million cubic meters of bunker with sulfur content below 0,5%.

Production, according to the oil company, will meet all demand in Brazil and the surplus will be exported.

"The reduction in the level of sulfur in the bunker offers Petrobras the opportunity to increase its participation in the global fuel oil and bunker markets in a profitable manner, in addition to giving greater appreciation to Brazilian oil", informed Petrobras.

The state-owned company did not give details about what its annual production capacity will be, which refineries produce and what the demand in the Brazilian market is.

The ports where Petrobras sells bunkers are Rio Grande, Paranaguá, Santos, São Sebastião, Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Vitória, Salvador, Fortaleza, São Luís, Belém and Manaus.

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