Underlying vessel operating cost inflation accelerated moderately in 2019 on higher repair & maintenance and insurance spend, while costs are expected to continue rising at a similar pace in 2020, according to Drewry’s latest Ship Operating Costs Annual.

With the enforcement date of the IMO 2020 low-sulphur regulation now only 6 weeks away, shippers and forwarders are starting to get their chequebooks out to help ocean carriers cover the additional cost of the cleaner, low-sulphur fuel.

Drewry and the European Shippers’ Council (ESC) have published a bunker adjustment factor indexing mechanism to help shippers monitor and control bunker charges in the run-up to and following the introduction of the IMO 2020 low-sulphur regulation.