Neste to sell IMO 2020 compliant fuel in NWE in 4Q

Finland-based private-sector refiner Neste will begin to sell a low-sulphur marine fuel in northwest Europe in the fourth quarter of 2019.

The firm said the fuel will comply with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 sulphur cap of 0.5pc.

Neste will produce the fuel at its 197,000 b/d Porvoo refinery in Finland. It will disclose the specific NWE locations in which the fuel will be sold in the autumn.

Neste head of marine fuels and services Sveta Ukkonen told Argus it is "highly unlikely" the company will sell the fuel outside of the region. Contract negotiations for the new fuel are underway with customers. Ukkonen declined to say if any have been agreed.

Neste already produces marine fuels with less than 0.1pc sulphur for use in Europe's Emission Control Areas (ECA), including marine gasoil and marine diesel grades.

The firm's Porvoo refinery is scheduled to undergo a four-week decoking maintenance in September and October.