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SOₓ from Fuel Sulphur

Sulphur-oxide emissions scale linearly with fuel sulphur content. Check MARPOL Annex VI 0.50 % global cap and 0.10 % SECA compliance, plus annual SOₓ mass.

PollutantsMARPOL VI Reg 14
SO₂ produced
21.00t
Global cap status
Compliant
MARPOL Annex VI global cap.
SECA status
Over 0.10 % - non-compliant in SECA
Valid for Baltic, North Sea, North America, US Caribbean, Mediterranean.

Formula & cap thresholds

SO₂ (kg) = Fuel (kg) × 2 × (Sulphur % / 100)

Virtually all fuel sulphur oxidises to SO₂; the factor of 2 comes from the molecular-mass ratio (SO₂ = 64, S = 32). Some converts further to SO₃ which appears in PM measurements but the stoichiometric SO₂ assumption is standard for regulatory accounting.

RegulationSulphur cap
MARPOL Annex VI global (since 1 Jan 2020)0.50 % m/m
SECA (Baltic, North Sea, North America, US Caribbean, Med since 1 May 2025)0.10 % m/m

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