Maritime Glossary
SOx
Also known as: sulphur oxides, sulphur dioxide, SO₂
Sulphur oxides emitted from burning sulphur-containing marine fuels, regulated under MARPOL Annex VI.
Status: ActiveVerified: Source confidence: high (97%)
Full Definition
SOx (primarily SO₂) forms when sulphur-containing fuel is combusted. It causes respiratory harm, acid rain, and particulate formation. MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14 sets a global sulphur cap of 0.50% m/m (since IMO 2020, reduced from 3.50%) and 0.10% m/m in SECAs. Ships comply by using VLSFO/MGO or installing an approved EGCS. The 2020 sulphur cap was one of the most disruptive regulatory events in modern shipping, reshaping fuel markets and driving scrubber installation.
Domain Tags
environmentregulationengineering