While the shipping industry has no economic incentive to incorporate engine upgrades not operational changes in buying lower sulphur fuels, there have been international efforts made to regulate the industry. Some of these efforts include treaties such as the Marine Pollution Treaty and the UN Convention on Law of the Sea both dealing with marine pollution from ships.
However, many of the current regulations are considered inadequate given that there are no incentives for compliance by the shipping industry. Until such time as countries begin to force transparency in the international corporate registration structures being exploited and begin to address the complexities of the global shipping industry, it will be left to corporations / companies to assume more responsibility for the environmental impact they are causing.
