The North of England P&I Club has announced that the China’s Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) has issued a set of guidelines on the implementation and supervision of ECAs that detail how they will verify compliance with emission control measures.
Such verification measures may include:
- For ships using low sulphur fuel, inspection of bunker delivery notes, fuel change-over procedures, engine room logbook
- and fuel oil quality/samples.
- For ships using alternative measures, such as shore power, LNG or exhaust gas scrubbers, inspection of the International
- Air Pollution Prevention (IAPP) Certificate/Record and engine room log book.
The three emission control areas in China were created to reduce the levels of ship-generated air pollution and focus on the sulphur content of fuels. The three areas are the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta and Bohai Sea.
Herebelow you may find ECAs, ports, and the dates upon which the various requirements become mandatory
Specifically, a vessel using bunker fuels not meeting corresponding standard or requirements shall be handled as per the following one or more ways based on the severity of violation and in accordance with relevant provisions in laws, regulations or international conventions:
a) Warning education;
b) Rectify the violation;
c) Retain the vessel;
d) Impose punishment in accordance with Art.106 of the Law of the People’s
If the vessel has left the port, the local MSA may notify the MSAs at the next port of such vessel to assist in investigation.
Where the unit supplying ship bunker fuels did not truthfully fill up the document for supplying and receiving of bunker fuel, or did not provide the vessel with document for supplying and receiving of ship bunker fuel and samples of such bunker fuel, as it is required to do so, punishment shall be imposed in accordance with Art.63 of the Regulations on Administration of the Prevention and Control of Marine Environment Pollution Caused by Vessels;
Where the vessel and the unit supplying ship bunker fuels did not keep the document for supplying and receiving of ship bunker fuel and samples of such bunker fuel, as they are required to do so, punishment shall be imposed in accordance with Art.63 of the Regulations on Administration of the Prevention and Control of Marine Environment Pollution Caused by Vessels.
Further details may be found in the guidelines below
Source: Notrth of England P&I Club
