China Emission regulations: An overview

In this article, SQE Marine provides information about the current situation on Chinese emissions regulations. Specifically, China relevant authority (MSA) has set three ECA’s in China area in which from 01-01-2019, all vessels should use (all time) fuel with 0.5% m/m sulfur content.

0.5% m/m Sulfur Content in Emissions

The initial three established ECA’s started to be:

1. Bohai-rim Waters (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province)
2. Yangtze River Delta
3. Pearl River Delta

In accordance with The Ministry of Transport of China and the released Implementation Plan for Marine Air Pollutant Emission Control Areas on 10/12/2018, there is an extension of ECA areas as follows:

• Coastal control areas: the general scope includes all sea areas and ports within 12 nautical miles of the baseline extension of Chinese territorial sea (excluding waters under the jurisdiction of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan), as well as Hainan waters and ports specially designated.
• Inland control areas: Navigable waters of the Yangtze river main lines (from Shuifu in Yunnan Province to Liuhe Estuary in Jiangsu Province) and the Xijiang River main lines (from Nanning in Guangxi Province to Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province)

Starting 01 January 2019:

1. The sulphur content of fuel oil used by ships entering the ECA must not exceed 0.50%;
2. The sulphur content of marine fuel oil used by seagoing ships entering the inland ECAs must not exceed 0.50%; and
3. Inland ships must use fuels in accordance with Chinese standards, either GB 252 or a new version which is expected to replace it.

Reporting Requirements

Additionally to the above low sulfur limit implementation China in order to support the IMO Data Collection System has set a regulation for reporting fuel consumption (from 01-01-2019) from all vessels entering/leaving China’s Ports. The Regulation applies to ships, entering or leaving the ports in China (all ports), of 400 gross tonnage and above or powered by main propulsion machinery of 750 kW propulsion power and above. This Regulation does not apply to warships or fishing ships.

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There is some exemptions to this regulation as vessels trading within a fixed region and the time underway per voyage is 4 hours or less; or sailing on fixed route and the time underway per voyage is 12 hours or less, are exempted from reporting.

What to report

In relevant MSA circular “Regulation on Data Collection for Energy Consumption of Ships” (RDCECS) there is a standardized format for reporting through Data Report Format for the Energy Consumption of Ships.

Seagoing ships shall report energy consumption data of last voyage to MSA before leaving a port.

The data to be reported include:

• Fuel Oil Consumption
• Shore power consumption
• EEDI
• The use of scrubbers
• Transport work based on actual cargo or proxy (if actual cargo not available)
• Distance traveled
• Hours underway
• Operation hours

How to report

All reports should be completed and submitted on line in relevant site of China MSA.

Actions required

Ship Managers/ Operators of vessels calling China ports should prepare their vessels to respond to this requirement prior departing.