MARPOL Annex VI sets the reduction of the global sulphur limit from the current 3.5% to 0.5% which will come into effect from January 1, 2020; Following, local bunker suppliers can follow specific steps, ‘best practices’, to ensure effective implementation and enforcement of statutory requirements of the MARPOL Annex VI.
The best practices (MEPC.1/Circ.884) have to be in line with each national government and also observe the provisions of regulation 18 as per Goal 1, strive to ensure existing requirements of MARPOL Annex VI are effectively applied.
- Regulation 18.1: Best practice on how to promote availability of compliant in fuel oil (MEPC.1/Circ.884 Annex, page 3):
The Administration should promote the availability of fuel oil in ports that should not conclude to distortion of competition; In other words, individual oil suppliers have to make investment decisions according to market opportunities. Also, the Administration should provide information concerning future regulations to suppliers under their jurisdiction, including revisions of the information required on the bunker delivery note. - Regulation 18.2: Best practice for handling of notifications of the non-availability of fuel oil that is in compliance to MARPOL Annex VI, including a harmonized format for such notifications (MEPC.1/Circ.884 Annex, page 3):
The Administration should follow the procedure for reporting compliance on fuel oil non-available and be able to use the related standard format as developed by the Organization when notify to other Parties. - Regulation 18.3: Fuel oil quality (MEPC.1/Circ.884 Annex, page 3): According to the regulation the fuel fuel delivered to vessels needs to comply with a number of qualitative requirements. Yet, up to now there is no specification or routine testing which guarantees that a fuel complies with such qualitative requirements. The Administration can take action against the supplier under the condition that it is documented that the fuel delivered is not enforced with those qualitative requirements of the regulation. The Administration should encourage fuel oil suppliers under their jurisdiction to use detailed fuel specifications, as well as the Guidance on best practice for fuel oil suppliers for assuring the quality of fuel oil delivered to vessels (MEPC.1/Circ.875/Add.1).
