Tag: Emission Control Areas (ECA)

EU has proposed 0.1% sulphur cap to take effect in 2015 New regulations really need to be thought over carefully and exposed to the most rigorous cost-benefit analysis. It is often said that legislation concocted in haste will be inevitably regretted by its recipients and that those making regulations need always to consider "the Law of Unintended Consequences", which will often catch out those who have allowed their enthusiasm for legislation to get the better of them.Perhaps it has been taking rather too long to build up a head of steam, but the opposition to the proposed EU 0.1% sulphur cap due to take effect in 2015 within the European Emission Control Areas seems to be growing very fast. Ferry and short sea operators in particular have been doing their research and are, as a result, better equipped to forecast the consequences of this drastic reduction of sulphur content in fuel oil, due to become mandatory.Speaking to the UK House of Commons Transport Committee recently, the UK interest group Maritime UK told MPs that the proposals are likely to increase bunker costs by nearly 90% and will almost certainly add some GBP 3.6 billion per annum to the operating costs ...

Owners and EMSA disagree at industry convention The IBIA Convention in Barcelona opened on Tuesday with two keynote speakers putting forward opposing views on impact of the 2015 0.1% sulphur cap in emission control areas (ECAs). Manuel Carlier, director general of the Spanish Shipowners' Association (ANAVE), and a director of the European Community Shipowners' Association (ECSA), put forward owners' concerns. Arnaud Leroy Senior Project officer European Maritime Safety Agency, and working with the European Commission (ECs) on the Marine Fuels countered with the case for continuing with its proposals which in some respects exceed IMO ECA requirements.Mr Carlier said that it was likely that bunker costs for ship operators would increase by between 70% and 100% while operating in ECAs and that there would be a total increase in operating costs 25% to 40%. He asked: "Can this cost be passed to customers in the freight market?He said that while scrubber equipment suppliers claimed success in pilot applications and tests installing this equipment would only be cost efficient for new ships operating exclusively or mainly in ECAs.He noted the possibility of using LNG and that dual fuel engines had proved successful in large LNG tankers. He said that the methane ...

To 3.50% M/M from 1 January 2012 On 1 January 2012, the MARPOL Annex VI global fuel sulphur limit for fuel oil will be reduced from 4.50% m/m to 3.50% m/m.From this date, ships using fuel with sulphur content greater than 3.50% m/m in MARPOL Annex VI signatory countries and their territories will be in violation of the said regulation, unless they are equipped with abatement technologies with proven capabilities for reducing SOx emissions to the required levels.When ordering fuel oil which is not expected to be fully consumed before 1 January 2012, please consider specifying the maximum fuel sulphur limit at 3.50% m/m.Please further note that from 1 August 2012, the North American Emission Control Area (ECA) will be enforced, joining the existing Baltic Sea and North Sea/English Channel ECAs. The maximum sulphur limit for bunkers used in the ECAs currently stands at 1.00% m/m.Finally, when sailing in the European Union territories, fuel sulphur requirements specified in the EU Directive 2005/33/EC shall be applicable; for example, the use of fuel with maximum 0.1% sulphur content in EU Community Ports and inland waterways.Source: DNVPS

Carnival UK backs 'averaging' proposal to meet ECA regulations David Dingle, chief executive of Carnival UK, said that, in response to the 0.1% sulphur content cap in emission-controlled areas (ECAs) in 2015, cruise ships would sail more slowly and would need to call at new and fewer portsIn an interview with Travel Trade Gazette he is quoted as saying: New ships will go down the route of creating more variety onboard, as calling at lots of ports becomes less possible . If you look at our order bookings across our brands for new ships, you can see that they are bigger than the existing ships we have.Mr Dingle also said he backed a proposal by the Cruise Lines International Association which has proposed a way of allowing ships to use higher sulphur fuels in once the 0.1% sulphur content cap comes in to force.According to Mr Dingle, the director of environmental and health programmes at CLIA, Bud Darr, is proposing an interpretation of the IMOs fuel rules that advocates the averaging principle - where ships would be able to burn higher-sulphur fuels as long as the average emission impact for the entire journey does not surpass the overall limit. Travel ...

Findings suggest that a more mature enforcement of sulphur regulations has developed DNV Petroleum Services conducted a market survey covering the technical, regulatory and supply experiences of ship operators in managing their fuels last year.We attempted to capture their views on the critical fuel management issues in 2011. From the responses of 96 customers and business associates, we are pleased to present a summary of the key findings, as well as our conclusions.Respondent ProfileThe survey responses were received globally. About 50% of the respondents were from Technical departments, 15% from Operations and 18% represented Management. About 60% of the respondents are involved in fuel purchasing.Some 73% of the respondents have ships trading in the Emission Control Areas (ECA).The survey findings suggest that a more matured enforcement of the sulphur regulations in Europe has developed, with ship operators gradually becoming adapted to the requirements in the EU and the Emission Control Areas.About 64% of the respondents felt there has been an improvement in the Port State Control enforcement of fuel sulphur regulations over the past 12 months. Of the 15% who said they have had problems with fuel regulations when trading in the EU and the ECAs, these problems were mainly ...

Due to change in procedure for completing Supplement As already advised in ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-0771 dated 13 May 2009, in accordance with Reg. 14 of MARPOL Annex VI, the sulphur content limit value for a fuel oil used outside of an Emission Control Area will be changed from 4.50% m/m to 3.50% m/m on 1 January 2012 and will be effective thereafter.Required sulphur content limit values are described in section 2.3 of the Supplement to the IAPP Certificate using a check box form. So far, only the check box for the sulphur content limit value which is applicable at the time of issuance of the Certificate has been ticked off. Therefore, whenever a new sulphur content limit values is enforced, the IAPP Certificate needs to be replaced each time.However, the IMO MEPC 61 agreed that section 2.3 of the Supplement should be completed on the basis of all available options, with a view to avoiding the need for repeated re-issuance of the Supplement, as the various given dates are passed. In accordance with this agreement, ClassNK will change the procedure for completion of section 2.3 of the Supplement and tick off all the check boxes which may be ...

Survey finds 94% of respondents had problems with their fuel deliveries A new DNV Petroleum Services (DNVPS) survey has found that, in the past 12 months, 94% of ship operator respondents encountered problems with their fuel deliveries, the majority of whom said off-specification bunkers was their biggest challenge.About 43% said the off-specification fuel deliveries were serious quality cases.Filter clogging was the most common problem encountered, followed by sludging, fuel pump sticking and seizures, and piston ring breakages.While most of the respondents said the fuel quality cases they encountered were resolved in a satisfactory manner, 18% did not report a positive outcome.This latter group suggested that the availability of an industry standard on fuel contaminants, technical advice guiding the ship on how use problematic fuels, and debunkering would have been useful.About 50% of the respondents were from technical departments, 15% from operations and 18% represented management. about 60% of the respondents are involved in fuel purchasing.Some 73% of the respondents have ships trading in the emission control areas (ECAs) and the survey findings suggest that "a more matured enforcement of the sulphur regulations in Europe has developed, with ship operators gradually becoming adapted to the requirements in the EU and the ...