Tag: MARPOL Annex VI

While there has been some recent progress in the fight against shipping emissions, there are still serious challenges, relating to cost and lack of compliance with standards, noted Keith B. Letourneau, Partner Maritime, BLANKROME, at the 2022 GREEN4SEA Forum, warning that without mandatory reductions, GHG emissions from the maritime sector could increase between 50-250% by 2050.

New requirements for fuel oil sampling and testing have entered into force under the MARPOL Convention Annex VI, supporting the implementation and enforcement of the IMO 2020 0.50% limit for sulphur in ships' fuel oil.

AMSA requests online feedback on changes to Marine order 97 by 20 March 2022. This marine order, that deals with the prevention of air pollution from vessels and gives effect to MARPOL Annex VI, applies to regulated Australian vessels (RAVs), domestic commercial vessels (DCVs), recreational vessels and foreign vessels and is expected to become effective in 2023.

The 76th session of IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 76) will take place virtually on 10-17 June 2021, with amendments to MARPOL Annex VI and short-term GHG reduction topping the agenda. 

Recent attention has been focused on the reduction of the global sulphur cap from 3.50% to 0.50% - but don’t forget there are lower sulphur level requirements in designated MARPOL emission control areas and areas defined by regional governmental entities.

Steamship Mutual attempts to examine how compliance to the Global Sulphur Cap is to be determined; what procedures will apply and what will be used to ascertain whether bunkers on board and the operation of the ship are compliant, in relation to vessels without scrubbers or other equivalent means of compliance by reference to the IMO Guidelines available.

In fact, it is said that the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC) released work instruction CVC-WI-022 with the aim to provide guidance to Coast Guard marine inspectors as well as port state control officers for ensuring vessel compliance with MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14. 

As the 2020 sulphur cap came into force on the 1st of January 2020, the shipping industry is still challenged by the de-bunkering methods of heavy sulphur fuel oil, with the pressure of flag states which will begin detecting for non-compliant fuel oils.

When the IMO 2020 takes effect, three types of fuel oil samples will be used in the industry: The statutory MARPOL sample drawn during the bunker operation, the statutory samples drawn by PSC and the commercial samples drawn during the bunker operation.

As part of its efforts to reduce ship emissions and lift air quality around ports and harbours, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, the international maritime convention for the prevention of pollution from ships.