The West of England P&I Club informed that the Taiwanese Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) advised that from 1st January 2019, vessels entering international commercial port areas in Taiwan, should use fuel oil with a sulphur content of not over 0.5%.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) issued a guidance, which advises that from 1st January 2019 vessels entering international commercial port areas in Taiwan, should use fuel oil with a sulphur content of 0.5% or less. Ships may also use equivalent ways of emission reduction, according with the MARPOL Convention.
Vessels can comply with the sulphur cap by directly using 0.5% sulphur fuel or using scrubbers, as well as other methods such as onboard blending of marine fuel or the use of LNG.
Further to the publication, any alternative means of compliance with the regulations must be approved by the vessel’s flag administration, West of England P&I noticed in a recent report and shared the Taiwanese notice.
Moreover, the latest guidance clarifies exactly the ports that will enforce earlier the sulphur cap regulation which are:
- Keelung;
- Taichung;
- Kaohsiung;
- Hualien;
- Taipei;
- Suao;
- Anping.
Taiwan is not the only country in Asia which has decided to implement the 0.5% fuel sulphur cap regulation earlier. Other Asian countries have announced equivalent measures to take effect earlier than 1st of January 2020, when the IMO’s sulphur cap regulation enters into force.
From 1st January 2019, all vessels are required to use compliant fuel with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.5% or use scrubbers when within Hong Kong waters.
As of 1st October 2018, ships operating in China’s Yangtze River Delta domestic ECA should use, at all times, fuel with a sulphur content lower 0.5%, or vessels should have installed an approved exhaust gas cleaning system.
You may read more in the guidance of the MOTC of Taiwan:
