The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) announced that Africa is ready to implement the global regulations concerning the air pollution by vessels, according to IMO’s MARPOL convention. SAMSA’s acting CEO, Mr Sobantu Tilayi, focuses on the 2020 sulphur cap and Africa’s intention on fighting pollution and reducing shipping emissions.
SAMSA notes that all vessels have to operate using compliant fuels of 0.50% sulphur or even less, beginning from January 1, 2020, unless they are provided with an approved ‘equivalent’ means of compliance.
In light of its preparation and in support of the new regulation, SAMSA has published two marine notices stating that it’s in favour of open loop scrubbers and discusses procedures to be followed in the case of compliant fuel non-availability after 2020.
Mr Sobantu Tilayi informed that the Authority is to issue another maritime notice in the next month or so.
Mr Sobantu Tilayi commented
It’s all systems go as far as that is concerned and it’s a big piece of legislation with far reaching consequences. What we now need to do as a country is to put in place the regulations necessary to effect the process from January 2020.
In addition, as part of sulphur preparations, the Authority will arrange a maritime transport sector meeting with those stakeholders who are directly affected by the new regulation, as well as government departments or agencies responsible for environmental and energy matters.
The reason is that we still have a number of issues that remain a major challenge and which we collectively need to look into and come up with solutions for. Therefore we, as SAMSA, are proposing a gathering of all stakeholders in the second week of July 2019 or thereabouts, in which we will sit around the table and thrash these issues out.
… Mr Tilayi added.
The proposed maritime transport sector indaba for July 2019, he said, would allow all interested and affected parties an opportunity to come up with solutions that would assist in the finalization of local regulations for the implementation of the IMO Marpol Convention on use of low sulphur fuels.
