Marina to shipping industry: Comply with IMO sulfur cap
THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has directed the shipping industry to start retrofitting and to use lowsulfur fuel oil (LSFO) in compliance with the sulfur cap imposed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to prevent marine pollution.
Marina Administrator Vice- Admiral Robert Empedrad ordered the use of 0.50 percent per mass by mass (m/m) sulfur limit on fuel oil of ships and issued an administrative fine of P3 million plus suspension for violators, as stated in the Marina Circular SR 2020-06.
Philippine registered ships plying the domestic waters shall have the phase-in implementation.
Empedrad said all ships must develop an LSFO ship-specific implementation plan (LSFO-SIP) for its compliance with the sulfur limit before its mandatory compliance date to be submitted for approval not later than 1 January 2022.
The ship owners, ship managers, masters, and officers of the Philippine registered ship, recognized organization and other concerned entities must follow the circular in compliance to Annex VI of MARPOL 73/78, as amended for the prevention of air pollution and greenhouse gases from ships. Ports, refineries, and fuel suppliers were likewise obliged to follow.
“All existing ships may start the retrofitting upon the effectiveness of this circular and may voluntarily use the compliant fuel and, all ships shall fully comply with this regulation by 1 January 2025,” the MC read.
The circular applies to all Philippine registered ships, engaging or intending to engage in domestic or international voyages.
The ships in the domestic trade shall develop a ship-specific implementation plan (SIP), based on the attached phase-in LSFO implementation plan which should be complemented with a record of actions.
However, ships that are operating an approved exhaust gas cleaning system (EGCS) may use and carry fuel oil with a sulfur content that is more than 0.50 percent m/m.
All newly constructed ships covered by this circular and all brand new and secondhand ships for importation shall also comply with the sulfur cap on 1 January 2025. The non-compliant application for ship importation will be disapproved.
Marina said the fuel oil to be used onboard the ship for propulsion or operation including all gas, petrol, distillates, residual and blended fuels must be compliant. The ships upon complying with this circular shall properly discharge any fuel that has a sulfur content of more than 0.50 percent m/m.
An exemption is given to the ship which is acting to secure the safety of another ship or to save a life at sea or if a ship fitted with an EGCS experienced unintentional damage resulting in emissions that exceed the sulfur limit. The ship is expected to take all reasonable steps to reduce emissions which may include carrying out repair works or switching to compliant-fuel.
In case of the non-availability of fuel from the port of origin, the ships may obtain a fuel oil non-availability report (FONAR). Non-compliant fuel oil can be de-bunkered to another ship to be carried as cargo or to an appropriate shipboard or land-based facility.
Marina said some alternative measures for compliance will be permitted, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) or compliant marine diesel oil that has a sulfur content of 0.50 percent m/m or less. The use and installation of EGCS or scrubber type shall be approved by the administration.