The China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) has issued a Notice on Enhancing Supervision and Administration of China’s latest Emission Control Area (ECA) in the Yangtze River Delta, to specify ECA port call requirements and to provide guidance on supervision and administration.
The MSA will verify relevant records and documents and will conduct fuel sampling analysis if breaches are found or expected. Onsite inspections will be carried out and ships that don’t meet the relevant standards will be subjected to warning education, correction of breaches, detention and possible penalties.
The Notice specifies that ships switching to low-sulphur fuel when entering an ECA must record the switching date, the time, ship’s location, oil specification and operator change-over in the engine book. Under the rules, ships must also keep bunker delivery notes on board for at least 3 years as well as a fuel sample for at least one year until the fuel has been used up, with failure to do so resulting in possible fines of between US $300 and US $1,500.
Ships that use alternative fuels, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) or use emissions reductions technologies, such as exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) or shore power must also meet specific requirements, according to the Notice.
If the documentation for these alternative methods do not meet the requirements upon inspection, a full examination of the technology or shore power arrangement may be carried out.
The MSA will also carry out verification of the International Air Pollution Prevention (IAPP) Certificate/Record to ensure compliance.
