The Standard Club has issued a web alert reporting that penalties are being issued to vessels not complying with the newly designated in port Emission Control Areas in China.
From the 1 April 2016, vessels have been required to use below 0.5% sulphur content fuel during the period the ship is ‘at-berth’ at one of the ‘key ports’ (Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Suzhou and Nantong) within Yangtze River Delta ECA.
The Standard Club’ have been advised by local correspondents, there have been few reported cases where Shanghai MSA has issued a penalty notice to ships that were unable to provide bunker delivery notes or failing to keep a fuel sample for at least 1 year.
The Club report that there is no news from the local authorities on requirements for other ports within Yangtze River Delta.
Despite the use of the term “ECA” with regard to this regulation, it is not actually linked to MARPOL’s ECA requirements. This is a Chinese regulation.
Therefore the way that this is enforced will be at the discretion of the Chinese authorities.
