The Port Authority of Singapore has actually reported a ‘high degree’ of conformity with brand-new a global legislation restricting the sulphur web content of gas utilized by ships.

In the very first quarter of 2020, around 96% of ships calling at Asia’s biggest bunkering center, according to the Maritime Port Authority ofSingapore This leaves out ships fitted with open-loop scrubbers that need to change to making use of certified gas up showing up in Singapore waters. Singapore legislation restricts from releasing scrubber laundry water from open-loop scrubbers systems.

Under the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14.1, the sulphur web content of any kind of gas oil utilized aboard ships running outside an exhaust control location can not go beyond 0.50% m/m from 1 January 2020. Likewise, the sulphur web content of gas oil utilized or lugged for usage aboard a ship will not go beyond 0.50% m/m from 01 March 2020.

During the quarter, the MPA performed an overall of 326 Port State Control and also Flag State Control examinations in the Port ofSingapore Among them, the MPA discovered 12 ships that were not fitted with scrubbers making use of gas that partially went beyond the sulphur limitation. The MPA stated this was likely as a result of remnant deposits of high-sulphur gas in the gas oil containers and also piping.

“It is expected that in time, the fuel oil tanks and piping will be properly flushed with the continual use of compliant fuel. MPA had informed the respective managers and flag administrations of these ships about the non-compliance,” the MPA stated.

Rule Breakers

Two foreign-registered ships were discovered to be making use of non-compliant gas. Each were each released a PSC apprehension order, and also were just permitted to leave from the Port of Singapore after it was confirmed that they had actually changed to making use of certified gas.

The MPA discovered that no ship set up with an open-loop scrubber was discovered to be running its scrubber in the Port of Singapore.

In regards to the Singapore’s very own fleet, no Singapore- signed up ship was apprehended by port state authorities for non-compliance with the IMO 2020 policies. Two ships did reported the non-availability of certified gas and also sent the needed Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report

The MPA kept in mind that amongst the handful of Singapore- signed up ships set up with scrubbers, there were 31 records of scrubber breakdown as at 29 February 2020.

“As a leading maritime nation, Singapore is committed to reducing the environmental impact of shipping,” stated Goh Chung Hun, MPA’s Director ofMarine “By engaging the industry proactively, providing the necessary technical guidance and maintaining an adequate supply of compliant fuel in Singapore, we have ensured a high degree of compliance with IMO 2020 sulphur regulations. Singapore will continue to play its part to make shipping clean and sustainable.”