On 17 October 2020, the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress (SCNPC) passed the Export Control Law of the People’s Republic of China (the “ECL”) and the same entered into force on 1st December 2020.
The UK P&I Club’s correspondents in Egypt, Middle East Survey & Control Office (MESCO), would like to draw Members’ attention to the new Customs Law which has come into effect in Egypt.
The Japanese Maritime Law (“the law”) was first codified as part of the Japanese Commercial Code (“the Code”) in 1899, but for over a century, the law did not undergo any substantive or material amendments.
The IMO announced that two new draft mandatory measures to cut the carbon intensity of existing ships have been agreed by its Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships.
This Client Alert adds to the Club’s recent update reporting on EPA’s announcement of 6 October that it was proposing vessel discharge standards under VIDA.
On 6 October 2020, EPA issued a news release (click here) stating that it is proposing standards to reduce the environmental impact of discharges, such as ballast water, that are incidental to the normal operation of commercial vessels.
The Club would like to draw the attention of Members who engage in coastal trading in Nigeria to a recent Notice issued by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Amendments to MARPOL 73/78 permitting vessels to electronically record discharges, transfers, and other reportable operations required under Annexes I, II, V and VI in Electronic Record Books (ERB) entered into force on 1 October 2020.
Following concerns raised about the environmental impact of permissible discharges from tankers carrying Noxious Liquid Substances (NLS), MEPC 74 in May 2019 adopted by way of IMO Resolution MEPC.315(74), amendments to MARPOL Annex II to strengthen discharge requirements for cargo residues and tank washings from such vessels.
Members are often asked to accept letters of indemnity (LOIs) from their shippers or charterers in return for the delivery of cargo without presentation of original bills of lading, the delivery of cargo at a port other than that named in the bill of lading (or both) and in various other circumstances.
The California Air Resources Board approved a new regulation designed to further reduce pollution from ocean-going vessels while docked at California’s busiest ports.
The Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on global trade has led to many shipowners selling off their ships for dismantling earlier than they might otherwise have done. According to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, 166 ships were broken up in the first quarter of 2020, and 98 ships in the second quarter.
