Please find below information received from UK Club correspondent in Turkey, Vitsan; the circular outlines the recent announcement that wash water discharge of open-loop scrubbers is prohibited in Turkish waters.
The UK P&I Club have received the following update from Oasis P&I Services, on the implementation of a ban on the transportation of highly toxic chemicals in the Yangtze River basin in China.
Members will recall that the US, whilst not a State Party to the Ballast Water Management Convention, moved its federal performance standards for ballast water discharges closer to those of the IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention following the enactment of its Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA) in 2018.
The International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage was adopted in March 2001.The Japanese Government deposited its instrument of accession for the Convention on 1st July 2020 and the condition for entry into force of the Convention will be met on 1st October 2020.
A new law was signed in California on 24th September 2020 for Members trading in California waters, which will bring the following increases in criminal penalties for oil spill related offences from 1st January 2021.
The Club’s correspondents for Ghana has highlighted the recent increase in MARPOL fines levied against vessels calling in Ghana's ports (Takoradi and Tema), particularly with relation to the discharge of sewage.
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.
A new revision to the PRC Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Wastes (new Revision) becomes effective on 1st September 2020
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.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has announced the SOX Emission Control Area in major Korean ports, which strengthens the sulfur content standard of ship fuel oil to 0.1% or less according to the Article.
While no changes are anticipated in the US enforced Emission Control Areas (ECAs) on or after 1 January, 2020, US regions outside the ECAs will need to ensure compliance with the IMO’s 2020 global 0.5% sulphur cap from 1 January, 2020.
The Government of Iceland have issued a news release stating that, effective 1 January 2020, the permissible sulphur content of marine fuels used in the territorial sea and internal waters of Iceland will be lowered from 3.5% to 0.1%.
