TURKEY - 2021 Pollution fine tariffs
29/12/2020
The Club would like to draw Members’ attention to the new 2021 pollution fine tariffs in Turkey, applicable from 1 January 2021.
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.
Circular 17/20: US Oil Pollution California - Increased criminal penalties for oil spill related offences.
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.
Nairobi - The Wreck Removal Convention
27/10/2020
To protect parties damaged by pollution and wreck incidents the Japanese government requires P&I insurance for all ships that visit Japanese ports.
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.
Korea New ECA Rule
03/08/2020
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.
The Club’s correspondents in Australia, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, advise of an increase in fines for those polluting Australian waters.
Risk Awareness: Pollution Claims
05/05/2020
An aid to risk identification and loss reduction.
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%.
Members are referred to ECM Maritime Services LLC’s Client Alert 21-2019 for details of ACP’s updated fuel requirements for vessels anchoring, transiting through and docking at terminals in Panama Canal waters. These requirements will apply from 1 January 2020, in compliance with IMO 2020.
The following table lists countries which have imposed bans on vessels fitted with open-loop SOx scrubbers calling at their ports, and on the discharge of washwater from these scrubber systems within their port waters.
From 1 January 2020, the new 0.5% m/m global limit for sulphur in fuel used on board ships comes into effect. Parties in the bunker chain i.e. those involved in the production, distribution, storage, handling and use of bunker fuels have expressed concerns over the practical implementation of this new global limit, a substantial drop from the current 3.5% m/m. A Joint Industry Project (JIP) was therefore established to raise awareness of the issues which might arise.
The UK Club has received the following update from Oasis P&I Services Company Ltd., regarding breach of low-sulphur fuel requirements in ECA in China.