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Date: 26th June 2009

Keeping Speed with Sulphur Regulations

We would like to draw your attention to new Sulphur legislation enforced in the State of California USA

The first phase of the proposal will begin on 1st July 2009 for main engines and auxiliary boilers.

Phase I - From 1st July 2009
Requires vessel operators to use either marine gas oil (MGO) at or below 1.50% sulphur, or marine diesel oil (MDO) with a sulphur limit of 0.5% or less.

Phase II - 1st January 2012
Requires vessel operators to use either MGO or MDO, both meeting a sulphur limit of 0.1% or less.

The Californian Air Resources Board (ARB) has posted a 15-day notice of the revised regulation, please follow the links for details

Marine Notice 2009-03:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/ports/marinevess/documents/marinenote2009_3.pdf

California Code of Regulations 13 & 17:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2008/fuelogv08/fuelogv08.htm

The regulation requires Vessel main diesel engines, auxiliary diesel engines, and auxiliary boilers to operate on cleaner-burning, low-sulphur marine distillate fuels within a 24 nautical mile (nm) zone along the California coastline.

Both US flagged and foreign flagged vessels will be subject to the regulation.

This new legislation is in addition to the regulations currently laid out by Marpol Annex VI and the EU Sulphur Directive. If keeping up with the ever changing rules and applicable dates is proving difficult you’re not alone.

However, to assist with an easy guide we’ve have put together the below table of applicable dates and the corresponding important information.

Enforcement Date

Max Sulphur Limit

Grade

Affected Zone

Legislator

1st July 2000

0.20%

MGO & MDO

The EC territory

EU

19th May 2005

4.50%

All Grades

Global Cap

Marpol

19th May 2006

1.50%

HFO & MDO

Baltic ECA

Marpol

11th August 2006

1.50%

HFO & MDO

Baltic ECA

EU

11th August 2006

1.50%

HFO & MDO

To and From EC Ports & EEZ

EU

11th August 2006

0.20%

MGO

The EC territory

EU

11th August 2007

1.50%

HFO & MDO

North Sea ECA

EU

22nd November 2007

1.50%

HFO & MDO

North Sea ECA

Marpol

1st January 2008

0.10%

MGO

The EC territory

EU

1st July 2009

1.50%

MGO *

California Water / 24 nautical mile baseline

CARB

1st July 2009

0.50%

MDO *

California Water / 24 nautical mile baseline

CARB

1st January 2010

0.10%

All Grades

EC Inland waterways or at Berth > 2 hours

EU

1st July 2010

1.00%

All Grades

Within the ECA’s

Marpol

1st January 2012

3.50%

All Grades

Global Cap

Marpol

1st January 2012

0.10%

MGO & MDO *

California Water / 24 nautical mile baseline

CARB

1st January 2015

0.10%

All Grades

Within the ECA’s

Marpol

The EU directive aligns itself with Marpol, a limit of 1.50% Sulphur in fuel consumed in the designated ECA’s. Applying to all Vessels operating in EC waters whether or not they are flagged in the EC.

“EC territory” means the territorial waters of an EC member state, EEZ or pollution control zone.

EU refers to EU Sulphur Directive 2005/33/EC, amended 1999/32/EC.

Marpol refers to Marpol 73/78 Annex VI Regulations 14 & 18.

CARB refers to California Air Resources Board (ARB) low Sulphur fuel regulation.

*Heavy Marine Fuel (HFO or IFO) oils are not permitted for use within California Waters / 24 nautical mile baseline from 1st July 2009.

 

For more information or advice please contact:

Telephone: +44 (0)1642 440991
Telefax: +44 (0)1642 458537
Email: info@gmtlab.com

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