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Compliance with the provisions of MARPOL Annex VI, Regulation 14
Applicable to:
All seagoing Indian ships, bunker suppliers, and foreign flag-vessels visiting Indian waters
Effective Date:
28th August 2019
Superseded Circulars:
Engineering Circular 5 of 2018 dated 14th December 2018
Key Changes and Requirements
1. Compliance with MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14 — effective 1st January 2020
The sulphur content of any fuel oil used on board ships outside Emission Control Areas shall not exceed 0.50% m/m.
- Carriage of non-compliant fuel oil: Prohibited on or after 1st March 2020, except for ships fitted with an Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) and having been issued with a revised supplement prior to 1st March 2020.
- Fuel oil non-availability: If compliant fuel oil is not available, ships can carry non-compliant fuel oil and use it, provided they inform the ship's Flag State and the port State of next port of call well in advance. A standard template called FONAR (Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report) should be used.
- EGCS malfunction: If an EGCS malfunctions, ships should report it to the flag and port states administration, follow the process to identify and remedy the malfunction, and change over to compliant fuel oil within 4 hours of arrival.
2. Responsibilities of Ship Owners and Recognized Organizations — ongoing
Ship owners should develop a ship-specific implementation plan for transitioning to fuel oil with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.50% m/m.
- Recognized Organizations: Must verify compliance with MEPC.259(68) for EGCS acceptance, issue revised IAPP certificates, and ensure compliance with MEPC.286(71) for Bunker Delivery Notes.
II/4 Revised IAPP Certificate
To be issued prior to 1st January 2020, based on an undertaking from the ship owner that the ship has started using compliant fuel oil and that there exist no non-compliant fuel oil on board ship (except in cases where an equivalent arrangement is fitted).
Important Note
All stakeholders are advised to report data related to fuel oil delivered to ships, which have been subsequently found to be non-compliant with sulphur content and/or quality requirements of Regulations 14 and 18 of MARPOL Annex VI to Directorate General of Shipping at psc-dgs@nic.in
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