MFAME has covered an elaborate news on the upcoming Chinese Emission Control Zones under the topics –
- China – New ECZs (Emission Control Zones) From 2019!
- 1st April 2016 – China To Enforce Low Sulphur ECA
Here is one more update on the same topic recently released by Viswa Lab as a technical update.
There has been a recent update from the Chinese Ministry of Transport (MOT) that the Yangtze River Delta cities will implement the Emission Control Zone Directive from 1 April 2016 (the previous date was January 1 2018). From this April 1 2016, vessels must use fuel with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.50 per cent whilst berthed at the key ports within the Yangtze River Delta ECA: Shanghai, Ningbo‐Zhoushan, Suzhou and Nantong. Vessels must switch to compliant fuel within one hour of arriving at their berth and burn compliant fuel until not more than one hour prior to departure. The MOT’s notice of 20 January 2016 also “recommends” that vessels do not exceed the mandatory requirements in the regulation by switching to 0.50 per cent sulphur fuel prior to entering the Yangtze River Delta ECA waters. Vessels are also encouraged to use fuel with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.10 per cent whilst berthed.
In a Nutshell:
This requirement is part of emission control measures that will be implemented in the region ECA in two phases:
In the first phase, which takes effect from April 1, 2016:
- Ships at berth at the core ports in the ECA must use fuel oil containing 0.5 percent sulfur or less
- Ships at berth at ports in the ECA are encouraged to use fuel oil containing 0.1 percent sulfur or less, and
- Ships entering the ECA are encouraged to use fuel oil containing 0.5 percent sulfur or less.
The second phase will be implemented dependent on the outcome of assessment of the first phase; the possibilities given at this time are:
- Ships entering the ECA must use fuel oil containing 0.5 percent sulfur or less
- Ships entering the ECA must use fuel oil containing 0.1 percent sulfur or less
- Ships ‘at berth’ at ports in the ECA must use fuel oil containing 0.1 percent sulfur or less.
“China is home to seven of the world’s ten busiest container ports. About 26 percent of the world’s containers pass through the top ten Chinese ports every year. Every ship and truck brings pollution along with its cargo and China is paying a high price for pollution from shipping. In 2010 the country saw an estimated 1.2 million premature deaths caused by ambient air pollution.”
“According to studies conducted in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, shipping is a significant source of these air pollution and health problems, particularly in port cities. Since Chinese port cities are among the most densely populated with the busiest ports in the world, air pollution from ships and port activities likely contributes to much higher public health risks than are found in other port regions.”
Source: Chinese Ministry of Transport & Viswa Lab Technical Update
