The China Maritime Safety Administration has issued notice to enhance supervision and administration to specify the requirements of the ships anchoring in ports to provide guidance to local MSA (Maritime Safety Administration) offices on supervision and administration of ECAs.( Enhancing Supervision and Administration).
Such of those vessels using low sulphur fuel are required to record the following in the engine book:
- The switching date
- Location of vessels (latitude & Longitude)
- Oil specification
- Operator for change over
In addition a recorded fuel change over norms is to be kept on board as a part of ship’s safety Management system. Ships are also expected to keep bunker delivery notes for 3 years and fuel sample to be retained for a minimum of 12 months, till the fuel exhausts. Maritime will verify all the criteria as stated above and may also organise for fuel sampling and analysis if any violations are found in the document check or the officials deem it necessary.
Ships using fuel oil that does not meet the relevant requirements are subject to one or more than any one of the following:
- Warning education
- Correction of breaches
- Detention
- Penalty ranging from RMB 10,000 – 100,000
Ships failing to keep the fuel supply document, are to be imposed a penalty of RMB 2,000 – RMB 10,000.
Ships using alternate measures:
- For the vessels intending to use shore power, the arrangement with port to be ensured in advance. Date, time and the operator to be recorded in the engine log book.
- That which uses liquefied gas, the MSA will carry out verification of IAPP certificate or records.
- Vessels using dual fuel are required to record the usage of fuel quantity, date, time of switching fuel, ship’s location and operator in the engine log book.
- Vessels using after treatment equipment shall preserve exhaust after treatment certificate, issued by ship survey organisations with remarks on IAPP certificate. The record of using date, time, ship’s location and the operator in the engine book is required. In case of any violations in documents, on- site inspection of power, clean energy fuel or emissions reduction technology will be carried out.
Vessels using alternate measures and do not fulfil the relevant requirement are subject to:
- Warning education
- Correction of breaches
- Detention
In case if vessels are unable to comply to protect the safety of ship, rescue of life at sea and damage or failure of the ship and its equipment then the case needs to be urgently brought to the notice of nearest MSA officials and record all the relevant information in the logbook.
Source: The Standard Club
