Navigation standards slammed - Tanker Operator

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level of the emission reduction through
this route.
• Consider reducing NOx and PM emission
limits for existing engines.
• Consider whether Annex VI emission
reductions or limitations should be
extended to include diesel engines
that use alternative fuels and engine
systems/power plants other than diesel
engines.
• Review the texts of Annex VI,
NOx technical code and related
guidelines and recommend necessary
amendments.
By December 2007, the Baltic, North Sea
and English Channel will all be designated
as less than 1.5% sulphur fuel regions,
while just over two years later fuel oil
of 0.1%, or less will be mandatory in all
EU ports.
Currently low sulphur residual fuels
are available in a limited number of ports
around the world, pointing to an
increased need for customers to work
closely with luboil suppliers to guarantee
availability, BP Marine claimed. The use of
abatement technology as another option
for reducing sulphur emissions has
attracted widespread interest.
Lubricant availability was also a key
area. BP Marine gave reassurances over
its continued ability to supply product,
despite ongoing difficulties for raw
material suppliers. Procurement cost of
lubricants also ranked highly on the list
of issues, particularly in light of falling
MEPC 54 outcome
At its 54th session in March 2006, a working
group was established to consider
issues relating to the prevention of air pollution
from ships, including follow-up
action to the IMO Policies and practices
related to the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions from ships (resolution
A.963(23)).
Following discussions, the MEPC
approved two circulars aimed at assisting
implementation of MARPOL Annex VI:
1) The MEPC Circular on bunker delivery
note and fuel oil sampling,
to clarify how to comply with regulation
18, which places requirements on
shipowners and fuel oil suppliers in
respect of bunker delivery notes and representative
samples of the fuel oil received
and on parties to the 1997 Protocol to regulate
the bunker suppliers in their ports.
The circular urges all member states, both
parties and non-parties to the 1997
Protocol, to require fuel oil suppliers in
their ports to comply with the requirements
and to raise awareness of the necessity
to enhance implementation and
enforcement of regulation 18 of Annex VI.
2) The MEPC circular on notification
to the IMO on ports or terminals where
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
emissions are to be regulated, which
notes that regulation 15 of Annex VI
requires parties to inform the organisation
of their intention to introduce
requirements for the use of vapour emission
control systems and to notify the
IMO of ports and terminals under their
jurisdiction where such requirements are
already in force. However, many terminals
are implementing or operating such
practices without notification to the
organisation. The committee were concerned
that, since there is no circulation
of such information, it is difficult for
owners and operators to prepare for
these changes at ports and terminals.
The circular reiterates that parties to the
1997 Protocol are required to notify the
IMO without delay with information on
ports and terminals under their jurisdiction
at which VOC emissions are or will be
regulated, and on requirements imposed
on ships calling at these ports and terminals.
Any information received by the
IMO on the availability of vapour emission
control systems will be circulated
through MEPC circulars so that owners
and operators will have up to-date information
on current and future requirements
for the utilisation of such systems.
The committee and its working group
on air pollution had long and extensive
debates on how to follow up resolution
A.963(23) on IMO policies and practices
related to the reduction of greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions from ships. By the resolution,
the assembly urged MEPC to identify
and develop the necessary mechanisms
needed to achieve the limitation or
reduction of GHG emissions from international
shipping.
The MEPC agreed to consider the follow-up
actions to resolution A.963(23) in a
technical and methodological perspective
and to concentrate the work on CO2 emissions.
The committee also agreed to continue
the work at the next session and, in
particular, to consider further a draft work
plan to identify and develop the mechanisms
needed to achieve the goal set by
the assembly.
Reservations
Meanwhile, in an important submission
to the IMO, the round table of international
shipping associations (BIMCO,
BP Marine commits to
low sulphur fuels
shipping rates.
Jill Nguyen, managing director of
BP Marine Lubricants, said: "Divestment
by refineries away from Group 1 base
oil capacity is now a primary concern
affecting the price and availability of
marine lubricants. The cost of Group
1 base oils rose by 65% in 2005, while hurricanes,
fires and unplanned incidents led
to a major dip in supply. Despite this, BP
Marine is confident of its ability to supply
existing customers thanks to strategic
partnerships with its suppliers."
A key question was whether the use of
low sulphur fuel oil necessitated specialist
lubricants. Both BP Marine and engine
manufacturer MAN B&W had issued reassuring
statements that low sulphur fuels
are likely to be supplied with a sulphur
content close to 1.5% and that the lubricant
type and engine design do not need to be
changed.
TO
Intercargo, International Chamber of
Shipping (ICS) and Intertanko, plus
the International Council of Cruise
Lines (ICCL)) conveyed its strong commitment
to the revision of atmospheric
pollution standards contained in
Annex VI.
The industry expressed its support,
in principle, for the consideration of
proposals by Norway to address the
sulphur content of marine fuel used
globally and in SECAs. The industry said
that it kept an open mind to discuss possible
additional measures to introduce
more stringent global controls on NOx
emissions by ships and on the need to
address emissions of particulate matter.
However, its overall support is conditional
upon IMO adhering to certain
principles as it begins the complex task
of bringing about further improvements
to shipping's environmental performance,
following the entry into force of the
Annex in May 2005.
The shipping industry said in a joint
statement that it has actively encouraged
the early ratification by governments of
the Annex in the knowledge that it would
be re-opened for amendment, due to the
improving air pollution record of shore
based transport and the perception, correct
or otherwise, that shipping was
falling behind. The IMO review could
have a major impact on safety of operations,
fuel costs, engine design, and even
TANKER
Operator
the long term commercial viability of
many ships.
As the IMO review progresses, any
new requirements must be justified
through scientific study of environmental
need and operational safety procedures,
the round table said. In co-operation
with oil suppliers, IMO must also
satisfy itself that any new fuels required
will be available globally, and that any
solutions adopted use technology that
has actually been developed, tested and
proven to be reliable to an extent that
ship crews are not left with unsafe new
technologies.
The industry said that it does not
want to see a repetition of the situation
that emerged with controls on ballast
water where regulations have been
adopted for political reasons before the
new methods required by the rules are
actually proven.
Where the environmental need is justified,
and despite the potential economic
costs, the industry said it was willing to
consider proposals that could require
existing ships to make modifications to
their propulsion systems. However,
shipowners would need a clear long term
framework for change that takes full
account of the current life expectancy of
ships. If there are significant limitations to
what can be realistically achieved then
'grandfathering' arrangements may need
to be sought in some areas.
TO
TankerOperator May/June 2006 page 31