COMMISSIONING A SCRUBBER SYSTEM BY 31 DECEMBER 2019 IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO COMPLY WITH THE UPCOMING SULPHUR CAP


Ship owners, ship operators and ship managers who are busy preparing for the upcoming high sulphur fuel oil (“HSFO”) ban which enters into force on 1 January 2020 will be familiar with the option to install Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCSs) otherwise known as “scrubbers” as one route to compliance.


There appears to be some confusion within certain parts of industry  install or use a scrubber by 31 December 2019 in order to meet the new  regard to relevant international, European and UK law and guidance.


 On 26 October 2018, during its 73rd session, the Marine Environment Protection Committee (‘MEPC73’) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) formally adopted the ban on carriage of HSFO.  to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (‘MARPOL Annex VI’) as laid down in the IMO document MEPC 73/3. This means that (a) from 1 January 2020, ships’ use of marine  and (b) from 1 March 2020 ships’ carriage of HSFO will also be banned (see our previous article online). Whilst there are a number of routes to compliance, one such route, is the installation of scrubbers, which enable vessels to continue to use an HSFO. An installed scrubber must be approved by the ship’s Flag Administration and such approval  


 With less than 12 months left to prepare for the ban there are a number of challenges facing the industry such as (a) a growing concern that there will not be enough time nor capacity for installers and    merely commission and not necessarily install or use a scrubber by 31 December 2019. This view carries neither regulatory nor legal substance.


24 | ADMISI - The Ghost In The Machine | January/February 2019


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