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Gard: South Korea to implement emission reduction initiatives in major port areas

Though the South Korean port air quality act is independent of MARPOL Annex VI, authorities will accept alternative compliance methods like scrubbers and LNG, says Gard.
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Gasum Korea emissions 2

Norweigian maritime insurance company Gard on Thursday (11 June) published an alert to the shipping industry detailing South Korea’s environmental regulations that include new emission control areas, bunkering strategies to navigate sulphur emission limits and vessel speed reduction. 

South Korea’s Special Act on Air Quality Improvement in Port and Other Areas entered into force on 1 January 2020 as a part of an ongoing national programme to reduce air pollution from shipping and port activities. The act introduces a series of measures, some of which will have direct impact on ships’ operational practices, and we advise ship operators and masters to make note of the following:

New Korean emission control areas

Effective from 1 September 2020, the following South Korean port areas become domestic emission control areas (ECAs):

  • Incheon
  • Pyeongtaek-Dangjin
  • Yeosu-Gwangyang
  • Busan
  • Ulsan

The maps below have been extracted from the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ announcement on 26 December 2019 (in Korean) and the red lines in the maps indicate the extent of the ECA in each port.

New sulphur emission limits

South Korea is introducing a gradual implementation of requirements covering emissions of air pollutants by ships:

  • From 1 September 2020 ships must use fuel with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.10% while anchored or at berth in the Korean ECAs. Ships must switch to compliant fuel within one hour of mooring/anchoring and burn compliant fuel until not more than one hour prior to departure.
  • From 1 January 2022 ships must use fuel with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.10% at all times while operating within the domestic ECAs. Any fuel change-over operation must be completed prior to the entry into or commenced after exit from an ECA.

While there is no direct link between the South Korean port air quality act and MARPOL Annex VI, we understand that the South Korean authorities will also accept alternative compliance methods that are at least as effective in terms of sulphur emission reductions, e.g. use of scrubbers for exhaust gas cleaning and clean fuel (LNG).

Guidelines on implementation

The methods of verification used by South Korean inspectors could be expected to be in line with those set out in MARPOL Annex VI and include:

  • for ships using low sulphur fuel, check of bunker delivery notes, fuel change-over procedures, engine room logbook records and fuel oil quality/samples; and
  • for ships using alternative measures, such as LNG or exhaust gas scrubbers, check of the International Air Pollution Prevention (IAPP) Certificate/Record and engine room log book records.

In order to avoid any delay or penalty being incurred by the ship, it should also be ensured that:

  • bunkering strategies and fuel change-over procedures are revisited to ensure compliance with the new Korean requirements;
  • dates and times of the ship’s arrival and departure in a Korean port, and of the commencement and completion of fuel change-over operations, are recorded as soon as practicable after each occurrence and that such records are kept onboard readily available for inspection;
  • the quality of fuel purchased can be documented, e.g. by obtaining and retaining onboard bunker delivery notes (BDNs) and representative samples of the low sulphur fuel oil delivered; and
  • the applicable port requirements and relevant control measures at any given time are verified with the local agent or port authorities well before arrival.

Voluntary speed reduction programme

A programme that encourages and incentivises slow steaming ships was implemented as early as December 2019, just in time for it to be effective during the winter months when air quality is at its worst. The programme applies to the ports of Busan, Ulsan, Yeosu-Gwangyang and Incheon, and participating ships will receive discounts on port entry/leave fees for complying with the slow-steaming requirements.

The sea areas in which the speed reductions apply span 20 nautical miles in radius, measured from a specific lighthouse in each port. Ships eligible for participation varies at each port but must be above 3,000 GT and among the top three “fine-dust emitting” ship types in the specific port. 

For additional information on the vessel speed reduction programme and eligible ships, please refer to the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ announcement on 12 December 2020 (English).

Additional advice

A number of regions, states and ports around the world have implemented their own strict sulphur emission limits – and the list of such places is likely to grow in the future. Ship operators must therefore ensure crews are familiar with the sulphur emission limits in force in the jurisdiction to which they trade. Crews should also be provided with clear procedures and guidance to this effect. Please visit our insight “Regional sulphur emission limits at a glance” for a round-up of some of the places where special sulphur emission regulations apply.

We are grateful to our Korean correspondents KOMOS Marine, Oil Pollution Surveyors & Adjusters Co., Ltd. for their assistance in preparing this alert.


Source and photo credit: Gard AS
Published: 12 June, 2020

 

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LNG Bunkering

MOL and Seaspan sign annual LNG bunkering deal for car carriers in Port of Vancouver

MOL says North America is one of the key trade lanes for car carriers, and with recent delivery of new LNG-fuelled vessels, securing a stable LNG fuel supply in the area has become increasingly important.
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May 22, 2026

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MOL and Seaspan sign annual LNG bunkering deal for car carriers in Port of Vancouver

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) on Thursday  (21 May) announced that MOL and Seaspan Energy have signed the first annual contract for LNG bunkering for car carriers at the Port of Vancouver, Canada. 

On 29 April, MOL completed the first LNG bunkering under this contract. Since completing the first LNG bunkering on the West Coast of North America on 1 March 2025 – the first by a Japanese shipping company – MOL has conducted several additional LNG bunkering operations in the region. 

North America is one of the key trade lanes for car carriers, and with the recent delivery of new LNG-fuelled vessels, securing a stable LNG fuel supply in the area has become increasingly important. This contract underscores the company’s commitment to establishing a stable and seamless regional LNG fuel procurement framework.

Seaspan expanded its LNG bunkering capabilities in 2026 from Vancouver to Long Beach, California, and continues to proactively support the growth of a clean marine supply chain.

Seaspan Energy President Harly Penner, said: “The relationship between Seaspan Energy and MOL is highly valued. MOL was the first car carrier operator to receive LNG bunkering services in the Port of Vancouver, and we are proud to continue supporting their operations in Vancouver through this annual LNG bunkering agreement. 

“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing lower-emission marine transportation and supporting the industry’s transition toward net-zero GHG emissions.”

Marine Fuel GX Division General Manager Daisuke Fujihashi, said: “We are very pleased to further strengthen our partnership with Seaspan Energy through this contract for LNG fuel procurement. 

“Looking ahead, we will continue to deepen our collaboration with Seaspan Energy in the field of clean fuels, including bio LNG, and remain committed to offering our customers more pathways toward cleaner supply chains.”

 

Photo credit: MOL
Published: 22 May, 2026

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Ammonia

MMMCZCS: MAGPIE Project confirms operational feasibility of ammonia bunkering

MAGPIE consortium completed a successful ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering simulation in Rotterdam on 12 April, proving that ammonia can be bunkered safely within an operating port.
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May 22, 2026

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MMMCZCS: MAGPIE Project confirms operational feasibility of ammonia bunkering

The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS) on Thursday (21 May) said a new demonstration project in the Port of Rotterdam showed that ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering can be carried out safely within an active port environment. 

The demonstration is part of the EU-funded MAGPIE (sMArt Green Ports as Integrated Efficient multimodal hubs) project, and the report is now available, providing concrete learnings that industry can use to guide future ammonia bunkering and accelerate global port permitting.

The shipping sector must transition away from fossil fuels to meet climate targets. Ammonia is considered a promising alternative fuel, but its specific hazards pose significant safety, operational, and regulatory challenges. Without competent operators, fit-for-purpose equipment and robust safety and regulatory frameworks, ammonia bunkering cannot take place safely in ports.

Within the MAGPIE project, a full-scale simulation of a ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering operation was conducted in the Port of Rotterdam on 12 April 2025. The demonstration showed that ammonia bunkering within port limits is operationally feasible when carefully planned and executed within a robust safety and regulatory framework.

The learnings from the demonstration have now been consolidated by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping and project partners in a comprehensive ammonia bunkering demonstration report. This publication provides the industry with practical lessons and a validated port safety framework and tools that other ports can use as a blueprint for ammonia bunkering.

A key outcome of the project is the validation of the Port of Rotterdam’s port safety framework for ammonia as a fuel, as well as the International Association of Ports and Harbours’ (IAPH) Port Readiness Tool. The results demonstrate that these frameworks are fit-for-purpose instruments for ports considering the introduction of new alternative fuels.

“The project delivers practical learnings, validation sheets and recommendations that can be used by ports globally to build confidence in ammonia bunkering and to inform future port permitting and regulatory processes. The results support the EU’s ambition for green ports and the safe deployment of alternative fuels in the maritime sector,” said Bo Cerup-Simonsen, CEO, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.

“The energy transition requires new, integrated value chains. This ammonia bunker pilot is an important step in developing a complete value chain for alternative fuels, from import to application in shipping. Together with our partners, we demonstrate that innovation, safety, and scalability can go hand in hand. Rotterdam plays a connecting role as an energy and logistics hub for Northwest Europe,” said Boudewijn Siemons, CEO, Port of Rotterdam.

The learnings from MAGPIE contribute to a broader effort to accelerate sustainable, smart and multimodal port systems and results will be shared with the wider industry to support the global transition of the shipping sector.

Note: The report titled ‘Ammonia Bunkering Demonstration Report’ can be found here. 

 

Photo credit: Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
Published: 22 May, 2026

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Environment

OliOil selects Elomatic as partner for autonomous oil spill response container design

A unique feature of the solution is that the container can be placed on both oil-carrying vessels and in ports, enabling rapid response capability.
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3 weeks ago

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May 15, 2026

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OliOil selects Elomatic as partner for autonomous oil spill response container design

Finnish startup OliOil recently said it is developing an oil spill response container that enables advanced prevention of oil spread immediately after an incident occurs. 

Elomatic will design the system to meet performance and operational reliability requirements under challenging conditions.

The collaboration between Elomatic and OliOil focuses on developing the oil spill response container technology from pilot phase toward industrial manufacturing. 

In the preliminary design phase, the aim is to create a concept for a functional system where containerized boats deploy autonomously during an oil spill, using AI and robotics to position containment booms.

OliOil’s oil spill response container was created from a LUT University research project focused on Baltic Sea protection. 

What makes the solution advanced is that the container can be placed on both oil-carrying vessels and in ports, enabling rapid response capability. Boom deployment is the critical first step in any spill response, preventing the oil’s spread and enabling efficient oil recovery with specialized collection equipment.

Elomatic’s scope covers container design, boat hoisting systems, electrification, and ventilation. The team is also defining the boats’ technical specifications and designing their propulsion systems.

“Elomatic’s expertise in both industry and marine technology is valuable. It’s also important to us that Elomatic has experience in commercializing innovations in addition to engineering expertise,” said Kristian Laiho, Chair of the Board at OliOil.

“It’s great to work with a company bringing new solutions to environmental challenges. Utilizing our broad expertise in OliOil’s product development and commercialization is meaningful to us,” said Karoliina Joensuu, Head of Industry Business Unit at Elomatic.

 

Photo credit: OliOil
Published: 15 May, 2026

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