The Marshall Islands Registry on Wednesday (7 October) published an advisory from the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment (NZ MFE) requesting shipowners/operators operating in NZ territorial waters, to avoid discharging scrubber washwater close to shore as a precautionary measure.
The notice advised shipowners/operators to utilise alternate options such as:
At present, EGCS residues generated must be delivered ashore to reception facilities. Coastal States may impose unique requirements for scrubbers, said the NZ MFE.
IMO’s current guidance on washwater discharge criteria, IMO Resolution MEPC.259(68), may be
revised in the future as more data becomes available on the contents of the discharge and its effects, it added.
NZ’s guidance on the use of exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) is available here.
Photo credit: Dan Freeman on Unsplash
Published: 9 October, 2020
Since regulatory enforcement strategy may differ from one region/port to another, crew must be provided with guidance on the matter in advance of arrival, it said.
Scrubber retrofit returns now less attractive due to tightened cash flow from COVID-19 lock-downs and narrowing bunker fuel spreads, reports Reuters.
Event welcomed over 1,100 attendees from 42 countries; delegates visited virtual booths about 4,800 times; while around 5,800 connections were made, according to data from organiser Informa.
Demand for the vessel exhaust cleaning equipment known as scrubbers has fallen because of a narrowing spread between high- and low-sulphur fuel, it says.
Closure of discharge valves advised whilst ships are in Turkish waters due to wide interpretation of the term ‘pollutant’ by authorities despite circular guidelines.
Bunker fuel prices have been unstable since the implementation of IMO 2020 and with it, the premium for scrubber-fitted bulk carriers, says shipbroking firm.
Caroline Yang, President of SSA, addresses issues earlier raised by players; including PMC No. 04, the seven-day restriction, contactless bunkering, sampling point, hose connection, and more.
IBIA Asia, ABIS, sources from Singapore’s bunkering and surveying companies, and an industry veteran share with Manifold Times the issues expected from MPA’s latest Covid-19 measures.
The top three positive movers in the 2020 bunker supplier list are Hong Lam Fuels Pte Ltd (+13); Chevron Singapore Pte Ltd (+12); and SK Energy International (+8), according to MPA list.
‘We will operate in the Singapore bunkering market from the Tokyo, with support from local staff at Sumitomo Corporation Singapore,’ source tells Manifold Times.
Changes include abolishing advance declaration of bunkers as dangerous cargo, reducing pilotage fees on vessels receiving bunkers, and a ‘whitelist’ system for bunker tankers.
Claim relates to deliveries of MGO to the vessels Pacific Diligence, Pacific Valkyrie, Pacific Defiance, Crest Alpha 1, and Pacific Warlock between March 2020 to April 2020.
