Americas News
U.S. Launches New ECA Compliance Bunker Inspection Program
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has announced that it is launching a voluntary fuel sampling programme, effective this coming Monday, February 29, 2016, which it says is in order to determine industry compliance with North American Emission Control Area (ECA) requirements for vessels to use bunkers with a sulfur content not exceeding 0.10 percent.
Ship & Bunker understands that Baltimore and Los Angeles will be the first two ports at which voluntary sampling is to be conducted, however USCG says the program is expected to grow to include more ports and vessels, including domestic vessels.
"This voluntary program will help assess industry compliance with MARPOL Annex VI ECA requirements," stated the USCG, adding that vessels will not receive sanctions from non-compliance found as a result of a voluntary sample.
The USCG says, after permission is received from vessel masters, fuel samples will be taken at appropriate locations by ship crew with coast guard oversight.
If non-compliance is found, the USCG says it may notify the appropriate administration in the coastal state from which the fuel was purchased.
"This voluntary sampling program does not change the Coast Guard's authority to require samples when there are clear grounds to suspect non-compliance," the organisation notes.
USCG has not detailed whether any specific factors were behind the move for voluntary testing, but as Ship & Bunker reported in November, officials in California have recently warned of large scale unintentional non-compliance, particularly when using ULSFO bunkers.
