Asia/Pacific News
Cruise Ships in Sydney Harbour Given 3 Year Extension to Install Scrubbers
Cruise ships travelling in Sydney Harbour have been given another three years to outfit vessels with scrubbers in order to meet upcoming sulfur emission requirements, Australian media reports.
New rules announced earlier this year mandate that all cruise ships berthing in Sydney Harbour use marine fuel with a maximum 0.10 percent sulfur content beginning October 1, 2015.
A second phase of the regulations also requires all cruise ships to meet the 0.10 percent sulfur requirements when entering the harbour beginning July 1, 2016.
With the added extension, cruise ships now have until December 31, 2018 to finish scrubber retrofits which may be used as an equivalent method of compliance.
The decision reportedly reflects the fact that bringing cruise ships into dry docks can require booking years in advance, as well as concerns about sudden losses of power as a result of improper fuel switching.
Separate reports also say that there has been concern in the cruise industry that the new regulations unfairly single out the cruise industry regarding emissions, while ignoring other shipping activities.
Earlier this year, it was reported that the new regulations were introduced after residents surrounding a new cruise terminal in Sydney began complaining of the health impacts of cruise ship emissions.
