Americas News
California Crackdown on Fuel Oil Regulations
The State of California is starting to crack down on ships using residue-based rather than distillate-based 0.1% sulfur fuels, according to the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA).
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has recently reached out to the PMSA to say it plans to enforce more tightly the rules on what types of bunker fuel can be used within 24 miles of California, according to a PMSA circular republished by shipping services firm Alaska Maritime Agencies.
Ships in California are required to use 0.1% sulfur distillate fuels, and the CARB plans to start checking whether they are using 0.1% sulfur residual fuels instead, using micro-carbon residue testing, according to the PMSA guidance.
A six-month grace period will be provided to incorporate the new testing into their enforcement measures, CARB said.
