Asia/Pacific News
Philippines: 0.50% Sulfur Cap For Domestic Ships Comes Into Force from Jan 1, 2025
The Philippines in bringing fuel rules for domestic shipping in line with the global IMO 2020 sulfur cap on bunkers.
From January 1, 2025 all domestic ships will have to use a marine fuel with a sulfur content not exceeding 0.50%.
Exceptions have been granted to those who previous applied with a Ship-specific Implementation Plan (SIP).
The country's Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) advised that such extensions may be valid for up to five years.
As previously reported, in 2019 the Filipino Shipowners Association (FSA) cast doubts over whether its domestic sector would comply with global 0.50% sulfur cap before the IMO 2020 rules come into force on January 1, 2020.
"Knowing that oil companies in the Philippines will not be ready to have this compliant fuel, I told MARINA to ask the IMO to give us allowance to comply with it," it said at the time.
Full details on the change in rules can be found in MARINA advisory 2024-35 here: https://marina.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MA-2024-35-1.pdf
