P&I Club Issues Reminder on Requirements for China's ECAs From January 1, 2018

From January 1, 2018 all ships to berth at ports within the three PRC ECAs, including Shanghai (pictured), are required to use fuel with a maximum sulfur content of 0.5%. File Image / Pixabay

The American Steamship Owners Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association, Inc (The American Club) has issued a reminder to members on requirements for China's emissions control areas (ECAs) that will take effect from January 1, 2018.

"The Zhejiang Maritime Safety Agency (MSA) and the Jiangsu MSA have issued formal notices regarding the implementation of low sulfur fuel requirements at all ports within their respective sulfur Emission Control Areas (ECAs)," the P&I club wrote.

"According to the prior notice issued by China Ministry of Transport (MOT) on December 2, 2015, ships to berth at ports (excluding one hour after berthing and one hour before departure) within three PRC ECAs are required to use fuel with sulfur contents ≤0.5% m/m as from January 1, 2018."

As Ship & Bunker previously reported, China announced in 2015 it was to establish Asia's first Emissions Control Areas (ECAs) within its waters, and that from January 1, 2018, the 0.5% at-berth fuel requirement will be extended to cover all ports within the ECAs.

Ports were also given the option of implementing the new requirements as early as January 1, 2016, with several ports having exercised this option.

The most recent of these were in the Yangtze River Delta, where as of September 1, 2017, all ports came under the 0.5% sulfur cap rule for bunker fuel.

China's ECAs are as follows:

• Bohai Bay ECAs: including Dalian, Yingkou, Panjin, Jinzhou, Huludao, Qinghuangdao, Tangshan, Tianjin, Cangzhou, Binzhou, Dongying, Weifang, Yantai
• Yangtze River Delta ECA: including Nanjing, Zhenjiang Yangzhou, Taizhou, Nantong, Changzhou, Wuxi, Suzhou, Shanghai, Jiaxing, Huzhou, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan and Taizhou
• Pearl River Delta ECA: including Guangzhou, Dongguan, Huizhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Foshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing

On January 1, 2019 the regulation will extend to require all ships operating within the waters of the PRD, YRD, and Bohai Bay regions, effectively 12 nautical miles off the Chinese coastline within the respective zones, to use a marine fuel with a sulfur content not exceeding 0.5 percent.