Asia/Pacific News
Dry Bulk Carrier Detained in Australia Over Carriage Ban Violation
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) detained a ship for a violation of the carriage ban on high-sulfur fuels over the weekend and required the operators to debunker the fuel, the organisation said Tuesday.
MUR Shipping's dry bulk carrier the African Heron was held at the port of Geelong on Friday, the AMSA told Ship & Bunker by email.
"The vessel was found to have non-compliant fuel oil on board with sulfur content above 0.5%," the organisation said.
"The ship was detained in Geelong on 1 May, and released on 3 May after the non-compliant fuel was discharged ashore and the fuel system cleaned."
The sulfur content of the non-compliant fuel was 1.38%, the AMSA said.
A spokesman for MUR Shipping was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Ship & Bunker on Tuesday.
The International Maritime Organization's (IMO) carriage ban, in operation as of March 1, prevents vessels without emissions-cleaning scrubber equipment fitted from carrying bunker fuel with a sulfur content higher than 0.50%.
The effect of the ban is to grant more power to port state control (PSC) authorities seeking out non-compliance with the IMO's 0.50% sulfur limit for marine fuels that came into effect on January 1.
