IMO Approves Use of E-BDNs

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday July 11, 2023

IMO has formally approves the use of electronic bunker delivery notes, widely known as E-BDNs.

The move was made last week during the 80th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80) and follows the acceptance of E-BDNs in May by IMO's Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) sub-committee.

The proposal was put forward at PPR 10 by UK, IACS and IBIA.

It means that traditional paper BDNs or BDNs in digital form are valid providing they meet the relevant requirements of MARPOL Annex VI.

Specifically, Regulation 18 of MARPOL Annex VI has been updated with the following worded added:

“12.2 The Bunker Delivery Note (BDN) required by regulation 18.5 is acceptable in either hard copy or electronic format provided it contains at least the information specified in appendix V to MARPOL Annex VI and is retained and made available on board in accordance with regulation 18.6.

In addition, an electronic BDN should be protected from edits, modifications or revisions and authentication be possible by a verification method such as a tracking number, watermark, date and time stamp, QR code, GPS coordinates or other verification methods.”

Ship & Bunker News Team
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