Delayed Scrubber Install May be Factor in MSC's HSFO Carriage Ban Violation

Scrubber delays. File Image / Pixabay

Delayed scrubber installation work may have been a factor in the recent HSFO carriage ban violation by box ship MSC Joanna, operator MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company has suggested.

Reports of lengthy delays for exhaust gas cleaning system (EGCS) work have been commonplace since last summer, a situation now exacerbated by the global Corona Virus pandemic.

"In particular, Chinese shipyards were closed or partially closed for a significant period of time following the extended Lunar New Year holiday as the country grappled with the new coronavirus outbreak. This has impacted shipowners' schedules for retrofitting ships, as has been widely documented in the media," MSC said in a statement released today.

"MSC JOANNA is one of those ships which has been subject to an EGCS delay and the installation is currently scheduled for June 2020."

The global sulfur cap for marine fuel lowered to 0.50% from January 1, 2020, while a ban on carrying noncompliant HSFO came into effect on March 1.

in practical terms this means carriage of HSFO as fuel is limited to only those vessels that have a scrubber installed.

MSC stressed that all its vessels, including MSC Joanna, have been using compliant low-sulfur fuel since the IMO 2020 rule came into effect.

"MSC has a very large fleet of 520 container ships and is fully committed to implementing the UN IMO 2020 low-Sulphur regime," it added.

As Ship & Bunker previously reported, UAE's Federal Transport Authority said Monday MSC Joanna was found to be carrying more than 700 mt of high sulfur fuel oil when boarded at Jebel Ali, having been given repeated warnings to debunker the non-compliant fuel before arriving in UAE waters.

MSC says it is discussing the matter with the FTA.