Following from the Shipowners’ Club:
Guidance on fuel availability provisions
- Category: Pollution
- Date: 24/07/2012
- Area: Americas
Further to our Lookout dated 30th April 2012 and 15th May 2012, we would like to advise our Members that the US Environmental Protection Agency has released interim guidance forvessel owners and operators, clarifying how the US government will implement fuel availability provisions when ships are unable to obtain fuel that meets standards protecting against sulphur pollution along the coast.
The guidance provides background information on the North American ECA fuel sulphur standards, explains how owners and operators of vessels can establish compliance with these requirements, and describes how an owner or operator of a vessel who cannot obtain compliant fuel oil can make a fuel oil non-availability claim.
Enforcement of the ECA in US territorial waters is effective from 1st August 2012. We have also been advised by our Canadian correspondents that the ECA implementation date in Canadian territorial waters remains the same as previously advised – November 2012. The precise date is yet to be announced. We advise all Members operating in the North American ECA to ensure that their crews and operations departments are fully familiar with these guidelines.
Source of information: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/caa/caaenfprog.html via the SHIPOWNERS’ CLUB
