INTERTANKO Bulletin:

INTERTANKO provides advice on EMSA Technical Meeting & European Commission acceptance of IACS commitments.

• EMSA Technical Meeting on use of 0.1% sulphur content fuel

EU Directive 2005/33/EC, also known as the EU Sulphur Directive, includes a provision (article 4b) which requires that as from 1 January 2010, when at berth (and/or at anchor) longer than 2 hours in a EU port, ships utilise 0.1% sulphur content fuel.

Compliance with such a provision would require an evaluation on whether current onboard installations, designed and made to run on residual fuels with regular sulphur content, need any adjustments and eventual upgrades.

Particular concern was expressed by INTERTANKO and OCIMF over the switch from HFO to ultra low sulphur content MGO into the auxiliary boilers of oil tankers. We have reported earlier this year on the various joint INTERTANKO/OCIMF meetings and discussions with the EU Commission and a large number of EU Member States.

It had become apparent for regulators that there is a need for a safety evaluation to be preformed across the industry. Therefore, EMSA called this meeting inviting ship owners, class and engine and boiler manufacturers to attend. The meeting considered a report on the Use of distillate fuels by ships at berth (also called AEA report) which identifies a number of areas of concern and implies there is a need for a safety evaluation since ships are to be required to use such a fuel.

To view the AEA report, click HERE.

INTERTANKO and OCIMF made a joint intervention to recommend that manufacturers perform risk assessments and provide safe solutions, as and if appropriate. Experience so far indicates that such evaluations and upgrades take quite some time. INTERTANKO and OCIMF asked for a phase-in period up to 1 January 2011 so enough number of tankers and their onboard installations could be safely evaluated and eventually modified.

To see INTERTANKO and OCIMF’s joint intervention, click HERE.

The boiler manufacturers (Aalborg) and Class (IACS) presentations indicated that there is a need for such evaluations and that the process would take time beyond the deadline of 1 January 2010. It also pointed out that there is no standard to define and thus to check the required "marine fuel with a maximum 0.1% sulphur content". Concerns with regard to too low viscosity and to lack of lubricity were also added.

The EMSA meeting was of a technical nature. The EMSA and DG TREN representatives will prepare a report to the EU Commission, noting the facts as presented and the discussions during this meeting. It will be up to the Commission to assess and eventually suggest any follow-up action.

• Antitrust: European Commission accepts IACS commitments

Members will recall INTERTANKO’s support for the commitments offered by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) to the European Commission with the aim of closing the Commission’s investigation into IACS. These commitments include establishing qualitative membership criteria and opening up participation in IACS working groups to non-IACS classification societies.

The Commission has now accepted these commitments and will close its investigation without any finding of anti-competitive behaviour on the part of IACS and its members. INTERTANKO welcomes this decision and is pleased that IACS can now, within a participative framework, concentrate its full effort on promoting and enhancing safety standards for the benefit of our seafarers, our ships and the marine environment.

For the Commission’s press release, click HERE.

For the IACS press release, click HERE.