Amendments to the Shipping and Port Control Ordinance (Cap. 313) and the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) Ordinance (Cap. 548) to enhance the control of dark smoke emission from vessels have been gazetted on 18 July 2014 and come into immediate effect. Shipping and Port Control Ordinance (Cap. Pursuant to the amended Section 50 of Cap. 313, it is an offence for any vessel in the waters of Hong Kong to emit dark smoke which is as dark as, or darker than, Shade 2 on the Ringelmann Chart for 3 minutes or more continuously at any one time. In case of contravention, the owner of the vessel, his agent and the master each commits an offence and is liable to a fine of HK$25,000 for a first conviction, and to a fine of HK$50,000 for any subsequent conviction.