Onboard Verification of Fuel Sulphur Content
Spot sampling and analysis of a ship’s fuel is becoming increasingly common as a means for port state control officers to verify the actual sulphur content of the fuel in use.
The shipping industry is facing increasingly stricter air emission limits all over the world. Ships berthed in EU ports have used marine fuel with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.10 per cent since 1 January 2010.
Transport Canada (TC) started to rigorously monitor all ships operating within the Canadian jurisdiction of the North American Emission Control Area (NA-ECA) to ensure they are using fuel containing not more than 0.10 per cent sulphur by mass.
A ship may be targeted for a sulphur inspection for various reasons, e.g. the existence of a previous non-compliance or warning received concerning its fuel, the ship is scheduled to bunker at a specific port, or as part of a maritime safety administration’s enhanced verification programme.
In order to establish whether a ship is in compliance, PSCOs will examine documentation onboard such as bunker delivery notes, ships’ log books, written procedures for fuel oil change-over, International Air Pollution Prevention (IAPP) certificate issued under MARPOL Annex VI, tank plans and diagrams etc. - and frequently a sulphur inspection will be limited to these checks.
However, where there is doubt about a ship’s ability to properly manage the lower sulphur fuel oil onboard and prevent it being mixed or contaminated with higher sulphur oils, PSCOs may request to draw samples from the fuel oil supply lines or tanks as well.