Q1:Singapore Port Authority Records 96% Compliance To IMO Sulphur Regulations

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said from January to March 2020, about 96% of the ships that arrived in the seaports complied to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2020 sulphur regulations

In the first quarter of 2020, MPA conducted a total of 326 Port State Control (PSC) and Flag State Control (FSC) inspections in the Port of Singapore.

During these inspections, MPA found 12 ships, which were not fitted with scrubbers, using fuel that marginally exceeded the sulphur limit.

In the first quarter of 2020, most ships calling at the Port of Singapore have complied with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2020 sulphur regulations since they came into effect on 1 January 2020.

Under MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14.1, the sulphur content of any fuel oil used on board ships operating outside an emission control area shall not exceed 0.50% m/m from 1 January 2020. Likewise, the sulphur content of fuel oil used or carried for use on board a ship shall not exceed 0.50% m/m from 01 March 2020.

Based on pre-arrival notification submitted to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) from January to March 2020, about 96% of the ships that arrived in the Port of Singapore used compliant fuel. This excludes ships installed with open-loop scrubbers that switch to using compliant fuel upon arriving in the Port of Singapore.

This was likely due to remnant residues of high-sulphur fuel in the fuel oil tanks and piping. It is expected that in time, the fuel oil tanks and piping will be properly flushed with the continual use of compliant fuel. MPA had informed the respective managers and flag administrations of these ships about the non-compliance.

Additionally, two foreign-registered ships were found to be using non-compliant fuel. They were each issued a PSC detention order, and were only allowed to depart from the Port of Singapore after it was verified that they had switched to using compliant fuel.

In light of Singapore’s prohibition on the discharge of wash water from open-loop scrubbers, no ship installed with an open-loop scrubber was found to be operating its scrubber in the Port of Singapore.