• 2019 January 14 16:00

    Full ban on open-loop scrubbers not yet imposed in China

    In recent days, there has been reports that the Ministry of Transport in Beijing has now banned open-loop scrubbers from the country’s emission control areas (ECAs), which now cover most of China’s territorial waters, BIMCO says in press release.

    Sources familiar with the matter have however told BIMCO that according to the updated regulation, the banned areas for discharging wastewater from scrubbers remain within inland ECAs, port waters under coastal DECA and the Bohai Bay waters only.

    A full ban on open-loop scrubbers could however be adopted soon, sources familiar with the matter also told BIMCO.

    In November, regulators said ships equipped with scrubbers were permitted to carry and use High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HSFO), subject to emissions monitoring, and that scrubber waste and water must be disposed according to relevant regulation. This remains the case.

    In October, there was speculation that China was planning a ban on open loop scrubbers. Chinese officials confirmed to BIMCO at the time that there were no immediate plans to impose a ban on the technology, as long as they were in compliance with prevailing regulation.

    The updated DECA regulation is designed to supplement the previous regulation, as well as to provide more detailed guidelines for implementation.

    BIMCO members are encouraged to pay attention to the following points from the new DECA regulation:

    Ships that need to switch to low sulphur fuel must make a fuel switch plan and keep it onboard. The switch timing, ships position, fuel sulphur content - before and after switching – as well as fuel tank data and consumption details must be properly recorded on the ship’s Engine Log. BIMCO reads this as in line with IMO requirements for entering and leaving ECAs in accordance with MARPOL Annex VI;

    The discharge and disposal of water pollutants generated by ships using exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) must meet the requirements of relevant regulations. It is prohibited to discharge wastewater generated by open-loop scrubbers within the inland emission control areas, port water areas of coastal emission control areas and Bohai Bay water areas;

    A yet to be decided ban on wastewater generated by open-loop scrubbers within the whole of China’s domestic emission control area will be announced in due course;

    It is prohibited to discharge exhaust gas washwater residues into any current DECA water or burn them onboard.


2024 March 29

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10:43 Oasis Marine develops solutions for offshore hydrogen bunkering
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2024 March 28

18:05 Jan De Nul, ENGIE and Equans launch a pilot project centred around the use of Vanadium Redox Flow batteries
17:35 Latvian port equipment manufacturer Bleste introduces new bulk handling ‘bucket’
17:05 Investors upgrade Navios Maritime Partners
16:25 DEME reports 22% increase in the orderbook and a record-high turnover of 3.3 billion euros in 2023
16:14 MABUX: Bunker Outlook, Week 13, 2024
15:41 AD Ports Group announced the opening of Saadiyat Marina & Ferry Terminal and Rabdan Marina
15:11 Sydney invests $11.5 million in two new operational vessels designed by Incat Crowther
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14:13 APM Terminals Moín handled six million TEU
13:48 ClassNK grants Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to two innovative initiatives by MOL
13:37 Konecranes launches its flagship Konecranes X-series industrial crane
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12:26 Ocean Network Express announces Transpacific service
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2024 March 27

18:22 Bureau Veritas awards world’s first prototype certification for SolarDuck’s floating offshore solar solution
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15:23 SEFE to become sole shareholder of WIGA
14:53 Ocean Installer secures yet another SLM contract with Equinor
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13:42 Carnival Cruise Line orders 5th Excel-class cruise ship
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12:52 The Port Authority of Valencia launches the ZAL project in the Port of Valencia
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11:42 Wan Hai Lines holds ship naming ceremony for new vessels
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10:49 Seaspan Shipyards receives long-term contracts for the pre-construction work of the the Canadian Coast Guard's first six multi-mission vessels
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2024 March 26

18:02 COSCO Shipping Lines introduces new Americas service
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14:52 Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreement to guarantee operational reliability of new wind farm installation vessel
14:23 Hudong-Zhonghua launches two LNG carriers
13:51 Cargo ship hits Baltimore’s Key Bridge
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12:42 Adani Ports acquires 95% of Odisha's Gopalpur Port from SP Group for $162 million
12:21 IHI and Yara Clean Ammonia agree to jointly assess clean ammonia business collaboration
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11:16 Wartsila and Royal Caribbean Group celebrate 15 years of collaboration on digital transformation
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2024 March 25

18:07 The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore continues to investigate reports of oil spills off the port of Tuas
17:31 “K” Line, NIPPON HAKUYO and OPT Gate sign an agreement for a new fire detection system for car carriers
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16:47 Hanwha Ocean Plans to develop green technology and naval ships
16:25 U-Ming Singapore and ITOCHU sign milestone MoU for the joint development of ammonia dual-fuel and de-carbonized vessels
15:34 Svitzer targets methanol-fuelled MAN 175DF-M engine for tug application
15:04 Wallenius Wilhelmsen signs contracts for four 9,300 CEU vessels with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard
14:40 Taiwan International Port to upgrade terminal facility at Kaohsiung
13:59 Сruise ship Carnival Freedom catches fire near Bahamas
12:59 Hanwha Ocean wins 2.4 tln-won order for 8 LNG ships
11:16 Inland Ports meet in Paris to talk about the innovation potential of inland ports
10:50 IMO agrees possible outline for maritime “net-zero framework”
10:24 Hapag-Lloyd to continue to avoid the Red Sea route
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2024 March 24

16:18 Inchgreen Marine Park upgraded as part of £11m investment
15:14 A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Solent Rail Terminal Rail was held at the Port of Southampton
14:08 ESNA and Strategic Marine join forces to offer Surface Effect Ship (“SES”) Crew Transfer Vessels (“CTV”) to the market