(XIAMEN, China) — Chinese authorities have caught two vessels in Chinese waters for using non-compliant fuel, the first reported cases of breaches of the International Maritime Organization's 2020 sulfur cap of 0.5 percent, Safety at Sea reported.
According to a notice issued by The Standard Club, the first ship was under a port state control inspection in Qingdao port when the Chinese Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) verified the use of fuel oil with a sulfur content of 0.67 percent.
The second ship was berthed in Xiamen port when the MSA found it to be using non-compliant fuel. The ship had been at berth for nearly six days after changing over to compliant fuel.
“However, it’s likely that previous high-sulfur fuel residue remained in the engine fuel system resulting in emissions over the China ECA (Emission Control Area) limit," said The Standard Club said. "The ship was ordered to take effective measures to purify the fuel system.”
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