• home > information > news

  •  
    작성일 : 15-02-23 14:23
    Hong Kong at berth sulphur limit to take effect in July
     글쓴이 : Admin
    조회 : 13,711  
    A regulation that will require ocean going vessels (OGVs) to switch to low sulphur fuel when calling at Hong Kong is on track for taking effect on July 1, 2015.
    “We are now drafting the Air Pollution Control (Ocean Going Vessels)(Fuel at Berth) Regulation (the Regulation) which aims to reduce emissions of air pollutants from ocean going vessels by prohibiting them from using high sulphur marine fuel (sulphur content more than 0.5%) while berthing in Hong Kong,” the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) wrote in a letter sent to stakeholders this Wednesday.
    “We plan to submit the Regulation to the Legislative Council in March 2015,” it said.
    “Subject to the approval of the Legislative Council, the Regulation will become effective on 1 July 2015,” the letter from EDP said.
    The letter confirms intentions previously communicated to the maritime press by Dave Ty Ho, principal environmental protection officer in charge of air policy at the EDP.
    Originally intended to take effect at the start of 2015, he explained that the OGV at berth sulphur limit had take longer to draft because of a need “to fully understand the practices of OGVs in drafting the new regulation”.
    He highlighted that Hong Kong was first in Asia to mandate a low sulphur fuel-switch requirement.
    The EDP’s regulatory proposal resembles the European Union's (EU) "at berth" regulation which has been in force since the start of 2010.
    But Hong Kong is the only place to impose a 0.5% sulphur limit for marine fuels.
    The EU regulation requires ships at berth in EU ports to use only fuels with a maximum 0.1% sulphur content.
    Hong Kong has also imposed another unique sulphur regulation by requiring all marine gas oil (MGO) supplied in the port to have no more than 0.05% sulphur, in force since April 1, 2014. The regulation is primarily aimed at reducing emissions from local vessels by restricting the sulphur content in MGO supplied and used within Hong Kong.
    Meanwhile, under International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations, ships operating in emission control areas (ECAs) are now required to observe a 0.10% sulphur limit.
    There have been repeated calls for an ECA to be established in the Pearl River Delta(PRD) to improve air quality in Hong Kong and similarly polluted areas in nearby mainland China.
    The local at berth regulation won’t protect Hong Kong from emissions from OGVs operating in nearby waters in the PRD, which can continue to use high sulphur fuel oil with up to 3.50% sulphur until the global 0.50% limit takes effect, in either 2020 or 2025.