The seventy-fifth session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 75) was held from 16 to 20 November 2020 as a web conference due to the pandemic of COVID-19.

Exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) – more commonly referred to as scrubbers – are an accepted equivalent measure in complying with the IMO 2020 global sulphur cap. The use of scrubbers has split the shipping industry. Ports around the world are looking at the impact of scrubber use in their waters.

A number of ports and regions have already stated that they will not allow the discharge of washwater from scrubbers.

With the first reporting year for IMO DCS ended (2019), and the deadline for reporting the data to the verifier has passed (31 March), a Statement of Compliance (SoC) shall be provided by the verifier and kept onboard no later than 31 May 2020. This statutory news is a reminder on how to stay in compliance with regulation 22A of MARPOL Annex VI.

From 1 September 2020, the South Korea government will implement mandatory SOx Emission Control Areas (SECAs) requiring the use of 0.1% sulphur fuel by ships in specified port areas. The South Korea government has also released a voluntary speed reduction program in the same ports.

With the IMO 2020 global sulphur cap now in force, members should bear in mind another significant date in relation to the ‘carriage ban’ - coming into force on 1 March 2020. The ban mandates that fuel oil used and carried on board ships must not exceed the 0.50% sulphur limit, unless the ship is provided with ‘equivalent’ compliance mechanism like exhaust gas cleaning system (EGCS), or 'scrubbers'.