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'.

Now, with the new global 0.50% sulphur limit in force, next on the regulatory timeline is the carriage ban effective from 1 March. From this date, high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) cannot be carried in the fuel oil tanks unless the vessel is fitted with an approved equivalent arrangement. More about the carriage ban in this statutory news.

This is a reminder that the requirements of MARPOL Annex VI, Regulation 12 regarding ozone depleting substances will come into effect from 1 January 2020.

These include prohibiting installations that contain hydro-chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs):

- on ships constructed (keel lay date) on or after 1 January 2020; or

- in the case of ships constructed (keel lay date) before 1 January 2020, which have a contractual delivery date of the equipment to the ship on or after 1 January 2020 or, in the absence of a contractual delivery date, the actual delivery of the equipment to the ship on or after 1 January 2020.

In order to effectively implement the IMO's 2020 global sulphur limit, China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) has issued the attached notice - a translation of which has been provided by the China Classification Society (CCS).