Directorate General of Shipping criticizes ports banning scrubbers
MUMBAI : Directorate General of Shipping published a circular, noting that some of the country’s ports are currently not permitting the use of scrubbers.
The Directorate stated that some Indian ports are not permitting ships to berth, which are complying with IMO 2020 with the use of scrubbers. These ports are asking the ships to switch over to low sulphur fuel oil prior berthing.
“Any such additional requirements by the local Port authorities, prohibiting IMO (MARPOL) compliant ships (certified for alternate means of compliance to IMO 2020) from entering an Indian port or restricting port entry permissions only after a changeover to low sulphur fuel oil, shall be construed as a unilateral measure from a members state against the provisions of an International Convention that it has ratified”
Considering the above, the Director General of Shipping, notified of the procedure to be followed by all ports in India for the compliance of IMO 2020 Sulphur cap requirements on merchant ships calling their ports:
Any port or local authority proposing to prohibit IMO (MARPOL) compliant ships (certified for alternate means of compliance to IMO 2020) from entering their port or imposing any additional requirements, including, changeover to low sulphur fuel oil, shall submit their request in this regard to the Director General of Shipping, Govt. of India, along with the risk and impact assessment duly undertaken by the respective authority in accordance with IMO-MEPC.1/Circ. 899.
If approved, a list of such ports where entry/berthing of ships with alternate means of compliance to IMO 2020 is prohibited shall be published on DGS web site, under intimation to the IMO and a letter issued to the respective port authority for public display and for duly alerting the ships calling their ports, in advance.
No port in India shall prohibit or impose additional measures on ships certified for alternate means of compliance to IMO 2020, unless authorized by the competent authority as above.
India therefore advises that any restriction placed on any ship by any port or local authorities in contravention of the above, that “impedes the smooth conduct of legitimate ship operations, may be undertaken only after due consultation with the Director General of Shipping.”