Singapore will jail Captains and Owners breaking IMO 2020

This is according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA),reported by XINDE MARINE NEWS.The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (“MPA”) is working with the industry to prepare the Port of Singapore and Singapore-registered ships for the International Maritime Organization’s (“IMO”) regulations for the 0.5% fuel global limit for sulphur which will take effect from 1 January 2020 (the “IMO 2020 regulations”).

MPA is also working closely with the industry to ease the transition to the requirements under the IMO 2020 regulations. For instance, MPA will put in place training and familiarisation plans.  In November 2018, MPA and the Singapore Shipping Association released two technical guides for Singapore-registered ships and ships calling at the Port of Singapore respectively. The guides outline options available for ship operators to comply with the new regulations – such as the use of approved abatement technologies including scrubbers, alternative fuel and compliant fuel.Please see attached link to the guides:https://www.mpa.gov.sg/web/portal/home/singapore-registry-of-ships/about-srs-and-what-new/IMO-2020-Fuel-Oil-Sulphur-Limit 

MPA will also be engaging fuel-testing service providers for detailed laboratory analysis of fuel oil samples, and updating the electronic Pre-Arrival Notification for ships to declare their method of compliance prior to their arrival in Singapore.

As Singapore is Party to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships of 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (“MARPOL”), MPA will enforce the IMO 2020 regulations by incorporating its requirements into our legislation. MPA will inspect Singapore-registered ships as well as foreign-registered ships in the Port of Singapore in accordance with the Flag State and Port State Control regimes respectively. Ships that fail to use an approved abatement technology, alternative fuel or compliant fuel will be considered as non-compliant with the IMO 2020 regulations.

Like the violation of other MARPOL Annex VI requirements, the owner and the master of the ship may be fined up to SGD10,000 or imprisoned for a term not exceeding 2 years, or both, for non-compliance of these regulations.

In addition, MPA will also prohibit the discharge of wash water from open-loop scrubbers by ships in the Port of Singapore, to maintain Singapore’s marine water quality standard.

Source:XINDE MARINE NEWS

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