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• Republic of Marshall Islands has issued revised Marine Notice No. 2-013-8, Rev 01/2017 (copy attached) describing the MARPOL Annex VI, air emission requirements for RMI flagged ships.

• Salient Points of the Notice are as follows:

1.  MARPOL Annex VI requires for every ship of 400 GRT and above and every fixed and floating drilling rig and other platform, the details of fuel delivered for combustion purposes to be recorded by means of a Bunker Delivery Note which is accompanied with a sample of the fuel oil delivered..

2. If a Bunker Delivery Note or representative sample is not provided by the bunker supplier or fuel oil is found not to be in compliance with that stated on the Bunker Delivery Note, details are to be recorded in the ship’s log and the Administrator is to be notified at the following address:

Technical

Republic of the Marshall Islands

Office of the Maritime Administrator

11495 Commerce Park Drive

Reston, Virginia 20191-1506 USA

Tel: +1-703-620-4880

Fax: +1-703-476-8522

Email: technical@register-iri.com

3.  For ships using separate fuel oils when operating within SOx ECA, Administration has provided a general guidance on changing from high sulphur to low sulphur fuel oil in the appendix 1 of the notice. The guidance address the practical issues related to development of the plan like safety issues, engine compatibility.

4. As the LSFO changeover calculators developed by some organizations and ROs provides only estimate of the time required to dilute or flush out HSFO in the fuel oil service system to meet the applicable ECA limit, the Administration recommends spot sampling to check actual sulphur content at various stages of process to account for any operations not considered.

5. Despite the best efforts, if a ship is unable to obtain the required fuel oil to meet the applicable emission requirements, the Administration to be promptly notified at the address listed above, in addition to the Competent Authority of the relevant port of destination, with the following information:

a. A record of actions taken to attempt to achieve compliance;

b. Copies of Bunker Delivery Note(s);

c. Post-bunkering laboratory analysis of drip samples taken to determine the percent concentration of sulphur found within the stemmed fuel oil; and

d. Evidence that the ship attempted to purchase compliant fuel oil in accordance with its voyage plan and, if it was not made available where planned, that attempts were made to locate alternative sources for such fuel oil and that despite best efforts to obtain compliant fuel oil, no such fuel oil was made available for purchase. 

6. Providing the above information does not indemnify the ship from port State control action in the event compliant fuel oil could not be obtained.

7. Whenever an accident occurs or a defect is discovered that affects the efficiency or completeness of equipment, the master or ship-owner, must:

• Report this information, at the earliest opportunity, to the Administration at technical@register-iri.com or to the RO responsible for issuing the relevant certificate; and

• Establish a corrective action plan acceptable to the Administration or RO.

• Ship owners/ operators and masters are advised to be guided by above.

Enclosure:

1. RMI Marine notice no.2-013-8 regarding Implementation of MARPOL Annex VI, Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from ships.

Disclaimer:

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