Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
Commencement: 24th April 2023
Amends: The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2008
The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2008 apply a series of internationally agreed technical standards to UK flagged vessels and foreign flagged vessels, which aim to reduce air pollution from shipping. Measures are brought in to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping.
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes.
The MARPOL Convention includes Regulations aimed at preventing and minimising pollution from ships, both accidental pollution and that from routine operations, and currently includes six technical Annexes. These Regulations implement Annex VI (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships), which originally came into force in 2005; a revised version with significantly tightened emissions limits entered into force in 2010.
These Regulations apply a series of internationally agreed technical standards to UK flagged vessels and foreign flagged vessels, which aim to reduce air pollution from ships.
In addition, they also bring in measures to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping.
These Regulations apply to UK ships wherever they may be and any other ship while it is within UK waters.
Various duties apply.
Amendment
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) adopted changes to Annex VI of The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) in June 2021. These Regulations implement those changes into UK law, with the aim to monitor carbon intensity of international shipping. Specifically, they require ships over 400 gross tonnes (GT) to adopt new measures to reduce their carbon intensity.
Other technical changes are made to include references to the Polar Code* and IMO guidelines. Any future changes to the Polar Code and IMO Guidelines will automatically be changed within UK law.
*The Polar Code is the IMO international code for ships operating in Polar waters (the North and South Poles), and covers the design, construction and environmental protection matters.
UK ships in international waters and international ships in UK waters must carry on board, and make available upon request:
- an International Energy Efficiency Certificate (IEE Certificate);
- a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP); and
- a Statement of Compliance with the IMO fuel oil consumption reporting requirements.
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