Web Alert: Hainan MSA of the People's Republic of China issues Ship Pollution Control Implementation Plan

​On 3 November 2017, Hainan MSA issued a Ship Pollution Control Implementation Plan (the Plan). The Plan is intended to monitor the emission of ships’ pollutants during the period from 3 November 2017 to 3 December 2018.

During this period, a working group including 11 officers will be carrying out inspections on ships calling at Hainan, and on fuel suppliers and units receiving ships’ pollutants.

The Plan provides for the following: -

(a) Inspections on board ships. The MSA working group will inspect documents recording fuel quality. These inspections will focus on checking the oil record book, bunker delivery notes, and in certain cases taking fuel samples

For ships sailing in international waters, the fuel should meet the requirements as set by Annex VI of MARPOL 73/78. On the other hand, ships only operating in China should comply with GB 17411-2017

(b) Fuel sampling. This should take place only if a ship is found to discharge black smoke or if the MSA working group is not satisfied by the inspection of documents set out in (a) above​

(c) Non-compliance and consequences. A ship will be found to be non-compliant in the following circumstances:
i. When using non-compliant fuel
ii. When the ship cannot produce bunker delivery notes or fuel samples if requested by the MSA working group​

iii. When discharging excessive air pollutants

Under the above circumstances, the offending ship would be ordered to rectify the position and may be detained or be subject to fines, or other forms of penalty.

(d) Monitoring procedures for supplying and disposing of a ship’s pollutants. This is to ensure that ships have appropriate procedures in place when handling such substances

(e) Compliance with the Ballast Water Management Convention (the Convention). The MSA working group will be monitoring ships calling at Hainan to check whether they comply with the requirements of the Convention. ​ ​