As already advised in ClassNK Technical Information TEC-0832 issued on 11 November 2010, the control of the sulphur content in fuel oil for ships operating within the designated North American Emission Control Area (MARPOL ANNEX VI, Regulation 14) will commence on 1 August 2012. The attached MEPC.1/Circ.723 provides the boundary of the Emission Control Area. After the commencement of the sulphur control, the limit value of the sulphur content of any fuel oils used onboard ships within this area is changed from 3.50% m/m to 1.00% m/m. Therefore, at the time of bunkering, please make sure that the sulphur content of the fuel oil used onboard ship on and after that date satisfies the new limit value (1.00%m/m) unless the ship complies with this requirements through the use of an exhaust gas cleaning system or other system that is approved as equivalent in accordance with Regulation 4 of MARPOL ANNEX VI.

In addition, regarding the fuel oil changeover and International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate (hereinafter referred to as IAPP Certificate), please note the followings.
[Document of fuel oil changeover procedure and entry in log-book]
When compliance with the requirements is achieved by changing over to a low sulphur fuel oil from the fuel oil normally used, it is required that a written procedure showing how the fuel oil changeover is to be done is retained onboard the ship.
In addition, at the time of completing the fuel oil changeover before entering the Emission Control Area and at the time of starting the fuel oil changeover after exiting the area, the volume of low sulphur fuel oils in each tank as well as the date, time, and position of the ship are to be recorded in the log-book.

[Description in paragraph 2.3.2 of Supplement to IAPP Certificate]
There are the cases where any checkbox in 2.3.2 of the Supplement to the IAPP Certificate, which shows the limit values of sulphur content in fuel oils within Emission Control Areas, has not been ticked off, and the relevant Note at the end of the Supplement is indicated that the vessel is not intended to operate within Emission Control Areas.
In case where a vessel having such an IAPP Certificate is intended to operate within an Emission Control Area, it is required to replace the IAPP Certificate in order to delete the Note and tick off the relevant checkbox(es) in the paragraph.
If you wish to receive a replacement of the IAPP Certificate, please contact ClassNK, Classification Department.

(To be continued)