Houston, Texas, USA: Shipowners are obliged to make sure bunker supplies delivered to their vessels in non-signatory countries comply with the new MARPOL Annex VI regulations when the ships enter a signatory state. DNV’s round-the-clock fuel testing and technical advisory services enable shipowners to receive immediate support to deal with Annex VI-related issues.

This is part of the Total Fuel Management (TFM) solutions offered by DNV Petroleum Services (DNVPS) to help ship operators meet the IMO MARPOL Annex VI regulations, which are aimed at reducing fuel sulphur emissions from ships.

DNV has been an important player in providing input to the MARPOL Annex VI regulations to ensure they are consistent with commercial practices and fair to ship operators. Representative fuel samples serve as important evidence when a fuel-related operational problem or engine damage is suspected.

DNVPS monitors the availability of low-sulphur fuels as well as bunker quality from most ports and suppliers worldwide. Equipping ships with DNVPS sampling kits enables the crew to quickly and conveniently dispatch fuel samples to one of DNVPS’s five laboratories.

Over 30 countries worldwide have so far ratified MARPOL Annex VI. The United States is expected to follow suit shortly. US ratification is considered very important as the US and US Coast Guard form a major Port State Control Regime that often sets the standard for enforcement and provides guidelines for what ships must do to comply.

MARPOL Annex VI came into force for all ships, fixed and floating drilling rigs and other platforms on 19 May 2005. If a ship enters or flies the flag of a signatory state, it must show evidence of using bunkers whose sulphur content does not exceed 4.5% (m/m). In SECAs (Sulphur Oxide Emission Control Areas), the maximum allowable fuel sulphur content is 1.5% (m/m).