North Sea SECA to be implemented on August 11

On Saturday, August 11, the new North Sea Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA) will be implemented. The new SECA covers virtually all Northern European waters and all vessels operating within this area are required to burn marine fuel with a sulphur content that does not exceed 1.5 per cent unless an approved exhaust gas system is fitted.

Any vessel that cannot switch to low emission fuel before entering the SECA most stay outside the area. Port state control is expected to do inspections of fuel tanks and ships emissions and the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) warns against arguments in the trade that the port state control will consider vessels that takes on low sulphur fuel but does not burn to be acting in “good faith”.

“This argument is unfounded and misleading, and could in fact result in a vessel being considered non-compliant by port state control. It is important to stress that there is no provision for a vessel to be considered to be ’acting in good faith’ in either the IMO or the relevant EU legislation, which enters into force on August 11.”, IBIA secretary-General Ian Adams says in a press release.

According to the UK P&I club non-compliance with the legislation is punishable with a fine of GBP 50,000, and for making false entries in the Oil Record Book an individual can be sent to jail for two years.