2012年6月27日，美国环保署(EPA)和美国海岸警卫队(USCG)宣布已签署谅解备忘录，将对由于在港口国控制检查期间，美国海岸警卫队将检验悬挂外国旗帜的船舶是否使用合规燃油或采取相同的控制措施，为了证明在北美排放控制区（以下简称”ECA”）活动时，遵守附件VI的含硫标准，船舶应保留并（如有要求）向美国政府提供下列各项：
- 400总吨及以上船舶的燃油交付单；
- 在燃油交付时提取的燃油样品；
- 证明如何及何时转换燃油的书面燃油转换流程，以确保仅使用合规燃油；
- 燃油转换日志，用以证明各油罐中合规燃油的油量，以及船舶在进入指定的ECA之前以及离开该区域之后完成燃油转换操作的日期、时间和位置。
若船舶在进入北美ECA之前已竭尽全力却仍未获得合规燃油的，船舶必须通知美国和船舶的船旗管理部门。并且船舶经营人是否已竭尽全力获取合规燃油取决于美国政府当局，因此，船舶经营人应在船舶确定无法在北美ECA使用合规燃油后，须在进入北美ECA之前的96小时之内，提交无可用燃油报告。该报告应强调在尝试获取合规燃油时所采取的行动，包括为获取替代合规燃油资源所付出的所有努力，以及在进入北美ECA之前无法获取合规燃油的原因。值得注意的是，合规燃油的成本不会被美国政府认为是声明无可用燃油的有效原因。无可用燃油报告必须经运营公司的授权代表签字并包含下列证词：
本人特此证明，据本人所知及所信，本证词中的声明和信息属真实和完整，否则，本人愿接受法律惩罚。本人知悉，根据《美国法典》第18卷第1001条之规定，故意提交虚假声明及信息将受到若干严重惩罚，可能包括罚款和监禁。
美国政府将在确定采取何种行动时考虑该信息，如果采取行动，美国政府将在船舶使用非合规燃油进入北美ECA时实施。美国政府当前正在实施电子系统来接收无可用燃油报告。在此过渡期，经营人可以将无可用燃油报告提交至下列电子邮件地址：marine-eca@epa.gov
以上由 ANDREW LIU & CO.,LTD 编译，应以英文为准！
详细信息请参阅附件。
Enforcement of New Fuel Limitations on all Vessels Operating in US Waters from 1st August 2012 – USA
On June 27, 2012, the memorandum of understanding agreeing to jointly enforce U.S and international air pollution requirements for vessels operating in U. S waters was announced signing between the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S Coast Guard (USCG). It should be noted that Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) which is set out the terms of the USCG and EPA cooperation for enforcement of new advanced emissions standards off the coast of North America.
Considering that the USCG would verify a foreign flagged vessel’s use of a compliant fuel oil or an equivalent control while operating in the North American Emission Control Areas (ECA), in order to demonstrate compliance with the Annex VI fuel oil sulphur standard, the vessel is required to maintain and, if requested, make available to the United States government the following:
- Bunker delivery notes for vessels 400 gross tonnage and above;
- Fuel oil samples taken at the time of fuel oil delivery;
- Written fuel oil changeover procedures evidencing how and when the fuel oil changeover is done in order to ensure that only compliant fuel oil is burned;
- The fuel oil changeover logbook demonstrating the volume of compliant fuel oil in each tank and evidencing the date, time and position of the vessel when any fuel oil changeover operation is completed prior to entry into or after exit of a designated ECA.
If a vessel has failed to stem compliant fuel oil prior to entering the North American ECA after making best efforts to investigate alternate sources of fuel oil, it is compulsory to notify the United States and the vessel’s flag administration accordingly. Whether the vessel has made best effort should depend on the authority of the United States government, so the vessel operator should submit a Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report regarding the vessel being unable to burn compliant fuel oil in the North American ECA within 96 hours prior to entering the North American ECA. Such report should highlight the actions in order to procure compliant fuel, including a description of all attempts made to locate alternative sources of compliant fuel oil and the reasons why compliant fuel oil was not available before entering the North American ECA. For the United States government, the cost of compliant fuel oil could not be considered as the valid reason for claiming non-availability. The Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report must be signed by an authorized representative of the operating company and contain the following affirmation:
I certify under penalty of law that the statements and information made herein are, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for knowingly submitting false statements and information, including the possibility of fines and imprisonment pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1001.
The United States government will consider this information in deciding what action, if any, it will take when the ship enters the North American ECA using non-compliant fuel oil. The United States government is currently in the process of implementing an electronic system to receive Fuel Oil Non-Availability Reports. In the interim, operators may submit Fuel Oil Non-Availability Reports to the following e-mail address: marine-eca@epa.gov.
See attached file: ALCO20120057 Enforcement of New Fuel Limitations on all Vessels Operating in US Waters from 1st August 2012-USA.pdf
