We have obtained the following information from Huatai Insurance Agency & Consultant Services Ltd., our correspondent in Beijing,China. 

On 3 November 2017, Hainan MSA issued a Notice on Implementation Scheme of Ship Pollution Control to enhance the supervision and management of prevention and control of ship pollution in the area of Hainan province, including the coastal ports of Yangpu, Haikou,Sanya and Basuo as well as the Qiongzhou Strait. The scheme is effective from 3 November 2017 to 3 December 2018.

We hereby summarise key points of the notice as below for your kind reference.

1. The inspection on fuel oil quality of calling ships will be reinforced, with focus on inspecting whether the oil record book is recorded normatively, whether the fuel oil supply record and fuel oil sample are kept integrally and whether the index on the fuel oil supply record meets the relevant requirement.  The fuel oil used by international navigation ship should be in line with the requirement under Annex VI of “MARPOL 73/78”,whilst the fuel oil used by domestic navigation ship should conform to the requirement of “GB 17411-2015”.

The sampling inspection will be carried out for the fuel sample taken from calling ship or the oil supplying company randomly.  The ratio of sampling inspection will be determined by the situation of the area covered by respective MSA substations.  Ship which is found fumed with black smoke, fails to record the oil record book or fails to keep the fuel oil supply document or oil sample during routine patrol or inspection will be treated as key inspection object.

Ships using fuel oil that doesn’t meet relevant standard, failing to record the relevant documents as required,failing to keep the fuel oil supply documents or samples, failing to take effective alternative measures, discharging excessive air pollutant or having other irregularity action are subject to warning, correction of breaches,detention or other punishment according to the “Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution”, “Regulation on the Prevention and Control of Vessel-induced Pollution to the Marine Environment” and relevant regulations in light of the seriousness of the case.

2.  Each MSA substation is required to supervise and inspect ships to which the “Convention for the Control and Management of International Ship Ballast Water and Its Sediments” applies, mainly on whether the ship holds effective International Ballast Water Management Certificate,BWMP and BWR. The inspection will focus on whether the ship or its equipment meets the requirement of the International Ballast Water Management Certificate and BWMP, whether the BWR reflects the ship’s disposal of the ballast water correctly,whether the designated crew member is familiar with the basic procedure,relevant operation and requirement of equipment, and whether the ship disposes and discharges ballast water according to relevant requirement.

Given the above, owners are suggested to pay attention to the above requirement when calling the coastal ports of Hainan Province as well as when passing through the Qiongzhou Strait from 3 November 2017 to 3 December 2018 to ensure satisfaction of relevant requirement in order to avoid any delay or penalty to the ship.  Meanwhile, owners are also recommended to double check with local agent on special requirement before ship’s calling during the aforementioned period.

For details, please our below free-translation of the Notice for your easy reference.