Air Pollution

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http://shipandbunker.com/news/world/446959-shippers-cite-barriers-to-low-sulfur-fuel-use-in-hong-kong

Shippers Cite Barriers to Low-Sulfur Fuel Use in Hong Kong

Tuesday January 15, 2013

Many shipping companies are concerned about the cost of using low-sulfur fuel in Hong Kong The cost of shifting to low-sulfur fuel is a factor in the low participation of Hong Kong‘s government initiative to promote fuel-switching at its port, South China Morning Post reports. As part of efforts to reduce air pollution, since September 2012 the city-state’s government has offered rebates for ships that use low-sulfur fuel during their port calls there, but the payments are said not to be enough to compensate for using the more expensive fuel. The report said only 13 percent of the ocean going vessels calling in Hong Kong have registered for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) scheme. “There is a significant financial commitment to switching fuel,” said Roberto Giannetta of the Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association. A spokeswoman for Evergreen Marine said just one of its container ships was registered because of “cost saving considerations.”

Fair Winds Charter More than 560 ships participate in the low-sulfur program launched in September, and about 18 shipping lines are part of the Fair Winds Charter, which requires them to use low-sulfur fuel “to the maximum extent possible” over a two-year period starting at the beginning of 2011. Some shippers, including APL and Hanjin Shipping, have signed the Fair Winds Charter but have not yet registered any ships with the EPD incentive scheme.“I know one prominent carrier who is switching fuel in Hong Kong, but does so quietly” Roberto Giannetta, Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association Giannetta said some carriers also have non-financial reasons for not taking part in the program.   “I know one prominent carrier who is switching fuel in Hong Kong, but does so quietly without joining the charter or the government scheme because if they do so here in Hong Kong, they would face tremendous pressure in their home country to do the same,” he said. “Yet there are specific reasons why they don’t want to do that at home.” Shipping lines that participate in the low-sulfur programs have called for the Hong Kong and Guangdong, China governments to make use of low-sulfur fuel mandatory. Maersk Line recently said it would stop using low-sulfur bunkers in Hong Kong unless the government regulates its use to stop shippers who don’t switch getting a cost advantage.

Ship & Bunker News Team To contact the editor responsible for this story email us at editor@shipandbunker.com

Marine Air Pollution in Hong Kong – Clear the Air

Watch the video and see where 1/3 of our daily toxic pollution comes from!

It seems the Marine Department’s Ringelmann chart is locked up in a dark room and the spotters are on holidays for the past 10 years.

Here is the video link:  http://vimeo.com/55450426

Then sign the petition to ask our Government to get our waters designated by China as an Emissions Control Area (ECA)

http://hongkongpollutionwatch.blogspot.hk/2012/12/sign-this-petition-to-stop-vessel-smoke.html

1.    IMO | North American emission control area comes into effect on 1 …

www.imo.org ›

31 Jul 2012 – The North American Emission Control Area (ECA), under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), …

2.    IMO | Sulphur oxides (SOx) – Regulation 14

www.imo.org › … ›

These controls divide between those applicable inside Emission Control Areas (ECA) established to limit the emission of SOx and particulate matter and those …

3.    IMO | Special Areas Under MARPOL

www.imo.org › … ›

You +1’d this publicly.

Annex VI Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships establishes certain sulphur oxide (SOx) Emission Control Areas with more stringent controls …

4.    Sulphur Emission Control Area – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA) are a sea areas where there are stricter requirements for used bunker fuel compared to other sea areas. SECA is …

5.    Emission Control Area – Condition Monitoring

Following agreement at IMO and incorporation into European law, the Baltic Sea became the first fully implemented SOx Emission Control Area in August 2006.

6.    North American Emission Control Area

9 Dec 2012 – In Resolution MEPC.190(60), the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex VI

1.    IMO | Special Areas Under MARPOL

Annex VI Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships establishes certain sulphur oxide (SOx) Emission Control Areas with more stringent controls

SEE WHAT HK GOVERNMENT EPD HAD TO SAY

CTA says: if HK Government can mandate the import and use of Euro V diesel in Hong Kong it can also control what standard of bunker fuel is imported here !  All ships serving Baltic, North Sea and USA ports have twin tanks to comply with Emission Control Zone low sulphur fuel laws. Those ships also visit Hong Kong port and are carrying the low sulphur bunker fuel already.

From: tony_yt_lee@epd.gov.hk [mailto:tony_yt_lee@epd.gov.hk]  Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 17:54 To: James Middleton
Cc: christopher.dewolf@gmail.com; enquiry@epd.gov.hk; phoebelui@epd.gov.hk
Subject: E(11/1515) : Port Strategy – A new dawn

Dear Mr Middleton,

Thank you for your messages of 23 and 26 June.   The consolidated reply of EPD and the Marine Department (MD) is as follows.

1. What is the actual fuel sulphur cap here?
Ans. According to Regulation 29(1) of the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution) Regulation, the sulphur content of any fuel oil used on board ships in Hong Kong is not to exceed 4.5% m/m.

2.  How is this enforced for incoming vessels which refueled elsewhere?
Ans. According to Regulations 33(4) and 34 of the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution) Regulation, all incoming ships of 400 gross tonnage or above and engaged in international voyage shall carry Bunker Delivery Notes (BDN) with the associated representative sample of the fuel on board.  The BDN and the representative sample are subject to inspection by Government Surveyors.

3.  What samples are taken to ensure the ships are conforming to “grey smoke emissions instead of black smoke”?
Ans. MD is currently using Ringelmann Chart for the identification of black smoke.  If a ship emits smoke of or darker than Shade 2 for continuous 3 minutes, the emission is regarded as black smoke.

4.  Since these Charter member shipping lines have opted to switch to ULSD only at berth and not whilst sailing within Hong Kong waters what has Government done to seek their compliance whilst underway rather than just at berth?
Ans. The Fair Winds Charter signatories have committed themselves to switching their vessels to 0.5% sulphur fuel when at berth.  While sailing underway within HK waters, these vessels must meet the sulphur limit requirement stipulated under MARPOL Annex VI.  As mentioned, since China has not designated its waters (including that of Hong Kong) as an Emission Control Area, there is no vehicle for Hong Kong to “require” operators to use fuels of more stringent specifications.

5.  What is the sulphur content of bunker fuel supplied for refueling in Hong Kong?
Ans. It must be below 4.5% and is usually in the range of 3.5% – 4.0%.  You may contact the local suppliers in the attached document for details or access the MD’s website on the link provided for that document.

http://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/msnote/pdf/oilsupreg.pdf <http://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/msnote/pdf/oilsupreg.pdf>

6.  Hong Kong is supposed to be an independent territory for 50 years from 1997 is it not?  We make our own laws do we not ?  The EPD intends to designate Low Emission Zones for traffic on Nathan Road, Causeway Bay and Central so that only Euro 5 diesels / hybrids will be allowed to enter those areas.  I see no difference with doing the same for HK waters – either meet the relevant standards or do not enter our waters or be fined if you do.
Using “China did not do it” is a lame duck reply more worthy of Donald Tsang than a body supposed to be looking after the air quality here , in this 50 year independent SAR.
Ans.  Under MARPOL Annex VI, there are general requirements on the sulphur content of any fuel oil used on board ships.  There is also a mechanism for member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to apply for designating its waters as an Emission Control Area (ECA), within which the requirements are more stringent than the general requirements.  This mechanism is not mandated for all member States to designate its waters, in whole or in part, as an ECA.  As a matter of fact, Hong Kong is an associate member of IMO, not a full member (member state) and thus cannot file an application for ECA designation by Hong Kong itself.

Best regards,
Tony YT Lee

http://shipandbunker.com/news/world/711143-hong-kongs-ships-most-significant-source-of-sulfur-dioxide-pollution

Tuesday January 15, 2013

Chief executive Leung Chun-ying is expected to introduce new maritime pollution rules

Ships produced more sulfur pollution in Hong Kong than power plants in 2011, according to the South China Morning Post.

Quoting soon-to-be released government data, Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing said ships, already the biggest emitter of nitrogen oxides and suspended particles, became the most significant sources of sulfur dioxide as well.

Hong Kong has cracked down on power plants since 2010, adding pollutant-removing scrubbers, but marine pollution has increased.

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying is expected to announce new plans next week to reduce emissions from ocean-going vessels, local ferries, and other ships.

“Voluntary schemes might not be the best – we might need something stronger”

Wong Kam-sing, secretary for the environment, Hong Kong

Wong refused to say whether Leung would introduce mandatory requirements concerning marine pollution, but he said existing rules that offer compensation to ships switching to low-sulfur fuels are not enough.

“Voluntary schemes might not be the best – we might need something stronger,” he said.

Shipping companies have said the voluntary plan is difficult to accept because it gives a cost advantage to companies that don’t sign on to it.

Wong said Hong Kong must address both marine and roadway pollution sources, and measures allowing only low-emission buses on some busy corridors will be put in place in 2015.

Ship & Bunker News Team
To contact the editor responsible for this story email us at editor@shipandbunker.com

Submitted by admin on Dec 29th 2012, 12:00am

News› Hong Kong

ENVIRONMENT

Keith Wallis keith.wallis@scmp.com

Proportion of container vessels signing up to cleaner fuel programme higher, at almost 1 in 4

An average of 13 per cent of ocean-going ships calling at Hong Kong each day have registered with the government’s low-sulphur fuel incentive scheme, which aims to cut pollution from vessels, a South China Morning Post investigation found.

The percentage is higher for massive container ships using Kwai Chung container port. The survey showed almost one in four container ships using Kwai Chung registered with the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) programme, launched at the end of October.

Former Marine Department director Roger Tupper was surprised the figures were so high.

The Post investigation, which tracked vessel arrivals and departures over a week, found around 70 large container ships, tankers, general cargo vessels and cruise liners visited Hong Kong each day. Of these about eight or nine are signed up to the scheme, which will cost the government HK$260 million over three years.

Around 550 ships were registered with the EPD scheme up to mid-December, of which 192 had made a total of 460 calls at Hong Kong by the end of November. Some HK$2.45 million in port dues had been waived, according to a department spokeswoman.

Operators of ships registered under the scheme receive a 50 per cent cut in port-related fees if the vessels burn low-sulphur fuel while berthed in Hong Kong.

But the scheme has been criticised, as the rebate only offsets between 30 and 45 per cent of the increased cost of using the more expensive low-sulphur diesel.

The scheme also sidesteps a key demand from environmentally aware shipping lines for government regulations mandating the use of low-sulphur diesel.

Civic Exchange, the public policy think tank, said marine sources of sulphur dioxide emissions accounted for 519 premature deaths a year in the Pearl River Delta, including 385 in Hong Kong. Some 75 to 80 per cent of all emissions come from container vessels, it said.

The Post found that some shipping lines are enthusiastic supporters of the EPD scheme, registering massive fleets even though they face higher costs. These include Orient Overseas Container Line, Maersk Line, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd.

But other container lines, like Singapore’s APL, have either yet to register any ships or have registered just a handful, even though they were signatories to the Fair Winds Charter, a voluntary industry initiative to use low-sulphur fuel in Hong Kong.

While the EPD has introduced its incentive scheme, regulations have yet to materialise.

Veronica Booth, Civic Exchange senior project manager, said: “It’s government’s job to regulate. [The maritime sector has] put its money where its mouth is through participating in the Fair Winds Charter. It’s government’s turn now.”

Topics:

Environment

Low-sulphur fuel incentive scheme

Container Ships

Almost 1 in 4 container vessels sign up to cleaner fuel programme.

http://shipandbunker.com/news/apac/891100-lng-uptake-in-china-unlikely-in-coming-years-says-supplier

Engineers stand inside an LNG tank.

China Marine Bunker Supply Company (Chimbusco) has said the vast majority of Chinese shipowners are unlikely to switch to using LNG as a bunker fuel and will instead stick to using bunker oil, according to comments reported by SinoShip News.

The supplier also said it expects bunker fuel demand in the country will maintain an annual growth rate of 10 percent over the next three years.

Switching to LNG is seen by some in the industry as a viable way to address tightening Emissions Control Area (ECA) regulations, with engine manufacturrer Wärtsilä saying earlier this week it is the alternative fuel that offers the greatest potential for cost-effective compliance.

While there are currently no ECAs in Asia, last month Hong Kong‘s environment undersecretary Christine Loh said the government’s determination to set up an ECA for Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta (PRD) area should not be underestimated.

A one year study by Lloyd’s Register concluded that the global acceptance of LNG as a bunker fuel will come down to price, but Singapore, Rotterdam, and Gothenburg have nevertheless all pledged to have LNG bunkering in place for 2015.

Ship & Bunker News Team
To contact the editor responsible for this story email us at editor@shipandbunker.com

Dear KS Wong

we fully support your intentions  to attempt to resolve  the pollution mess left by the last inept administration of Donald Tsang which failed in its duty of care to

the Environment and to the people of Hong Kong.

We know Veronica Booth at Civic Exchange did a lot of work on the marine pollution problem.

The information below may be of interest to you.

It’s high time we had an Emissions Control Area for ships and designated Clean Air Zones (Euro 4 up/ hybrid / electric only) for roadside areas like Nathan Rd, Causeway Bay and Central.

Years ago we suggested bus routes terminating outside these areas with only hybrid shuttle buses plying the main thoroughfare routes – of course that was before we realised Donald Tsang’s brother ran Citybus and First Bus.

Kind regards,

James Middleton

Chairman

www.cleartheair.org.hk

From: tony_yt_lee@epd.gov.hk [mailto:tony_yt_lee@epd.gov.hk]
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 17:54
To: James Middleton
Cc: christopher.dewolf@gmail.com; enquiry@epd.gov.hk; phoebelui@epd.gov.hk
Subject: E(11/1515) : Port Strategy – A new dawn

Dear Mr Middleton,

Thank you for your messages of 23 and 26 June.   The consolidated reply of EPD and the Marine Department (MD) is as follows.

1. What is the actual fuel sulphur cap here?
Ans. According to Regulation 29(1) of the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution) Regulation, the sulphur content of any fuel oil used on board ships in Hong Kong is not to exceed 4.5% m/m.

2.  How is this enforced for incoming vessels which refueled elsewhere?
Ans. According to Regulations 33(4) and 34 of the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution) Regulation, all incoming ships of 400 gross tonnage or above and engaged in international voyage shall carry Bunker Delivery Notes (BDN) with the associated representative sample of the fuel on board.  The BDN and the representative sample are subject to inspection by Government Surveyors.

3.  What samples are taken to ensure the ships are conforming to “grey smoke emissions instead of black smoke”?
Ans. MD is currently using Ringelmann Chart for the identification of black smoke.  If a ship emits smoke of or darker than Shade 2 for continuous 3 minutes, the emission is regarded as black smoke.

4.  Since these Charter member shipping lines have opted to switch to ULSD only at berth and not whilst sailing within Hong Kong waters what has Government done to seek their compliance whilst underway rather than just at berth?
Ans. The Fair Winds Charter signatories have committed themselves to switching their vessels to 0.5% sulphur fuel when at berth.  While sailing underway within HK waters, these vessels must meet the sulphur limit requirement stipulated under MARPOL Annex VI.  As mentioned, since China has not designated its waters (including that of Hong Kong) as an Emission Control Area, there is no vehicle for Hong Kong to “require” operators to use fuels of more stringent specifications.

5.  What is the sulphur content of bunker fuel supplied for refueling in Hong Kong?
Ans. It must be below 4.5% and is usually in the range of 3.5% – 4.0%.  You may contact the local suppliers in the attached document for details or access the MD’s website on the link provided for that document.

http://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/msnote/pdf/oilsupreg.pdf <http://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/msnote/pdf/oilsupreg.pdf>

6.  Hong Kong is supposed to be an independent territory for 50 years from 1997 is it not?  We make our own laws do we not ?  The EPD intends to designate Low Emission Zones for traffic on Nathan Road, Causeway Bay and Central so that only Euro 5 diesels / hybrids will be allowed to enter those areas.  I see no difference with doing the same for HK waters – either meet the relevant standards or do not enter our waters or be fined if you do.
Using “China did not do it” is a lame duck reply more worthy of Donald Tsang than a body supposed to be looking after the air quality here , in this 50 year independent SAR.
Ans.  Under MARPOL Annex VI, there are general requirements on the sulphur content of any fuel oil used on board ships.  There is also a mechanism for member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to apply for designating its waters as an Emission Control Area (ECA), within which the requirements are more stringent than the general requirements.  This mechanism is not mandated for all member States to designate its waters, in whole or in part, as an ECA.  As a matter of fact, Hong Kong is an associate member of IMO, not a full member (member state) and thus cannot file an application for ECA designation by Hong Kong itself.

Best regards,
Tony YT Lee

From: tony_yt_lee@epd.gov.hk [mailto:tony_yt_lee@epd.gov.hk]  Sent: 27 August, 2012 11:14 To: James Middleton Cc: cwwong@epd.gov.hk; EPD HKG
Subject: E(12/2120) IN BRIEF (Page 2)|HongKong Business|chinadaily.com.cn
Dear Mr Middleton,

Thank you for your message.  Ships operating in the North America Emission Control Area (ECA) must use fuel containing not more than 1% sulphur.  This would help reduce the ship emissions in the ECA, but not in our local waters.

2.        Oil companies in HK normally supply bunker fuels with a sulphur content not more than 2.8%, better than the 3.5% limit stipulated in MARPOL Annex VI.  We are not in a position to speak on behalf of oil companies as to whether they would supply bunker fuels of even much lower sulphur content.

Best regards,
Tony Y T Lee

===============

Dear EPD
Does HK offer low sulphur bunker fuel  in a like manner ?
If not, why not ?

Kind regards,
James Middleton
Chairman
www.cleartheair.org.hk

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkedition/2012-08/11/content_15664641.htm
Sinopec plans low-sulfur fuel for ships

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp, the country’s largest fuel supplier, plans to supply low-sulfur shipping fuel at Chinese ports as ships sailing to the US and Canada are required to burn the cleaner fuel.

Sinopec, as China Petroleum is known, is arranging barges, tanks and pipelines to supply shipping fuel, or bunker, containing 1 percent sulfur, Zhou Yiqing, the vice manager of the bunker department at Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales Co, said in an interview by telephone. The company will start with “big” ports, he said, without elaborating.

Ships sailing in US and Canadian waters are required to use bunker fuel with a maximum sulfur content of 1 percent starting this month under air-pollution standards set out by the North American Emission Control Area. Vessels outside the controlled areas can use bunker with a maximum sulfur content of 3.5 percent.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-23/hong-kong-moves-to-tackle-deadly-ship-smog-fouling-city-s-skies.html

Hong Kong Moves to Tackle Deadly Ship Smog Fouling City’s Skies

By Natasha Khan & Ben Richardson – Nov 23, 2012 8:19 PM GMT+0800

Hong Kong will force oceangoing ships to burn cleaner fuel while at berth, bringing relief to residents facing a third straight year of near-record pollution.

The city also said it would phase out polluting trucks and buses and clamp down on smoky vehicles, according to a government release today which detailed an emissions reduction plan to 2020.

Forcing ships to switch to the more expensive, cleaner fuel may reduce the smog that causes more than 3,000 premature deaths a year in Hong Kong, where the world’s highest rents, shortages of schools and the filthiest air of any global financial hub are deterring skilled workers. Vessels can now burn oil containing 3,500 times the sulfur as auto diesel sold in the city.

Soot from burning marine fuel accounted for 31 percent of respirable particles in Hong Kong’s air in 2008, according to the city’s government.

The decision to replace the current voluntary program that international shipping companies say rewards polluters was part of a raft of measures Hong Kong and the neighboring Chinese province of Guangdong endorsed to meet 2015 air emission targets.

To contact the reporters on this story: Natasha Khan in Hong Kong at nkhan51@bloomberg.net; Ben Richardson in Hong Kong at brichardson8@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jason Gale at j.gale@bloomberg.net

The shipping industry has had an easy ride compared with the airline industry when it comes to emission controls. Ocean-going ships are fuelled by probably the dirtiest fuel on the planet, which generally has a 3.5 per cent sulphur content. Hong Kong is one of the busiest ports in the world, with some 410,560 arrivals and departures last year. This comes at a price for the city’s people, who in 2008 had about 16,500 tons of sulphur dioxide dumped on them. This figure rises to 142,000 tons if we include emissions outside Hong Kong waters but which also affect the territory. These figures were arrived at by an audit undertaken by the University of Science and Technology. Sulphur dioxide emissions from shipping accounts for 18-20 per cent of the total amount by weight in Hong Kong, but has a disproportionately higher effect than other sources such as power stations, because it is emitted at much lower levels. These findings are contained in a report by the Civic Exchange published yesterday entitled “A Price Worth Paying: the case for controlling marine emissions in the Pearl River Delta”. The report also contains a study by the University of Hong Kong’s school of public health on the health impact of the emissions by ocean-going vessels. Unsurprisingly they are not good. About 385 avoidable deaths a year in Hong Kong are caused by short-term emissions from shipping. But it is likely that long-term exposure of one year and upwards could result in four to 10 times the number of deaths. This appalling situation can be resolved relatively easily, the Civic Exchange says. Setting up an emissions control area of 100 kilometres around Hong Kong in which vessels used fuel with a 0.1 per cent sulphur content would cut the emissions by 91 per cent but would require co-operation with Pearl River Delta authorities. Using 0.1 per cent sulphur fuel in Hong Kong waters would reduce sulphur dioxide emissions by 70 per cent. All it takes for this to come into effect is for the government to act. The last government was notorious for its inaction on environmental issues. The new government with its new line-up at the Environment Bureau seems poised for action. This is low-hanging fruit, so hopefully it will be grabbed soon.

Contact Us Have you got any stories that Lai See should know about? E-mail them to howard.winn@scmp.com [1]

Topics:

Hong Kong

Director of Public Prosecutions

Shipping

Air Pollution

Finance

Links:
[1] mailto:howard.winn@scmp.com