Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 8)

Carriage of heavy fuel oil as fuel by ships in Arctic waters

The Sub-Committee considered draft guidelines on mitigation measures to reduce risks of use and carriage of heavy fuel oil as fuel by ships in Arctic waters, developed by a correspondence group.

Following discussion, the Sub-Committee agreed to refer relevant sections of the draft guidelines to other sub committees, specifically, the Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR), to review navigational and communication measures; the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC), to review the paragraph concerning the location of fuel tanks; and the Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW), to review sections on training and on-board familiarization. It is expected that a drafting group at the next session, PPR 9, in 2022, will be invited to finalize the draft guidelines, for submission to the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) for approval.

The draft guidelines are intended to assist Administrations of the Parties to MARPOL, the coastlines of which border on Arctic waters, to implement measures at national level to reduce the risks associated with the use of HFO as fuel and its carriage for use as fuel by ships in Arctic waters.

The draft guidelines are also aimed at providing ship operators of ships planning voyages in the Arctic with recommendations on measures to reduce the risk of spills while using or carrying HFO for use as fuel in Arctic waters.

The MEPC is expected at its next session, in June 2021, to adopt approved draft amendments to MARPOL Annex I to introduce a prohibition on the use and carriage for use as fuel of heavy fuel oil (HFO) by ships in Arctic waters on and after 1 July 2024. The draft guidelines will also assist States to take decisions on waivers which will be permitted until 2029 under the proposed draft regulation 43A for ships flying their flag while operating in Arctic waters.

Reducing the impact on the Arctic of Black Carbon

The Sub-Committee discussed submissions related to reducing the impact on the Arctic of Black Carbon emissions from international shipping. Black Carbon, in the context of international shipping,is the product of incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels. Black Carbon emissions contribute to climate change as a 'Short-Lived Climate Pollutant'.

IMO has been looking at how to measure and report on Black Carbon emissions and has already agreed a reporting protocol for voluntary measurement studies to collect Black Carbon data and