CMS NEWSLETTER                                       Ref: 02/13

September 09, 2013

MOT Press Conference on Abolishing Some Charges Related to Shipping Industry

Outline

★    The Ministry of Transportation held press conference on 29 August 2013.

★    Some charging items related to the shipping industry are abolished.

Dear Sir,

On August 29, 2013, MOT held a special press conference inBeijingto notify the result of recent ship industry rectification work, which has a purpose of guiding ship industry to a healthier and better future.

Among the charges which have been abolished by China MSA, two items related to pollution prevention issue should be worth attention.

The costs on oil booms deploying during the oil transferring are abolished

According to Article 41 of Prevention and Disposal Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Marine Pollution from Ships and from Ship’s Relevant Operations, oil booms should be deployed during the oil transferring for the bunker in amount of 300 tonnages or above, or other hazardous liquid in bulk. However, in some ports, this requirement is expanded to all the bunkering operations.

After the investigation and study, from now on MSA decided to abolish the requirement of oil boom deploying during the oil transferring.

The requirement for international sailing vessel to discharge pollutant before departing from Chinese ports is suspended

According to Article 18 of Prevention and Disposal Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Marine Pollution from Ships and from Ship’s Relevant Operations, international sailing vessels should cleanup the pollutant on board and handled to offshore receiver before departing from Chinese port. It is confirmed by MSA Notice that one valid certificate of pollutant discharging would be deemed as enough to serve the purpose, notwithstanding the ship may have called more than one Chinese ports before leaving. However, in practicing, the vessels are usually confronted with repeatedly compulsory discharging in some domestic ports.

From now on, international sailing vessels departing from Chinese ports except ports in Bohai, can choose harbor to discharge pollutant onboard basing on their actual pollutant storage capacity, which aims to avoid repeatedly charging.

It is confirmed that the above-mentioned issues have been executed in some PRC ports. 

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