Environmental Pollution: NIMASA to enforce 0.5% sulphur limit on bunker fuel, says Dakuku
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The Director General of
NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside flanked by Maritime Stakeholders at the ongoing maritime week in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. |
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside has stated that the Agency would enforce strict
compliance to the International Maritime Organisation regulation which puts a
maximum of 0.5% sulphur cap on all fuel used by vessels
by the year 2020.
Dakuku who made this known during an interactive session with journalists at
the ongoing maritime week in Dubai, said that part of the
requirements adopted at the 73rd meeting of the Marine
Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the United Nations maritime organ
was to reduce the sulphur content permitted in Ships’ fuel oil globally to 0.5%
with effect from 1st January 2020.
to him “the 2020 fuel challenge is geared towards energy efficiency,
environmental pollution control, health as well as core
regulatory enforcement issues. As a maritime nation, we cannot afford not
to comply with the IMO standard which will also do a lot in mitigating global
warming and other related environmental issues” Dr. Dakuku said.
further, the NIMASA DG said that the IMO ban which relates to fuel intended for
combustion, propulsion and operation purposes on board ships will enter into
force on March 1st 2020, adding that all member states are expected
to comply with the stated standards by this date.
ensure compliance considering the fact that majority of the countries on the
continent do not have the technology to mitigate harmful effects of high
sulphur fuel on the environment, ocean life and human life. .
The NIMASA boss enumerated some of the steps the agency plans to take to manage
the transition and ensure compliance. He noted that NIMASA will embark on
massive enlightenment, stakeholders’ engagement and liaison as well as
collaboration with fuel refiners and suppliers. He also said that the Agency
would have a schedule for Pre- enforcement information before the commencement
the proper enforcement.
Commenting on the best way to enforce compliance, Dr Peterside said that ship
owners , classification societies, NGOs, fuel storage facilities, and other
stakeholders will all play a part in determining modalities of ensuring
compliance .
is worthy of note that the IMO has been working to reduce harmful effects of
shipping on environment since 1960. The Annex VI to the International
Convention for the Prevention of pollution from ships (MARPOL) was adopted in
1997 to address air pollution from shipping.
regulation 14.1.3 of Annex VI of the Convention seeks to control airborne
emissions of compounds such as sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and other ozone
depleting substances arising from shipping activities in order to mitigate its
effects on health and the environment.
