Oct. 29 2018 Home Class & statutory MEPC 73 - 22 TO 26 OCTOBER 2018 MAJOR OUTCOMES OF THE 73TH SESSION OF THE MEPC LinkedIn Twitter Facebook share Convention BWM Ballast Water Management IACS UI IBC Code MARPOL Annex I Oil Pollution MARPOL Annex II NLS MARPOL Annex IV Sewage MARPOL Annex V Garbage MARPOL Annex VI Air Pollution POLAR Code International code of safety for ships operating in polar waters Greenhouse Gases Flag ALL FLAGS Ship typeAll Sea going Ship types MEPC 73 - 22 TO 26 OCTOBER 2018 MAJOR OUTCOMES OF THE 73TH SESSION OF THE MEPC MEPC 73 had on its agenda topics extensively discussed in the press the previous weeks. Particularly sensitive, they related to the carriage ban of fuel of more than 0,5% after the 1st of January 2020 and to the wish of the setting up of a period of phase-in for the entry into force on this date of news bunker composition standards. This Committee had also for its consideration important matters related to BWM convention, EEDI phase 3, reduction of GHG emissions from ships, marine plastic litter from ships and electronic record books under MARPOL The seventy-third session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 73) was held from 22 to 26 October 2018. MEPC 73 adopted the following resolutions : Res.MEPC.305(73) – Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI (prohibition on the carriage of non-compliant fuel oil for combustion purposes for propulsion or operation on board a ship) (item 3.1); Res.MEPC.306(73) – Amendments to the guidelines for ballast water management and development of ballast water management plans (G4) (item 4.4); Res.MEPC.307(73) - 2018 Guidelines for the discharge of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) bleed-off water (item 5.1); Res.MEPC.308(73) – 2018 Guidelines on the method of calculation of the attained Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships (item 5.4); Res.MEPC.309(73) – Amendments to the 2014 guidelines on survey and certification of the energy efficiency design index (EEDI) (Res. MEPC.254(67), as amended by Res. MEPC.261(68)) (item 5.4); Res.MEPC.310(73) – Action plan to address marine plastic litter from ships (item 8); MEPC.311(73) – 2018 Guidelines for the application of MARPOL ANNEX I requirements to floating production, storage and offloading facilities (FPSOS) and floating storage units (FSUS) (item 11.4). MEPC 73 approved the following circulars : BWM.2/Circ.69 - Guidance on System Design Limitations of ballast water management systems and their monitoring (item 4.2); BWM.2/Circ.70 - Guidance for the commissioning testing of ballast water management systems (item 4.3); MEPC.1/Circ.875/Add.1 - Guidance on best practice for fuel oil suppliers for assuring the quality of fuel oil used delivered to ships (item 5.1); MEPC.1/Circ.878-Guidance on the development of a ship implementation plan for the consistent implementation of the 0.50% sulphur limit under MARPOL Annex VI (item 5.2); MEPC.1/Circ.880 on Reporting of availability of compliant fuel oils in accordance with regulation 18.1 of MARPOL Annex VI (item 5.2); MEPC.1/Circ.795/Rev. - Unified interpretations to MARPOL Annex VI (item 6.1); MEPC.1/Circ.879-Guidelines for the carriage of energy-rich fuels and their blends (item 11.2) . MEPC 73 also approved : draft amendments to the NOX Technical Code 2008 concerning certification requirements for SCR systems (item5.1); draft resolution on Amendments to the 2017 Guidelines addressing additional aspects to the NOX Technical Code 2008 with regard to particular req