CIRCULAR

DNV PETROLEUM SERVICES

29/Sep/2009

Alternative Contacts
UPDATE ON MARINE FUEL SULPHUR REQUIREMENT
DNVPS London IN EUROPEAN COMMUNITY WATERS FROM 1
Tel : +44 20 7357 6080
Fax :+44 20 7716 6736 JANUARY 2010
London@dnvps.com
John Gilligan
Mobile : +44 7769 927474 With reference to Directive 2005/33/EC, the latest amendment of
the EU LOW SULPHUR DIRECTIVE, we wish to update you on the
maximum marine fuel sulphur content permitted from 1 January
DNVPS Rotterdam 2010 onwards in the European Community waters, with the
Tel : +31 10 2922600
Fax : +31 10 4797141 exception of the outermost regions.
Rotterdam@dnvps.com
Ferry van Eykel
Mobile : +31 6127 35338
From 1 January 2010, seagoing vessels have to use marine fuels
with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.1%* by mass when at berth
in Community ports, allowing sufficient time for the crew to
DNVPS Oslo complete any necessary fuel changeover operation as soon as
Tel : +47 67 57 99 00
Fax : +47 67 57 93 93
possible after arrival at berth and as late as possible before
dnvps.Oslo@dnv.com departure.
Knut-Helge Knutsen
Mobile : +47 97 75 35 44
'Ships at berth' refer to ships which are securely moored or
anchored in a Community port while they are loading, unloading or
DNVPS Singapore hotelling (ie. when the ship is not engaged in cargo operations). If
Tel : +65 6 779 2475 the Main Engine is not operating during the time spent at berth, it
Fax : +65 6 779 5636
Singapore@dnvps.com can be shut down and started up on a fuel exceeding the 0.1%
Rahul Choudhuri sulphur limit (i.e. Heavy fuel Oil).
Mobile : +65 9835 9616

The 0.1% fuel sulphur limit is however applicable to all types of

DNVPS Fujairah
running combustion machineries on board (including boilers) during
Tel : +971 9 2228152 the time spent at berth, regardless of what kind of marine fuel is
Fax : +971 9 2228153 used (eg. Marine Gasoil, Marine Diesel Oil or Heavy Fuel Oil). In
Fujairah@dnvps.com
Colin Richardson Holloway practice, this means that all running machineries operating on
Mobile : +971 50 4846561 marine fuel with sulphur content exceeding 0.1% have to change
over to marine fuel with sulphur content below 0.1%** (i.e. Marine
Gasoil).
DNVPS Houston
Tel : +1 281 470 1030
Fax : +1 281 470 1035 The time of any fuel-changeover operation must be recorded in
Houston@dnvps.com ships' logbooks.
Hauk Larsen Wahl
Mobile : +1 713 291 4048
The EU 0.1% marine fuel sulphur requirement does not apply in the
following situations:

• Whenever, according to published timetables, ships are due

to be at berth for less than two hours;

• Until 1 January 2012 for certain vessels listed in the Annex

to the Directive 2005/33/EC and operating exclusively within
While every care is taken to ensure that the information contained in this circular issued by DNV
Petroleum Services is accurate, the information should not be taken as any form of advice and should not
be relied upon without independent verification. DNV Petroleum Services also does not accept any
responsibility/liability for any errors or omissions or any consequences there from.
Page 1 of 2
 CIRCULAR
DNV PETROLEUM SERVICES
29/Sep/2009
the territory of the Hellenic Republic;
Alternative Contacts

DNVPS London • Ships which switch off all engines and use shore-side
Tel : +44 20 7357 6080 electricity while at berth in ports;
Fax :+44 20 7716 6736
London@dnvps.com
John Gilligan • Ships using, on certain conditions, an approved emission
Mobile : +44 7769 927474
abatement technology. This means that a scrubber can be
used to comply with the Directive.
DNVPS Rotterdam
Tel : +31 10 2922600 For your easy reference, please refer to the attached Table 'Marine
Fax : +31 10 4797141
Rotterdam@dnvps.com Fuel Sulphur Limits in Europe'.
Ferry van Eykel
Mobile : +31 6127 35338
Best regards,
Tore Morten Wetterhus
DNVPS Oslo
Managing Director
Tel : +47 67 57 99 00
Fax : +47 67 57 93 93
dnvps.Oslo@dnv.com *It is up to each EU member state to decide if the limit should be 0.1% or 0.10%.
Knut-Helge Knutsen
Mobile : +47 97 75 35 44 The ISO 8217 specification will report with two significant figures, hence it is
important to specify a maximum sulphur content of 0.10% when purchasing a
fuel to be used at berth.
DNVPS Singapore
Tel : +65 6 779 2475 **With effect from 1 January 2010, EU Member States shall ensure that marine
Fax : +65 6 779 5636 gas oils are not placed on the market in their territories if the sulphur content of
Singapore@dnvps.com these fuels exceeds 0.1% by mass.
Rahul Choudhuri
Mobile : +65 9835 9616

DNVPS Fujairah
Tel : +971 9 2228152
Fax : +971 9 2228153
Fujairah@dnvps.com
Colin Richardson Holloway
Mobile : +971 50 4846561

DNVPS Houston
Tel : +1 281 470 1030
Fax : +1 281 470 1035
Houston@dnvps.com
Hauk Larsen Wahl
Mobile : +1 713 291 4048

While every care is taken to ensure that the information contained in this circular issued by DNV
Petroleum Services is accurate, the information should not be taken as any form of advice and should not
be relied upon without independent verification. DNV Petroleum Services also does not accept any
responsibility/liability for any errors or omissions or any consequences there from.
Page 2 of 2
 Marine Fuel Sulphur Limits in Europe

Sulphur limits in all types of marine fuels used onboard from (1)
Vessel location Comments
01 January 2010 (2) 01 July 2010 01 January 2012 01 January 2015

Ships at berth in EU
Member States shall
community ports and
ensure that MGO placed
ports in Non EU
countries that have 0.1% (4) 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% on the market has
≤0.1% m/m sulphur
adopted Directive
content
2005/33/EC (3)

Member States shall

ensure that MDO placed
Inside ECA (5), but not
at Berth 1.50% 1.00% 1.00% 0.10% on the market has
≤1.5% m/m sulphur
content

Outside ECA, but not

at berth 4.50% 4.50% 3.50% 3.50%

(1) Abatement technology (eg Scrubbers) approved by the administrations, having equivalent efficiency in terms of SOx, PM
and NOx emissions reduction, operating within the requirements of the IMO guidelines and do not harm the environment, can
be used.

(2) From 1 January 2010, the provisions originating from Directive 1999/32 and relating to the use of marine gas oils in EU
territory are now deleted.

(3) Exemptions: for ships which spend less than 2 hours at berth according to published timetables, for hybrid sea-river
vessels while they are at sea, and for ships which switch off all engines and use shore-side electricity. The outermost regions
continue to be exempt from this provision, but Greece does not, apart from a 2-year derogation for 16 named Greek vessels
until 2012.

(4) It is up to each EU member state to decide if the limit should be 0.1% or 0.10%. The ISO 8217 specification will report
with two significant figures.

(5) There are two ECAs (Emission Control Areas or SECAs) in Europe -- the Baltic Sea and the North Sea and English
Channel.