Marine fuel quality monitoring
Overview of international fuel quality limits
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set a limit for sulphur in fuel oil used on board ships.
This limit significantly reduces the amount of sulphur oxides that ships emit. It should deliver major health and environmental benefits, particularly for people living close to ports and coasts. As well as the sulphur limit, IMO sets several other fuel quality requirements to control emissions of pollutants and particulates.
IMO Resolution MEPC.320(74), 2019 guidelines for consistent implementation of the 0.50% sulphur limit under Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL Annex VI), provides more detail about how to implement and use low sulphur fuels. It includes key technical considerations for ship owners and operators, and possible safety impacts of using low sulphur fuel oils.
How marine fuel quality is monitored
Maritime NZ and Trading Standards use a joint approach to marine fuel quality monitoring.
Trading Standards is responsible for monitoring the quality of fuel in New Zealand and making sure it complies with the relevant regulations. Trading Standards is part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
Maritime NZ and MBIE share responsibility for implementing the marine fuel quality and sulphur oxides regulations of MARPOL Annex VI in New Zealand.
In general:
Maritime NZ is responsible for ship side regulatory and operational activity
- Trading Standards is responsible for shore side, or supply side, regulatory and operational activity.
- Ships coming into New Zealand may be selected for routine random sampling and testing of on board and in use marine fuel in line with Marine Protection Rules Part 199 and MARPOL Annex VI regulations.
List of fuel suppliers
Trading Standards maintains the register of New Zealand marine fuel suppliers on its website.
All domestic fuel suppliers must supply fuel with acceptable sulphur limits of below 0.50%.
Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report (FONAR)
If your ship is coming into New Zealand and you cannot obtain compliant fuel before arrival, you must complete a Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report (FONAR) before your ship arrives in port and send it to Maritime NZ.
Submitting a FONAR does not remove your obligation to try to obtain compliant fuel, and it is not an exemption from using compliant fuel. Maritime NZ will consider the FONAR and any evidence you submit and then decide whether to take any enforcement action.
Instructions about how to send your completed form to Maritime NZ are included in the form below.