The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will no longer accept Fuel Oil Non-Availability Reports when assessing whether a vessel is carrying fuel compliant with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships or Marpol.
The US Coast Guard is now exclusively investigating all claims and will take any action if necessary, including detaining the ship and imposing a civil penalty. The Coast Guard also may refer some cases to the EPA under the new policy.
Previously, these reports were submitted to the EPA for review and shared with the Coast Guard upon request.
A shipowner submits a report to it port destinations when one of its vessels is not carrying fuel compliant with Marpol Annex VI. The document is designed to show what actions the shipowner took to buy Marpol-compliant fuel for the voyage. The relevant port authority then assesses the report and decides if any action is necessary.
The change was made to streamline the reporting process and improve records management, the Coast Guard said.
