9.24 Having received the report of the drafting group (MEPC 42/WP. 11), the Committee approved the revised Interim Guidelines for the application of the NOx Technical Code, as set out in annex 7 and agreed to disseminate it as MEPC/Circ.344.
Guidelines for monitoring the sulphur content of residual fuels
9.25 At its last session, the Committee considered draft guidelines on monitoring the sulphur content of residual fuels, and agreed to consider these guidelines further in a future session as part of the follow-up action on the Air Pollution Annex.
9.26 The Committee noted that the Netherlands had hosted a meeting of invited Governments in June this year to consider the draft guidelines further.
9.27 The Committee considered the draft guidelines submitted by the Netherlands (MEPC 42/9), and agreed that the Guidelines should be issued in the form of an MEPC resolution and considered the following issues:
.1 how to implement and carry out monitoring;
.2 the development of a time scale;
.3 method of calculation (weighted for quantity/not weighted for quantity); and
.4 financial arrangements.
9.28 The Committee welcomed the offer from the Netherlands to run a trial monitoring and to report on the outcome to MEPC 43 for consideration.
9.29 The Committee agreed to consider the issue further at MEPC 43 with a view to adopting the Guidelines at that meeting and requested the drafting group to prepare a revised text of the Guidelines. The revised Guidelines are set out in annex 3 to MEPC 42/WP.11 for consideration by MEPC 43.
9.30 Tue Committee agreed that the calculation of the average sulphur content should not be weighted for quantity and should only give a worldwide figure.
9.31 The Committee noted that funding for the initial trial, to be reported to MEPC 43, and following five-year monitoring is available through contributions from Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. At the end of this five-year period, a more permanent basis for funding within the regular budget of IMO should be considered.
Vapour recovery systems
9.32 The Committee considered the document by INTERTANKO (MEPC 42/9/3) which informed that, since MARPOL Annex VI has not yet entered into force, Member Governments are not bound by the requirements of regulation 15 for circulation of information 6 months prior to the effective date of Vapour Recovery Systems (VRSs). However, it is essential that shipowners be informed of the intended requirements, and INTERTANKO suggested that an appropriate recommendation should be developed in order to encourage terminals to ensure the timely reporting to IMO so that such information could be circulated. The Committee agreed that input to the Organization from oil terminals should be through Member Governments and not directly.
9.33 The Committee agreed to issue an appropriate MEPC circular to that effect. The Committee approved the draft circular on Notification to the Organization on Ports and Terminals where Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Emissions are to be regulated, as set out in annex 4 to MEPC 42/WP. 11, and agreed to disseminate it as MEPC/Circ.345.
Other matters
9.34 The Committee noted that a new publication containing the full text of the Protocol of 1997, including Annex VI to MARPOL 73/78, the eight Conference resolutions and the NOx Technical Code, is now available from the Publication Section of IMO.
