Agenda setting of consideration of measures to reduce SOx emissions
6 If in any given year following the setting of the reference value, Acr exceeds Aw by a number equal to or greater than 0.2 %, the Marine Environment Protection Committee shall consider the need for further measures to reduce SOx emissions from ships, so as to decide whether it should be considered a high priority item for the Committee. MEPC shall continually review this excess value, (now 0.2%) once the reference value has been set.
Providers of sampling and testing services
7 For the purpose of the initial five years operational period, there are presently 3 providers of sampling and testing services under these guidelines
Any additional providers of sampling and testing services shall be subject to the following criteria:
.1 They shall preferably be IACS members, but shall in any way be subject to the approval of the Marine Environment Protection Committee, which shall apply these criteria.
.2 They shall be provided with a technical and managerial staff of qualified professionals providing adequate geographical coverage and local representation to ensure quality services in a timely manner;
.3 They shall provide services governed by a documented Code of Ethics;
.4 They shall be independent as regards to commercial interest in the outcome of monitoring;
.5 They shall implement and maintain an internationally recognized quality system, certified by an independent auditing body, which ensures reproducibility and repeatability of services which are internally audited, monitored and carried out under controlled conditions.
.6 They shall take a significant number of samples on an annual basis for the purpose of globally monitoring average sulphur content of residual fuels.
Standardized method of calculation
8 Each of the providers of sampling and testing services shall provide the necessary information for the calculation of the average sulphur content of the residual fuels to the Secretariat of IMO or another agreed third party on the basis of a mutually agreed format, approved by MEPC. This party will process the information and will provide the outcome in the agreed format to MEPC. From the viewpoint of competitive positions the information involved shall be considered sensitive. Therefore the third party involved shall treat such information as indicated by any party involved as confidential, without prejudice to the information required by the Committee for the purposes of monitoring and related decision making.
