Ships calling at Yangtze River Delta cities will have to burn low sulphur fuel from 1 April 2016, Chinese authorities have confirmed.
The decision affects the ports of Shanghai, Zhoushan, Ningbo, Suzhou including Zhanjiagang, Changshu and Taicang and Nantong.
In early December 2015, China announced the creation of three Emission Control Areas (ECAs) in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and Bohai Bay, in an effort to reduce air pollution from shipping.
The key ports in these three areas together handled about 20% of global container throughput in 2014, according to Banchero Costa.
No significance change was expected this year, however it was at the discretion of the ports in the ECAs to impose more stringent regulations, according to the Italian shipbroker.
“According to rumours at the time, the only ports that may consider more stringent measures are Shanghai and Shenzhen," Banchero Costa said.
Shenzhen launched a voluntary fuel switching scheme in July, 2015, rewarding owners switching to low sulphur fuel with subsidies.
The Yangtze River Delta Cities have decided to implement the directive in two stages, according to a circular from P&I club Skuld.
According to China’s Ministry of Transport the first stage will involve vessels using bunkers with a sulphur content of less than 0.5% m/m while at berth.
It adds that vessels “will be encouraged” to use fuel with sulphur contents of less than 0.1% m/m and 0.5% m/m when at berth and when they enter the Yangtze River Delta ECA respectively.
A second stage will see local cities and relevant authorities evaluate the implementation and then decide whether further measures are implemented.
