In its 51st Committee meeting in Cascais, Portugal, in early May, Paris MoU agreed to an information campaign by issuing a “Letter of Warning” starting 1 January 2019, to encourage timely compliance ahead of the new maximum limits for sulphur in ships fuel oil, entering into force on 1 January 2020.Paris MoU also approved the questionnaire for the CIC on MARPOL Annex VI to be conducted jointly with the Tokyo MoU. The CIC aims at checking the compliance with requirements for the prevention of air pollution from ships. The CIC will be carried out from September to November 2018 and the questionnaire will be published in August.

The additional questionnaire is expected to be published at the beginning of August to raise awareness for compliance with requirements on the prevention of air pollution from ships. World statistics for the last three years show main deficiencies related to incinerator and record book of engine parameters (with deficiency code):

•    Record book of engine parameters (14206)
•    Incinerator including operations and operating manual (14608)
•    International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate (01124)
•    Ozone-depleting substances (14611)
•    Engine International Air Pollution Prev. Cert. (01125)
•    Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (01328)
•    Operational procedures for engines or equipment (14610)
•    International Energy Efficiency Certificate (01138)
•    Bunker delivery notes (14604)
•    Fuel changeover procedure (14615)

Similar CICs on MARPOL VI will run in the Black Sea MoU and the Indian Ocean MoU on 1 September-30 November, to check compliance with air pollution prevention requirements and to boost awareness of the 2020 sulphur cap.