Indian port no longer charges ships with open loop scrubbers

Ships with open loop scrubbers calling at the Indian east coast port of Dhamra no longer have to pay a small fee of $270, according to GAC Hot Port News.

PHOTO: Adani Group's Dhamra port on India's east coast. Adani

Dhamra is operated by India’s private port operator Adani Group. The decision to revoke charges comes after India’s Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) issued a circular on scrubber rules last month.

The DGS was forced to issue the circular after it found out that some Indian ports were denying entry or berthing to ships burning HSFO with scrubbers fitted. These ships were forced to switch to low-sulphur fuels such as LSMGO before entering or berthing in the port.

These additional requirement by port authorities contradicted the IMO’s 0.50% sulphur regulations, DGS reasoned. The IMO allows vessels to run on 0.50% sulphur-compliant marine fuels, or use scrubbers to bring their sulphur emission levels down to at a maximum of 0.50% while burning HSFO.

By Nithin Chandran

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