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India's Shipping Ministry said on Tuesday that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has been advised to follow new fuel emission standards prescribed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The new MARPOL ANNEX VI regulation has seen the global sulphur content of fuel oil reduced from 4.5% to 3.5% from January 1st 2012. The sulphur limit applies to all waters other than Emission Control Areas (ECAs), where fuel oil with a sulphur content of 1% must be used.

Appendix V of MARPOL Annex VI also requires that all bunker delivery receipts (BDRs) must specify the density of the bunker fuel and its sulphur content. It is a legally binding document and the regulation states that it is the responsibility of the company receiving the fuel oil to provide this.

In July 2011, the IMO also approved the adoption of a global Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) regulation for new ships. The EEDI will require new ships to meet a minimum level of energy efficiency. Ships built between 2015 - 2019 will need to improve their efficiency by 10 percent, rising to 20 percent between 2020 and 2024 and 30 percent for ships delivered after 2024.

A waiver also exists for new ships registered in developing countries. If nations choose to apply the waiver for a newly delivered ship, application of the EEDI is delayed for 6.5 years from the 1st January 2013 entry into force of the regulation.

Commenting on the EEDI, the Shipping Ministry said: "The proposed regulation by IMO sets a required Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) value to apply in four phases from 1st January, 2013 to 1st January, 2025."

The Ministry commented that India has already approved ratification of IMO's MARPOL convention for the prevention of pollution from ships "so as to avail the waiver of the requirements of compliance with the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI)."

"Parties to the MARPOL Annex VI have the option to waive the EEDI requirement on their ships for a maximum of 4.0 to 6.5 years after the entry into force," it added.