World Bunkering > News > Autumn 2009 > Chief Executive's Report

Ian Adams

This is the last issue of World Bunkering before the IBIA Annual Convention in Singapore. As you are no doubt aware, this is the first year that we have run the event “in-house” and I look forward to seeing as many members at the Convention as possible. I believe that the committee have developed a programme that should satisfy the majority of attendees with the balance between presentations and networking opportunities.

I shall not attempt to list all the sponsors here as you can see all of them on page 17, but I would like to say thank you to all of them for supporting our event. I would also like to congratulate the Conference Committee and, in particular, their chairman, Robin Meech, in achieving the aforementioned balance. Designing a programme for a conference is always a challenge and I seriously believe that the IBIA Convention and, specifically, the conference element is of the highest quality.

We will, of course, be running the IBIA training courses prior to the conference and we will also have a “golf challenge” (or tournament) after the conference. I should point out that, for those of you not afflicted with the terrible curse of being a golfer, there will be an alternative activity in the form of a harbour boat trip, if you so desire, which will culminate in a lunch with the participants in the golf challenge. All in all it promises to be an extremely packed but worthwhile week in the splendid location of Sentosa Island!

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Since the previous edition of World Bunkering we have had a number of developments at IMO. During the 86th meeting of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 86) the IMO approved the amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention which requires the provision of Material Safety Data Sheets with every delivery of fuel to a vessel. IBIA has played an active part in the discussions surrounding this issue, as has been well documented over the last couple of years. I do not intend to enter into detail here, not least of all because I will rapidly run out of space, but there is further information about the implications of the decision on the IBIA website www.ibia.net.

More recently there was the 59th meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 59). MEPC is the committee responsible for MARPOL Annex VI which, following the revision of the Annex, is set to have a great influence on the bunker industry over the next decade or so. MEPC 59 had a working group dedicated to the topic of Annex VI in an effort to ensure that the revision enters into force as smoothly as possible.

However, as is always the case at IMO, things move on. MEPC is the body tasked with confronting the challenge of climate change, in particular the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). During MEPC 59 a great deal of progress was made on the various energy efficiency indices, but the prickly issue of Market Based Instruments was deemed to require more work and will therefore be addressed at MEPC 60.

One item of concern for IBIA members at MEPC 59 is onboard blending. The MEPC was requested to approve an interim joint MSC/MEPC Circular banning onboard blending at sea. IBIA supported the proposal that the wording be changed from “at sea” to “during a sea voyage”. This subtle change will allow onboard blending whilst a vessel is either alongside or at anchor.

New member of staff

Finally, I am delighted to announce that we now have a new member of staff. Chanette Roughton joined the administration in June as the administrator. Chanette will, amongst other things, be responsible for maintaining the membership database, website and generally ensuring things run smoothly.

I am sure that you will all join me in saying welcome on board!

Ian Adams
Tel: +44(0) 23 8022 6555
Fax: +44(0) 23 8022 1777