The Australian Maritime Safety Authority will now take over jurisdiction of the laws, issuing directions under the Navigation Act 2012 that mandate a maximum fuel oil sulphur content of 0.1 per cent for cruise ships at berth in Sydney.
 
Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the new directions would help protect the environment and residents from potentially harmful emissions, as well as the local tourism industry.
 
In mid-2015 the NSW Government temporarily banned cruise ships from overnight stays at Harbour berths pending the introduction of an 0.1 per cent sulphur limit in October that year. The law followed a concerted campaign against ship-based pollution by community activists in suburbs surrounding Sydney’s cruise berths at White Bay and Circular Quay.
 
The NSW Environment Protection Authority fined Carnival Australia A$15,000 earlier this year after finding P&O Cruises’ PACIFIC JEWEL had breached the limits during a turnaround in February this year. Carnival appealed the finding, which it claimed was due to a technicality, and the penalty. The EPA said it had issued cautions to three other ships and their operators.
 
However, in July it emerged that Canberra had accidentally over-ruled the NSW regulation through the introduction to Federal Parliament of the Maritime Legislation Amendment Bill, closed a loophole in earlier national legislation that was intended to ensure Australia’s compliance with international obligations under MARPOL.
 
Carnival Australia and Royal Caribbean, the two major users of the White Bay Cruise Terminal have voluntarily complied with the NSW Government's 0.1 per cent limit.
 
© Shippax / Dale Crisp