Global Cruise Lines ship fined NOK 700,000 for exceeding Norwegian sulphur limits

The cruise ship Magellan, which is owned by Greek company Global Cruise Lines, has been fined NOK 700,000 (US$79,600) by the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) for violating the legislation on fuel sulphur limits in Norway.

On April 16 of this year, the NMA received a notice of concern about smoke emissions from the Bahamas-registered Magellan, which was berthed in Flåm at the time. This was followed by an inspection on board when the ship arrived at Geiranger the next day.

NMA surveyors measured the sulphur content of the ship’s fuel to be 0.17 per cent whereas in the world heritage fjords, through which the ship had been sailing, the maximum allowed sulphur content is only 0.1 per cent.

Tracking of the Magellan’s AIS signal shows the vessel made port calls at Eidfjord and Flåm, which are both located within the North Sea emission control area (ECA), in the days preceding the port call at Geiranger. The ship came to Eidfjord from Tilbury in the UK, where it left port on April 13.

The NOK 700,000 fine is one of the highest ever imposed on a single violator by the NMA, the agency said in a statement.