Color Line faces record sulfur fine

Color Magic

MARCH 14, 2018 — Norwegian newspaper Sysla reports that Color Line has been hit with a record fine of NOK 600,000 (about $77,000) for five violations of sulfur emissions regulations involving its ferry Color Magic, which operates between Olso and Kiel.

The penalty has yet to be finalized by the Norwegian Maritime Directorate but, if approved by the Ministry of Climate and Environment, would be the largest imposed since the limit for sulfur content in fuel was reduced from 1 to 0.1 per cent on ships sailing within the Baltic Sea, large parts of the North Sea and the English Channel (the European SECA Area).

Color Line is contesting the penalty.

Back in October 2013, we reported that Color Magic was among three Color Line ships contracted to be retrofitted with exhaust gas scrubbers (see story).

The Sysla story cites Color Line’s Svein Sørensen as saying Color Magic had experienced problems with cooling water intakes and exhaust gas and that the company had committed considerable resources on fixing both