A Five-Month Pollution Inspection Campaign Across Seven Chinese Ports

Four Provinces, Seven Port Areas, Five Months

On 5 June 2026, maritime authorities in Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, and Shandong launched a joint five-month campaign to strengthen ship pollution prevention and control across the Bohai Sea region. It covers major ports and surrounding waters including Tianjin, Tangshan (Jingtang and Caofeidian), Qinhuangdao, Huanghua, Jinzhou, Yingkou, and Longkou.

What Inspectors Will Actually Check

The campaign focuses on the handling and documentation of ship-generated pollutants — oily water, hazardous tank-washing water, sewage, and garbage disposal — alongside air pollution controls covering NOx and SOx compliance, volatile organic compounds, and fuel standards. Authorities will verify the validity of statutory certificates including the International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP), International Air Pollution Prevention (IAPP), and International Sewage Pollution Prevention (ISPP) certificates, and check the accuracy, authenticity, and completeness of the Oil Record Book, Ozone Depleting Substances Record Book, Garbage Record Book, and Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan.

What This Means for Any Vessel Calling These Ports

• Confirm IOPP, IAPP, and ISPP certificates are valid and on board well before entering Bohai Sea waters during the campaign period
• Review the Oil Record Book, ODS Record Book, and Garbage Record Book for accuracy and completeness — not just presence
• Brief all relevant crew on the campaign's specific focus areas before entry, as Japan P&I's guidance specifically recommends
• Treat this as a heightened-scrutiny period, not a routine port call — documentation gaps that might pass elsewhere are the explicit target here

Related Reading

• Fire Hazard Prevention CIC 2026 — another targeted inspection campaign worth knowing about