Fuel Sampling on Board: What SSB 12/2026 Means for Canadian Vessels

Fuel Sampling on Board: What SSB 12/2026 Means for Canadian Vessels

Alain Auclair
1 min read
Transport Canada published Ship Safety Bulletin (SSB) No. 12/2026 on 10 August 2026. The bulletin sets out Transport Canada’s policy regarding the installation or designation of fuel sampling points on board Canadian ships, in direct relation to the sulphur content requirements of MARPOL Annex VI. It is particularly relevant to shipowners, operators, technical managers and maritime surveyors responsible for compliance with the rules on fuel sulphur content.

What is changing?

Transport Canada encourages affected Canadian ships to install or designate sampling points on their fuel distribution system. The aim is clear: to enable the collection of a representative sample of the fuel actually used on board to ensure compliance with the sulphur content requirements of MARPOL Annex VI.

Designated sampling points must comply with the location and configuration criteria set out in section 2 of Circular MEPC.1/Circ.864/Rev.1, the 2019 IMO Guidelines on On-Board Sampling for the Verification of Sulphur Content in Fuel Oils.

SSB 12/2026: https://tc.canada.ca/sites/default/files/2026-08/SSB-12-2026E.pdf

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