Revised MARPOL Annex V

A revised MARPOL Annex V will enter into force on 1 January, 2013, and will introduce stricter controls on the disposal of garbage from ships at sea.

The main revisions to the Annex are as follows:

1.     New definitions have been introduced, including for animal carcasses, cooking oil, cargo residue and domestic waste.

2.     All ships of 100 gt and above or certified to carry more than 15 people are required to have on board a garbage management plan (note: there is no requirement for the plan to be approved).

3.     Ships 12 metres in length or more and fixed or floating platforms are to display placards notifying crew and passengers of the MARPOL Annex V requirements.

4.     Ships of 400 gt and above and all fixed or floating platforms are to have on board and maintain a garbage record book in the format specified in MARPOL Annex V.

5.     Discharges of any garbage from fixed or floating platforms and from any ship alongside or within 500 metres of a fixed or floating platform are prohibited. Food waste may be discharged from a fixed or floating platform provided it is more than 12 nm from land and the waste has been passed through a comminuter or grinder so that it can pass through a screen with openings no greater than 25 mm.

6.     The discharge of garbage into the sea is prohibited except under certain circumstances when a ship is en route, as follows:

Outside special areas

• Food waste may be discharged more than 3 nautical miles (nm) from land if passed through a comminuter or grinder, Such waste is to be capable of passing through a screen no greater than 25 mm or may be discharged more than 12 nm from land if not passed through a comminuter or grinder.
• Cargo residues that do not contain substances classified as harmful to the marine environment may be discharged more than 12 nm from land.
• Cleaning agents in cargo hold, deck and external surfaces’ wash water may be discharged to sea provided they are not harmful to the marine environment.
• Animal carcasses may be discharged as far from land as possible in accordance with IMO guidelines.

Inside special areas

• Food wastes may be discharged as far as practical from land but not less than 12 nm from land or the nearest ice shelf.
• Cargo residues may be discharged provided that:
• cleaning agents in cargo hold, deck and external surface wash water are not harmful to the marine environment
• both the port of departure and the next port of destination are within the special area and the ship will not transit outside the special area between those ports
• no adequate reception facilities are available at those ports
• discharge of cargo hold washing water containing residues is made as far as practicable from the nearest land or ice shelf and not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land or the nearest ice shelf.
• Cleaning agents in cargo hold, deck and external surface wash water may be discharged to sea provided they are not harmful to the marine environment.

Note: the IMO is developing guidelines for determining which cargo residues and cleaning agents are harmful to the marine environment.

Reference : Lloyd's Register Of Shipping