Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships
Entry into force: 27th September 2003.
A revision was adopted on 1st April 2004 and entered into force on 1st Aug 2005.
What it deals with
Contains a set of regulations to control the discharge of sewage into the sea from ships.
Defines the ships’ equipment and systems for the control of sewage discharge.
Makes the provision of port reception facilities for sewage mandatory.
Specifies requirements for survey and certification.
Applicability & Equipment
I. The Annex applies to ships, engaged in international voyages,of 400 gross tonnage and above or which are certified to carry more than 15 persons.
II. Requires ships to be equipped with either an approved sewage treatment plant or an approved sewage comminuting and disinfecting system or a sewage holding tank.
Sewage Discharge Criteria
For discharging sewage vessel must fulfill any of the following criteria:
I. The sewage has been treated in an approved sewage treatment plant before discharge.
II. Ship is more than 3 nautical miles from the nearest land,and the sewage has been comminuted and disinfected using an approved system.
III. The ship is en route and more than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land,and proceeding at speed not less than 4 knots Discharge to be carried out at a moderate rate complying discharge rate approved by the Administration
Special Area – Annex IV
Currently,the Baltic Sea area is the only Special Area under Annex IV. And applicable to passenger ships.
–the end.