Swansea Dry Docks

• Annex I - Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil (entered into force 2 October 1983):Implements mandatory requirements for new and existing oil tankers to be fitted with double hulls.
• Annex II Regulations for the Control of  Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk  (entered into force 2 October 1983): Details the discharge criteria for some 250 substances. The discharge of their residues is allowed only to reception facilities until certain concentrations and conditions (which vary with the category of substances) are complied with.
• Annex III Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form (entered into force 1 July 1992): Contains general requirements for the issuing of detailed standards on packing, marking, labelling, documentation, stowage, quantity limitations, exceptions and notifications.
• Annex IV Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships (entered into force 27 September 2003): Contains requirements to control pollution of the sea by sewage.
• Annex V Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships (entered into force 31 December 1988): Deals with different types of general wastes and prohibits the discharge of all garbage into the sea, except as provided otherwise, under specific circumstances.
• Annex VI Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships (entered into force 19 May 2005):Sets limits on sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from ship exhausts and prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances; designated emission control areas set more stringent standards for SOx, NOx and particulate matter. In 2011, after extensive work and debate, IMO adopted ground breaking mandatory technical and operational energy efficiency measures which will significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from ships; these measures were included in Annex VI and are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2013.

The Regulations differentiate between waste from food which originated within the European Union and that which originated from outside. It stipulates that there shall be different methods and disposal routes for EU and non-EU food waste and that if the two waste streams are mixed, then the whole amount of waste shall be disposed of at the higher treatment level. DEFRA guidance states that any vessel which has been outside the EU during its voyage will be deemed to have International Catering Waste (ICW) on board regardless as to whether provisions were taken on within or outside of the EU. Catering waste is defined in the regulations as ‘All waste food, including used cooking oil originating in restaurants, catering facilities and kitchens including central kitchens and household kitchens’. All foodstuffs in stores, which are destined for human consumption on board a vessel are determined to be part of the catering facilities.

In summary, the new waste regulations implement the revised Waste Framework Directive and;

• require businesses to confirm that they have applied the waste management hierarchy when transferring waste and to include a declaration on their waste transfer note or consignment note;
• introduce a two-tier system for waste carrier and broker registration, which includes those who carry their own waste, and introduces a new concept of a waste dealer;
• make amendments to hazardous waste controls and definition; and
• exclude some categories of waste from waste controls, notably animal by-products whilst include a small number of radioactive waste materials.
• As of 28 September 2011, whenever waste is passed on to someone else, the waste producer is now required to declare on the waste transfer note, or consignment note for hazardous waste, that they have applied the waste management hierarchy.

The major requirements of the Regulations as amended are as follows:

• Ships must notify the harbour authority or terminal operator before entry into the port/terminal of the waste they will discharge, including information on types and quantities. Ships do not have to notify about sewage if they intend to discharge it at sea in accordance with MARPOL.
• Ships must deliver their waste to port reception facilities before leaving the port or terminal, unless it is sewage or they have sufficient dedicated storage capacity for the waste that has accumulated and is expected to accumulate during the voyage to the next port of call.
• Ships must pay a mandatory charge to significantly contribute to the cost of port reception facilities for ship generated waste, whether they use them or not.
• Recreational craft authorised to carry, or designed to carry no more than 12 passengers and fishing vessels must deliver their waste (other than sewage) to port reception facilities but are exempted from the requirement to notify before entry into port and the requirement to pay a mandatory charge.