ACO Marine Warns Of Wastewater Discharge Regulatory Confusion

Confusion surrounding the entry into force date of MEPC 227(64), the amended regulation governing ship wastewater discharge overboard requirements, could see some ship owners falling foul of the new rules warns ACO Marine.

The company believe that any further delay from the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in formally announcing a new date will create further confusion.

MEPC.227(64 ), which came into effect on the 1st January this year, now supersedes the previous regulation, MEPC.159(55).

According to a statutory update published in the December 2015 issue of Lloyd’s Register’ Class News:

“Entry into force of MARPOL Annex IV requirements prohibiting passenger vessels from discharging sewage within the Baltic Sea special area (and any future IMO designated Special Areas was intended to apply to new passenger ships from 1 January, 2016. However, a delay in arranging and/or confirming reception facilities in the nine Baltic Sea States means that the special area cannot take effect on this date. Therefore, the IMO’s MEPC has agreed in principle (i.e. without formally amending MARPOL Annex IV yet) to implement the requirements from 1 June, 2019 (and from 1 June, 2021, for existing ships). Ships other than passenger vessels must still comply with the Resolution MEPC.227(64) performance test and standard requirements (excluding the nitrogen and phosphorus removal standard) on or after 1 January, 2016, though this is subject to final confirmation at MEPC 69 [in April].”

The managing director of ACO Marine, a company that supplies MEPC.227(64) compliant wastewater treatment systems, indicated that the IMO has not made any formal announcement about the June 2019 and June 2021 dates, leaving the industry unaware of the changes.

Mr. Beavis commented: “A number of ship owners believe the deferred entry into force applies to MEPC.227(64) in its entirety, but this is not our understanding. The International Maritime Organization, at its MEPC 68 postponed only the entry-into-force date of the ‘Special Area’ sewage discharge requirements. The rest of the regulation still remains very much in force.”
“Currently the Baltic Sea is the only IMO designated Special Area, but other areas are applying for special area status and so there would potentially be a wider impact on passenger ship operations. Owners and yards really do need to start specifying plans now if they are to comply with the new rules in time,” Mr. Beavis added.