HK:Prevention of Ship Garbage Pollution

 

The Hong Kong SAR Marine Department has advised that on 1 July the existing Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Garbage) Regulation (Cap 413J) was replaced by a new Regulation, namely, the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Garbage) Regulation (Cap 413O) giving effect to the latest requirements of the MARPOL Annex V -- Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships.

This new regulation applies to ships within Hong Kong waters and Hong Kong registered ships wherever they are. Details of Cap 413O can be found from the website - www.legislation.gov.hk/eng/home.htm.

According to the Marine Department Notice No.93 of 2015, amongst others, ships are required to comply with the following requirements under Cap 413O:

2.1 the discharge of any garbage from a ship within Hong Kong waters is prohibited except cargo hold, deck and external surfaces wash water which does not contain cleaning agents and additives harmful to the marine environment;

2.2 a ship of 12 metres or more in length overall must display a Garbage Discharge Placard (GDP) onboard to notify crew and passengers of the garbage discharge requirements.

2.3 A ship which is:

(i) of 100 gross tonnage or above, or

(ii) certified to carry 15 or more persons must have onboard a Garbage Management Plan (GMP). The GMP must provide written procedures for minimizing, collecting, storing, processing and disposing of garbage.

and

2.4 A ship which is:

(i) of 400 GT or above and is certified to carry less than 15 persons;

(ii) of 400 GT or above, certified to carry 15 or more persons and engaged in a voyage of more than one hour in duration;

must have onboard a Garbage Record Book (GRB) to record the handling of shipboard garbage. Each discharge of garbage into the sea or to a reception facility must be recorded in the GRB and signed by the person in charge of the discharge on the date of the discharge. Each completed page of the GRB shall be signed by the coxswain of a local vessel, or the master of other vessels. The GRB can be purchased from the Marine Department on the 3/F of Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong or order online from the Government Bookstore – www.isd.gov.hk/eng/bookorder.htm.

The details of the aforementioned IMO Resolutions can be found on the website of the Marine Department (www.mardep.gov.hk/en/notices/notices.html) as attachments to this Notice. Masters, coxswains, owners/operators of ships are required to observe and comply with the requirements of Cap 413O.

For information about operations in Hong Kong contact GAC Hong Kong at [email protected]