Existing ships must comply with Sewage Pollution regulations by September 27, 2008
Regulations for the prevention of pollution by sewage as per Annex IV of MARPOL 73/78 entered into force on 27 September 2003. A revised Annex was adopted on 1 April 2004, with an entry into force date of 1 August 2005.
Existing ships of 400 GT and above and ships below 400 GT that are certified to carry more than 15 persons will be required to comply with the provisions of the revised Annex IV five years after the date of entry into force of Annex IV, namely from 27 September 2008. The Annex requires ships to be equipped with either a sewage treatment plant or a sewage comminuting and disinfecting system or a sewage holding tank.
The discharge of sewage into the sea will be prohibited, except when the ship has in operation an approved sewage treatment plant or is discharging comminuted and disinfected sewage using an approved system at a distance of more than three nautical miles from the nearest land; or is discharging sewage which is not comminuted or disinfected at a distance of more than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land.
Annex IV also contains requirements for survey and issuance of International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificates (ISPP). IRS has been authorized by various flag administrations to issue International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificates (ISPP). Please contact one of our offices for further information or assistance in compliance.