Port reception facilities

Last updated

Port reception facilities are a place that international shipping ports must provide to collect residues, oily mixtures, and garbage generated from an ocean-going vessel. [1] contaminants generated by ships cannot be discharged directly to the ocean. [2] According to MARPOL 73/78 they must be collected by the Port reception facilities all around the world. [1] The Port reception facility must be able to receive dirty oil and other contaminants, and also provide quick and efficient services. [1]

In March 2006, MEPC 54 emphasized the value of reception facilities that would exceed expectations in the implementation of MARPOL, and introduced a policy of "zero tolerance of illegal discharges from ships" that could only be enforced when there were adequate reception facilities in ports. Therefore, the Committee urged all Parties to MARPOL, particularly port States, to fulfill their treaty obligations to provide reception facilities for wastes generated during the normal operation of ships. [3]

In October 2006, MEPC 55 approved an Action Plan to help the problems faced by port reception facilities. This was seen as a major challenge to overcome in order to achieve full compliance with MARPOL. The Plan was introduced by the Sub-Committee on Flag State Implementation (FSI) in order to better implement MARPOL and to increase environmental consciousness among shipping. [3]

A new plan to manage the waste must be found and ships must be encouraged to use the port reception facilities rather than to discharge waste anywhere in the ocean. [4] As a response, the European Community adopted the Directive 2000/59/EC on port reception facilities with the goal of eliminating discharges of ship-generated residues into the ocean. [4] The Directive is especially aimed at increasing the prevalence and use of port reception facilities, thereby securing a cleaner and more sustainable marine environment. These ideologies were previously addressed by the MARPOL 73/78 Convention in 1973, however Member States are still encountering difficulties in fully implementing the requirements. [4]

The Port Reception Facility Database (PRFD) went online 1 March 2006, as a module of the IMO Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS). The database logs data on reception facilities detailing each category of ship-generated waste. [5]

The Annexes of MARPOL contain detailed regulations with respect to the six main groups of harmful materials: Petroleum in any form (Annex I); Noxious Liquid Substances (NLS) carried in bulk (Annex II); Harmful substances carried in packaged form (Annex III); Sewage (Annex IV); Garbage (Annex V); and Air emissions (Annex VI). [6]

MARPOL states that contaminants cannot be discharged into the ocean in line with the requirements stated in its annexes should be dropped of at port reception facilities. It also says that port States need to ensure that there are enough port reception facilities throughout the area to help with convenience. [6]

In 2009, IMO created Guide to the Good Practice for Port Reception Facilities Providers and Users. MEPC.1/Circ.671. This document describes the steps that need to be taken in order to effectively dispose of waste by ships at port reception facilities. [7]

Next in 2012, IMO released the MARPOL Requirements for Port Reception Facilities. This lists the requirements for port reception facilities to ensure that waste can be discharged without undue delay. It also discusses long standing lack of PRFs and under reporting. [7]

Another important step was when IMO published their Standard Format for the Advanced Notification Form for Waste Delivery to Port Reception Facilities. This document details the standard format for notification by the ship to a port facility for acceptance of shipboard waste. This form should be submitted 24 hours prior to arrival. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Maritime Organization</span> Specialised agency of the United Nations

The International Maritime Organization is a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping. The IMO was established following agreement at a UN conference held in Geneva in 1948 and the IMO came into existence ten years later, meeting for the first time in 1959. Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, IMO currently has 175 Member States and three Associate Members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MARPOL 73/78</span> International marine environmental convention

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978 is one of the most important international marine environmental conventions. It was developed by the International Maritime Organization with an objective to minimize pollution of the oceans and seas, including dumping, oil and air pollution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chemical tanker</span>

A chemical tanker is a type of tanker ship designed to transport chemicals in bulk. As defined in MARPOL Annex II, chemical tanker means a ship constructed or adapted for carrying in bulk any liquid product listed in chapter 17 of the International Bulk Chemical Code. As well as industrial chemicals and clean petroleum products, such ships also often carry other types of sensitive cargo which require a high standard of tank cleaning, such as palm oil, vegetable oils, tallow, caustic soda, and methanol.

An oily water separator (OWS) (marine) is a piece of equipment specific to the shipping or marine industry. It is used to separate oil and water mixtures into their separate components. This page refers exclusively to oily water separators aboard marine vessels. They are found on board ships where they are used to separate oil from oily waste water such as bilge water before the waste water is discharged into the environment. These discharges of waste water must comply with the requirements laid out in Marpol 73/78.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cruise ship pollution in the United States</span> Pollution of cruise ships in the United States

Cruise ships carrying several thousand passengers and crew have been compared to “floating cities,” and the volume of wastes that they produce is comparably large, consisting of sewage; wastewater from sinks, showers, and galleys (graywater); hazardous wastes; solid waste; oily bilge water; ballast water; and air pollution. The waste streams generated by cruise ships are governed by a number of international protocols and U.S. domestic laws, regulations, and standards, but there is no single law or rule. Some cruise ship waste streams appear to be well regulated, such as solid wastes and bilge water. But there is overlap of some areas, and there are gaps in others.

Regulation of ship pollution in the United States

In the United States, several federal agencies and laws have some jurisdiction over pollution from ships in U.S. waters. States and local government agencies also have responsibilities for ship-related pollution in some situations.

Marine Diesel Oil (MDO) is a type of fuel oil and is a blend of gasoil and heavy fuel oil, with more gasoil than intermediate fuel oil used in the maritime field. Marine Diesel Oil is also called "Distillate Marine Diesel". MDO is widely used by medium speed and medium/high speed marine diesel engines. It is also used in the larger low speed and medium speed propulsion engine which normally burn residual fuel. Those fuels result from a catalytic cracking and visbreaking refinery. Marine diesel oil has been condemned for its nimiety of sulfur, so many countries and organizations established regulations and laws on MDO use. Due to its lower price compared to more refined fuel, MDO is favored particularly by shipping industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental effects of shipping</span> Ocean pollution

The environmental effects of shipping include air pollution, water pollution, acoustic, and oil pollution. Ships are responsible for more than 18 percent of some air pollutants.

Magic pipe Trick in a ships waste-handling equipment to circumvent pollution regulations

A magic pipe is a surreptitious change to a ship's oily water separator (OWS), or other waste-handing equipment, which allows waste liquids to be discharged in contravention of maritime pollution regulations. Such equipment alterations may allow hundreds of thousands of gallons of contaminated water to be discharged untreated, causing extensive pollution of marine waters.

All cargo vessels where MARPOL Convention is applicable must have an oil record book in which the officer responsible will record all oil or sludge transfers and discharges within the vessel. This is necessary for authorities to be able to monitor if a vessel's crew has properly disposed of their oil discharges at sea.

Emission control areas (ECAs), or sulfur emission control areas (SECAs), are sea areas in which stricter controls were established to minimize airborne emissions from ships as defined by Annex VI of the 1997 MARPOL Protocol.

A marine sanitation device (MSD) is a piece of machinery or a mechanical system that is dedicated to treat, process, and/or store raw, untreated sewage that can accumulate onboard water vessels. It does not refer to portable devices such as portable toilets.

An oil water separator (OWS) is a piece of equipment used to separate oil and water mixtures into their separate components. There are many different types of oil-water separator. Each has different oil separation capability and are used in different industries. Oil water separators are designed and selected after consideration of oil separation performance parameters and life cycle cost considerations. "Oil" can be taken to mean mineral, vegetable and animal oils, and the many different hydrocarbons.

Marpol Annex I is the first implementation made by Marpol 73/78, one of the most important international marine environmental conventions. The convention was designed to minimize pollution of the seas from ships. The objective of the convention is to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances. The Marpol Annex I began to be enforced on October 2, 1983, and it details the prevention of pollution by oil and oily water.

An oil content meter (OCM) is an integral part of all oily water separator (OWS) systems. Oil content meters are also sometimes referred to as oil content monitors, bilge alarms, or bilge monitors.

Oil discharge monitoring equipment (ODME) is based on a measurement of oil content in the ballast and slop water, to measure conformance with regulations. The apparatus is equipped with a GPS, data recording functionality, an oil content meter and a flow meter. By use of data interpretation, a computing unit will be able to allow the discharge to continue or it will stop it using a valve outside the deck.

A variety of factors affect the water and coastline of Lebanon, including marine pollution and the environmental impact of shipping. The impacts include oil spills, noxious liquid substances spills, sewage spills, and the dumping of radioactive and medical waste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballast Water Management Convention</span>

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments is a 2004 international maritime treaty which requires signatory flag states to ensure that ships flagged by them comply with standards and procedures for the management and control of ships' ballast water and sediments. The Convention aims to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic organisms from one region to another and halt damage to the marine environment from ballast water discharge, by minimising the uptake and subsequent discharge of sediments and organisms. From 2024, all ships are required to have approved Ballast Water Management Treatment System, according to the D2 standard. Existing ships are required to install an approved system, which may cost up to 5 million USD per ship to install. To assist with implementation, the IMO has released 14 Guidance documents in regards to the Convention including the G2 Guidelines for Ballast Water Sampling, G4 Guidelines for Ballast Water management and G6 Guidelines for Ballast Water Exchange. As of 15 July 2021, 86 countries were contracting States to the BWM Convention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heavy fuel oil</span> Fuel oils of a tar-like consistency

Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) is a category of fuel oils of a tar-like consistency. Also known as bunker fuel, or residual fuel oil, HFO is the result or remnant from the distillation and cracking process of petroleum. For this reason, HFO is contaminated with several different compounds including aromatics, sulfur and nitrogen, making emissions upon combustion more polluting compared to other fuel oils. HFO is predominantly used as a fuel source for marine vessel propulsion due to its relatively low cost compared to cleaner fuel sources such as distillates. The use and carriage of HFO on-board vessels presents several environmental concerns, namely the risk of oil spill and the emission of toxic compounds and particulates including black carbon. Presently, the use of HFOs is banned as a fuel source for ships travelling in the Antarctic as part of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters. For similar reasons, an HFO ban in Arctic waters is currently being considered.

Initial IMO Strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from ships Framework on greenhouse gases and maritime shipping

The Initial IMO Strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from ships, or Initial IMO GHG Strategy, is the framework through which the International Maritime Organization (IMO) aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international maritime shipping. GHG emissions from shipping are about 3% of total GHG emissions, and under this strategy the IMO envisions their elimination within this century. However many companies and organizations say shipping should be decarbonized by 2050.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "What is Port Reception Facility?" . Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "Port Reception Facilities – Port Reception Facilities – EMSA – European Maritime Safety Agency". www.emsa.europa.eu. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 "IMO | Port Reception Facilities". www.imo.org. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "Port Reception Facilities – Port Reception Facilities – EMSA – European Maritime Safety Agency". www.emsa.europa.eu. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "CLIA 2012 Leadership Form" (PDF). Emerging Environmental Issues Port Reception Facilities. Norwegian Cruise Line. 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  6. 1 2 Mikelis, Nikos (22 May 2012). "MARPOL requirements for port reception facilities" (PDF). IMO. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 "Chronology & Search". MAX1 Studies. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.