The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Sewage and Garbage from Ships) Regulations 2008

PART 3 Sewage: Equipment of Ships

Sewage systems

21.—(1) A ship to which this paragraph applies, other than an old ship, must be equipped with at least one of the following—

(a) a sewage treatment plant which complies with such requirements of the Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 1999(1) as apply to the plant,

(b) a sewage comminuting and disinfecting system which complies with the requirements set out in paragraph (3) in the case of a United Kingdom ship, or paragraph (4) in the case of a ship which is not a United Kingdom ship, or

(c) a holding tank which complies with the requirements set out in paragraph (5) in the case of a United Kingdom ship, or paragraph (6) in the case of a ship which is not a United Kingdom ship.

(2) The owner of an old ship must ensure that the ship is equipped, so far as is practicable, to discharge sewage in accordance with regulation 24 or 25.

(3) In the case of a United Kingdom ship, the requirements for a sewage comminuting and disinfecting system are that it is approved by the MCA as meeting the standards for such systems which are set out in Merchant Shipping Notice MSN No. 1807 and is fitted with appropriate facilities for the temporary storage of sewage when the ship is less than three nautical miles from the nearest land; and “appropriate facilities” means facilities which meet the standards for such facilities which are set out in that Merchant Shipping Notice.

(4) In the case of a ship which is not a United Kingdom ship, the requirement for a sewage comminuting and disinfecting system is that it is approved by the Government of the ship’s flag State.

(5) In the case of a United Kingdom ship, the requirements for a holding tank are that—

(a) the construction of the holding tank meets the standard for holding tanks which is set out in Merchant Shipping Notice MSN No. 1807,

(b) the capacity of the holding tank is sufficient, having regard to the operation of the ship, the number of persons the ship is certified to carry and any other relevant factors, and

(c) the holding tank is capable of indicating visually the amount of its contents.

(6) In the case of a ship which is not a United Kingdom ship, the requirements for a holding tank are that—

(a) the construction of the holding tank is approved by the Government of the ship’s flag State,

(b) the capacity of the holding tank is sufficient, having regard to the operation of the ship, the number of persons the ship is certified to carry and any other relevant factors, and

(c) the holding tank is capable of indicating visually the amount of its contents.

Discharge connections

22.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the sewage discharge pipeline of a ship to which this regulation applies must be fitted with a standard discharge connection in accordance with Schedule 1 to Merchant Shipping Notice MSN No. 1807 to enable that pipeline to be connected to a pipe of a facility for the reception of sewage.

(2) In the case of a ship in dedicated trades, the sewage discharge pipeline may alternatively be fitted with a quick-connection coupling or other discharge connection, if the MCA is satisfied that that discharge connection is at least as effective as the standard discharge connection.

(1)

S.I. 1999/1957, amended by S.I. 2001/1638, 2004/302 and 2004/1266.