MARPOL Annex IV
MARPOL, ANNEX IV. Regulations for the Prevention of the Pollution by Sewage from Ships
General and scope of application
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MARPOL Annex IV was adopted as part of the original MARPOL Convention, in 1973. Its entry into force was however delayed for 30 years as a large number of Governments did not become party to it, as they were expecting to meet difficulties in its implementation. The Annex was therefore revised in March 2000 (Resolution MEPC.88 (44)). Several of the provisions of the Annex were "softened" with the view to facilitating Governments to become parties to Annex IV. In addition, the provisions of the Harmonized System of Certification (HSC) were introduced in the Annex IV.
MARPOL Annex IV finally entered into force on 27 September 2003.
New ships under MARPOL Annex IV (See section Certification) are bound to comply with applicable provisions as from 27 September 2003.
Existing ships are bound to comply with applicable provisions by 27 September 2008.
It was initially decided that the Annex IV would enter into force under its revised form but legal difficulties prohibited such a proceeding (MEPC.49). Annex IV therefore entered into force in its original form. Governments were nevertheless urged by IMO to implement the Annex in its revised form.
The revised MARPOL Annex IV was formally adopted by the MEPC at its 51st session as Resolution MEPC.115(51) on 1 April 2004.
The revised MARPOL Annex IV entered into force on 1 August 2005.
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The revised Annex IV, now MARPOL Annex IV, applies to ships engaged in international voyages :
of 400 Gross Tonnage and above, and
of less than 400 Gross Tonnage, certified to carry more than 15 persons (crew + passengers).
Discharge of sewage from passenger ships within Baltic Sea Special Area
MEPC 62 adopted resolution MEPC.200(62) amending MARPOL by designating the Baltic Sea as a special area under Annex IV.
MEPC 69 adopted resolution MEPC.274(69) related to the amendments to regulations 1 and 11 of MARPOL Annex IV concerning discharge of sewage from passenger ships within Baltic Sea Special Area. Furthermore MEPC 69 adopted resolution MEPC.275(69) establishing the date on which the discharge requirements of regulation 11.3 of MARPOL Annex IV in respect of the Baltic Sea Special Area shall take effect.In accordance with the requirements set out in regulation 13.2 of MARPOL Annex IV (i.e. establishment of the take effect date), the discharge requirements for Special Areas in regulation 11.3 of MARPOL Annex IV for the Baltic Sea Special Area shall take effect on:.1 1 June 2019 for new passenger ships;.2 1 June 2021 for existing passenger ships other than those specified in paragraph 1.3 below; and.3 1 June 2023 for existing passenger ships en route directly to or from a port located outside the special area and to or from a port located east of longitude 28˚10' E within the special area that do not make any other port calls within the special area;For the application of regulation 11.3 a “new passenger ship” is a passenger ship (MEPC.274(69)):.1 for which the building contract is placed, or in the absence of a building contract, the keel of which is laid, or which is in similar stage of construction, on or after 1 June 2019; or.2 the delivery of which is on or after 1 June 2021.
Certification
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The existence of two MARPOL Annexes IV during the transitional period from 27 September 2003 (Entry into force of Annex IV) to 1 August 2005 (Entry into force of the revised Annex IV) gave rise to questions with regard to the concept of new and existing ships. At its 52nd session (October 2004), the MEPC decided that there is a single date of entry into force of MARPOL Annex IV, 27 September 2003 and that the revised Annex IV was an amendment to the existing Annex IV and, as such, entered into force on 1 August 2005 (MEPC 52/24.6.18).
Under such an interpretation :
a new ship is a ship which meets one of the following criteria :
Contracted for construction on/after 27 September 2003 or, in the absence of a construction contract, the keel is laid on/after 27 September 2003; or
The ship is delivered on/after 27 September 2006.
an existing ship is a ship other than a new ship and she need to be certified no later than 27 September 2008 (5 years after entry into force of the Annex).
In other words, all ships falling under the scope of the Annex (1.2) and flying the flag of a Government which is a party to MARPOL Annex IV shall be certified by 27 September 2008.
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For the application of regulation 11.3 of the Annex IV (see Discharge of sewage from passenger ships within Baltic Sea Special Area), as amended by the resolution MEPC.200(62) and further amended by the resolution MEPC. 274(69) (Entry into force on 1 September 2017) concerning the Baltic Sea Special Area:
A new passenger ship is a passenger ship:
for which the building contract is placed, or in the absence of a building contract, the keel of which is laid, or which is in similar stage of construction, on or after 1 June 2019; or
the delivery of which is two years or more after 1 January 2021.
An existing passenger ship is a passenger ship which is not a new passenger ship.
Sewage
Sewage means :
Drainage and other wastes from any forms of toilets and urinals,
Drainage from medical premises (dispensary, sick bay, etc.) via wash bassins, wash tubs and scuppers located in such premises,
Drainage from spaces containing living animals,
Other waste waters (such as Grey waters, Effluents from showers, baths, pantries, laundries, Galley waters and wastes) when mixed with the drainages defined above.
Equipment (Sewage System) carried on board ships and Standard Discharge Connection
Three types of sewage systems are currently recognized by the Annex IV.
Ships need to be equiped with one of those systems (Sewage treatment plant, Sewage comminuting and disinfecting system, Holding tank below).
Sewage treatment plant
It shall be of a type approved by the Administration, in compliance with the standards and test methods developed by the IMO:
The requirements of the 2012 Guidelines as per resolution MEPC.227(64) as amended by resolution MEPC.284.(70) (Entry into force on 1 September 2017), with the exception of the requirements in section 4.2, will apply to sewage treatment plants installed on or after 1 January 2016 on:
ships, other than passenger ships, in all areas; and
passenger ships outside MARPOL Annex IV special areas.
As per resolution MEPC.284(70) and IACS UI MPC88/rev.1, the phrase "installed on or after 1 January 2016" means:.1 installations on board ships the keels of which are laid or which are at a similar stage of construction on or after 1 January 2016; and.2 for other ships, installations with a contractual delivery date to the ship on or after 1 January 2016 or, in the absence of a contractual delivery date, the actual delivery of the equipment to the ship on or after 1 January 2016."
The requirements of the 2012 Guidelines as per resolution MEPC.227(64) as amended by resolution MEPC.284.(70) (Entry into force on 1 September 2017), including those in section 4.2, will apply to sewage treatment plants installed on:
new passenger ships (see 1.1.3), when operating in Baltic Sea Special Area and intending to discharge treated sewage effluent into the sea on or after 1 June 2019;
existing passenger ships, other than those specified in sub-paragraph below, when operating in Baltic Sea Special Area and intending to discharge treated sewage effluent into the sea on or after 1 June 2021; and
1 June 2023 for existing passenger ships en route directly to or from a port located outside Baltic Sea Special Area and to or from a port located east of longitude 28˚10' E within the special area that do not make any other port calls within the special area and intending to discharge treated sewage effluent into the sea.
Sewage treatment plants installed prior to 1 January 2016 and on or after 1 January 2010, on:
ships, other than passenger ships, in all areas; and
passenger ships outside MARPOL Annex IV special areas; and
intending to discharge treated sewage effluent into the sea, should comply with resolution MEPC.159(55).
Sewage treatment plants installed prior to 1 January 2010 on:
ships, other than passenger ships, in all areas; and
passenger ships outside MARPOL Annex IV special areas; and
intending to discharge treated sewage effluent into the sea, should comply with resolution MEPC.2(VI).
NB: The 2012 Guidelines as per resolution MEPC.227(64) amend the Revised guidelines on implementation of effluent standards and performance tests for sewage treatment plants, adopted by resolution MEPC.159(55), by including the standards of section 4.2 that only apply to passenger ships which operate in MARPOL Annex IV special areas (see Sewage treatment plant b) for application) and which intend to discharge treated sewage effluent into the sea.
Correspondence between MEPC.2(VI) and US 33 CFR 159 (NVIC9-82) as amended :
Sewage treatment plant approved under the requirements of MEPC.2(VI) are accepted as being in compliance with 33 CFR 159 (and vice-versa).
Sewage comminuting and disinfecting system
It shall be approved by the Administration (There are currently no international standards). As sewage treated by such a system cannot be discharged to sea when the ship is sailing less than 3 miles from the nearest land, the ship shall be fitted with facilities for temporary storage of the sewage.
Holding tank
Its capacity shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration. The tank shall be capable of holding all the sewage, taking into account the ship’s operation, the number of persons on board and other factors. The construction of the tank shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration. The tank is fitted with a means to indicate visually the amount of its content. In addition, the Administration must approve the rate of discharge (see Rate of discharge below).
Standard Discharge Connection
Governments which are parties to Annex IV shall provide facilities for reception of the sewage at ports and terminals.
A Standard Discharge Connection shall be fitted to both the ship’s discharge line and to the pipe of the shore reception facilities . The particulars of this connection are not the same as those of the well known connection required by MARPOL Reg. I/19.
Alternative discharge connections may be accepted on board ships engaged in a dedicated trade (such as Passenger ferries).
IACS UI MPC 86 states that all ships subject to Annex IV, irrespective of their size and of the presence of a sewage treatment plant or sewage holding tank, shall be provided with a pipeline and the relevant shore connection flange for discharging sewage to port sewage treatment facility.
Special case of lifestock carriers
Application of the Convention to livestock spaces. The regulations apply to all discharges of sewage from a vessel and therefore from the entry into force of the amendments on 27th September 2008 all vessels must have a moderate rate of discharge for any sewage (even "conventional" vessels for accommodation sewage unless utilising an approved treatment system) approved by the Administration as per Regulation 11.
Unless otherwise stated by the Flag, livestock spaces must have compliant systems to deal with sewage in those spaces which would entail a choice of one of three following systems, as per Regulations 9 and 10 :
An approved sewage treatment system (none believed to exist suitable for livestock sewage) plus a standard discharge connection, or
A comminuting / disinfecting system (again not sure if such a system exists for livestock sewage) plus holding tank(s) of an appropriate size to retain flows within 3 nautical miles of the nearest land plus a standard discharge connection, or
Holding tank(s) of an appropriate size to retain flows within 12 nautical miles of the nearest land plus standard discharge connection.
Where existing arrangements of the accommodation holding tank and/or the standard discharge connection are suitable, the livestock spaces can be connected to those existing arrangements providing the new arrangements are to Administration / Class rules and satisfaction. Were this is not possible / practical there should be two compliant systems (one for accommodation and one for livestock spaces) - each system being one of the three options above.
There is an amendment to Regulation 11 with effect from 1st December 2008 that allows an option to discharge sewage from the holding tank or direct from livestock spaces providing that any discharge is still in accordance with the approved moderate rate. This amendment to Regulation 11 does not in any way detract from any other Regulation in Annex IV including Regulations 9 and 10. It is therefore Recognised Organisation (RO) opinion that livestock spaces require one of the three above systems even if they are utilising the December 2008 amendments (whether doing so now with Administration approval or after the date of entry into force).
Certification Scheme
Installation - Approval of drawings
New builidings
Drawings of the sewage treatment plant are reviewed and approved by the LPO for compliance with the applicable provisions of Annex IV.
When a sewage treatment plant is fitted, it shall bear a type approval certificate.
Ships in service
The installation has not been modified
The surveyor shall ascertain that the installation is still according to the drawings available on board and that no modification occurred. When a sewage treatment plant fitted, it shall bear a type approval certificate.
The installation has been modified and/or new equipment is fitted
In case of modification of the sewage treatment plant, the relevant drawings shall be submitted to LPO for review and approval for compliance with the applicable provisions of Annex IV.
These drawings concern installation of the sewage system and the piping of drainage from toilets, urinals, medical premises, and on ships carrying livestock, drawings showing the drainage from spaces where living animals are carried. When new equipment is fitted which may affect the stability and/or the structure of the ship, the relevant drawings shall be submitted for review as well.
Sewage treatment plant shall bear a type approval certificate.
Survey Regime : Initial and renewal surveys
The Annex provides for initial and renewal surveys. There is neither annual nor intermediate surveys.
The initial survey is a complete survey of the structure, equipment, system, systems, arrangement and material falling under the scope of Annex IV so as to make sure that all these items comply with the applicable requirements and are in line with the approved drawings. Where applicable, certificates of approval are checked.
The renewal survey covers same items so as to make sure that compliance with the applicable requirements are maintained. The renewal survey is conducted at interval not exceeding 5 years.
International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate : 5 years validity, in line with classification certificate
As previously stated, Annex IV under its revised form falls under the harmonized certification scheme : Whatever is the ship’s flag, the International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate (ISPP) is issued with a validity of 5 years as applicable to class and other statutory certificates.
The ISPP Certificate is renewed and extended in accordance with the standard provisions of the harmonized certification scheme.
Where a ISPP Certificate is issued to an existing ship, its validity date is the same as the validity of the classification certificate whatever is the duration of the remaining classification term.
Number of persons to be entered onto the ISPP Certificate
The vessel is fitted only with a holding tank
Then, the number of persons to be recorded depends on the capacity of the holding tank and the duration of the journey between ports fitted with reception facilities. The waste generation quantity per litre, per person, per day is to be taken as per Recognised Organisation (RO) Rules Part E Ch. 9 Section 2.
Grey water are excluded from the calculation unless grey water piping leads to the holding tank.
The vessel is fitted with a sewage treatment plant
The number of persons to be recorded is the number of person for which the sewage treatment plant has been approved. This information is to be taken from the Type Approval certificate and/or from the manufacturer's manual.
It is to be noted that depending whether the black water system is a vacuum system or a conventional flushing system, the capacity of the installation will change.
The vessel is fitted with both holding tanks and sewage treatment plant
The addition of the number of persons accommodated by the treatment plant and by the holding tank, based on The vessel is fitted only with a holding tank and The vessel is fitted with a sewage treatment plant, may be recorded unless there is a specific instruction from the Flag Administration.
Rate of discharge
A moderate rate of discharge applies to the discharge of untreated sewage that has been stored in holding tanks.
The rate should be approved by/on behalf of the Administration based upon standards developed by the Organization.
Ships built on or after 27 September 2007 fitted with holding tanks :
The sewage installation have been approved by or on behalf of the Administration according to the requirement of MARPOL annex IV. This approval includes the rate of discharge of installation provided with a holding tank. As form 1st December 2008, it is recommended that the rate of discharge is calculated according to the MEPC 157(55). It is advisable that a record of calculation is kept on board.
Ships built before 27 September 2007 are bound to comply with the MARPOL Annex IV from 27 September 2008. For those ships fitted with holding tanks, owners shall perform the discharge rate calculation according to MSC.157(55) and provide it to the Administration for approval.
If Recognised Organisation (RO) is delegated by the Flag for MARPOL Annex IV purposes, the discharge rate calculation may be reviewed and stamped by the attending surveyor at the opportunity of the survey.
It is recommended that the calculation is worked out as a table covering the relevant combinations of draft and speed, as shown in Resolution MSC.157(55).
see the attached files : “MEPC.157(55) Rate of discharge.pdf “ and “MARPOL IV Example of table.doc “
Unmanned Non-Self-Propelled (UNSP) Barges – Exemption from Certain Survey and Certification Requirements under the MARPOL Convention
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IMO adopted amendments to MARPOL Annexes I and IV and amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, concerning the exemption of unmanned non-self-propelled (UNSP) barges from certain survey and certification requirements, by resolutions MEPC.330(76) and MEPC.328(76), respectively.These amendments to MARPOL Annex I, IV and VI will enter into force on 1 November 2022.Under MARPOL Annex IV (reg.1.16), UNSP Barge means a barge that:
is not propelled by mechanical means;
has neither persons nor living animals on board;
is not used for holding sewage during transport; and
has no arrangements that could produce sewage as defined in regulation 1.3 of Annex IV to the Convention;
The above definition include the prerequisites conditions to be confirmed for granting exemptions.
Procedure for granting exemptions and issuing Exemption certificates
Unless otherwise instructed by the flag and when duly delegated (refer to flag procedures), the provisions of the circular MEPC.1/Circ.892 (see attached file) applies, including the following steps:
The shipowner or operator should apply to the Administration, or the Recognized Organization (RO) acting on its behalf, for exemption(s) with relevant information on the exemption(s) conditions for UNSP barges and relevant drawings (General Arrangement Plan, Capacity Plan and any other plans or documents, as necessary).
The Administration, or the RO acting on its behalf, should review the General Arrangement Plan, Capacity Plan and other relevant information to confirm that the relevant conditions referred to in regulation 3.2 of MARPOL Annex IV are met.
After a satisfactory review of the submitted plans and information, a survey of the UNSP barge should be carried out to confirm if the actual arrangements on board comply with the exemption conditions, as appropriate.
Based on satisfactory results of the survey, certificates for exemption of a UNSP barge from certain survey and certification requirements under MARPOL Annexes IV, as per regulations 3.2 and 7.2 of MARPOL Annex IV and forms set out in appendices of MARPOL Annexes IV, should be issued by the Administration or, by the RO acting on its behalf.
ASMS
ASMS Items
Items relating to the initial/renewal survey (SEWS) are available (Code SEW, Group : Sewage). Should it be necessary, an occasional survey (SEWO) may be called.
ASMS 2 Certificate
Within ASMS2 certificate, the following forms are available :
International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate
(Full and short term)
This is the certificate as provided by the revised Annex IV. It is available in both the english and the french language and available in two formats, Full term and with limited validity (Interim / Short term).
Statement of Compliance
Where a ship is flying the flag of a State which is not a party to the Annex IV, a Document of Compliance may be issued.
International Sewage Pollution Prevention Exemption Certificate for Unmanned Non-self-propelled (UNSP) Barges. (Full and short term)
This is the certificate as provided by the revised Annex IV. It is available in two formats, Full term and with limited validity (Interim / Short term).
SURVEY
Refer to MSC Circular 648 dated 06/06/1994 for guidelines relevant to the operation, inspection and maintenance of ship sewage systems.
MSC.1/Circ.648 is displayed in the Recognised Organisation (RO) ‘OpenSpace’ database, through Projets / Rooms / Marine Library / Mar02 - IMO and Authorities / 01 IMO Documents / 03 - MSC Circulars.