AMSA Marine Notice 14/2013
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has issued a Marine Notice 14/2013 regarding adequate waste reception facilities. Ships should make waste reception arrangements at least 24 hours in advance of arrival and should also report instances when adequate waste reception facilities are not available.
The provision of adequate port waste reception facilities for ships’ waste is vital to preventing marine pollution. As a Party to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), Australia must ensure that reception facilities are available in ports and terminals adequate to the needs of ships using them for oily waste, residues of noxious liquid substances, sewage, garbage, exhaust gas cleaning residues and ozone depleting substances.
Arranging for waste reception
Information on arranging for waste reception may be accessed online at www.amsa.gov.au/environment/legislation-and-prevention/waste-reception-facilities/index.asp
Links to waste reception contact points for Australian ports can also be accessed on this webpage, or accessed directly through the Port Reception Facilities database within IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) http://gisis.imo.org/Public/
Ships’ crews and agents are encouraged to make waste reception arrangements where possible at least 24 hours in advance of the ship’s arrival in port, although specific requirements may vary. The IMO has developed a standard format for the advance notification of waste delivery to port reception facilities for the use of ships’ crews and agents. This form can be found in Circular MEPC.1/Circ.644/Rev.1–Standard format for the advance notification form for waste delivery to port reception facilities.
Following a ships’ use of port reception facilities, the ships’ crews and agents should encourage waste reception facilities service providers to use the IMO standard format for the waste delivery receipt as outlined in MEPC.1/Circ.645/Rev.1 –Standard format for the waste delivery receipt.
The use of the standard advance notification form and waste delivery receipt are not mandatory, however, the use of these forms can simplify documentation for ships visiting multiple ports. If these forms are not used, ships’ crews, agents and waste reception facilities service providers should endeavour to provide equivalent information in alternative documentation.
Reporting inadequacies
Where a ships’ Master or agent finds reception facilities in a port inadequate (for example the facility required is not available or is inconveniently located, has unreasonable charges and/or causes undue delay) the Master should communicate all relevant details using the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reporting format MEPC.1/Circ.469/Rev.2 – Revised consolidated format for reporting alleged inadequacies of port reception facilities.
The report should be forwarded to the vessels’ flag State and a copy sent to AMSA (as the port State authority) at the following address:
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General Manager |
Notification should be made as soon as possible. AMSA will investigate the report with the relevant port and provide information on the outcome of the investigation to the IMO and the flag State.
Guide to best practice
The IMO has developed aGuide to good practice for port reception facility providers and users MEPC.1/ Circ.671/Rev.1. This Guide is intended to be a practical users’ guide for ships’ crews who seek to deliver MARPOL residues/wastes ashore and for port reception facility providers who seek to provide timely and efficient port reception facilities for ships.
Ships’ crews, agents, port authorities and waste service providers are strongly encouraged to apply best practice as described within the Guide wherever possible.
Shipping companies are also urged to include the information in this Marine Notice in the procedures to be followed by ships’ Masters for shipboard operations as required under Section 7 of theInternational Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and Pollution Prevention (ISM Code).
Learn more by reading the AMSA Marine NoticeEnsuring adequate waste reception facilities in the AMSA website.
