The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) has issued a Maritime Safety Advisory to inform that MEPC 69 declined the extension of MEPC.1/CIRC.810 meaning that cargo hold washwater from holds previously containing solid bulk cargoes classified as HME must only be discharged at port State reception facilities
In light of the difficulties bulk carriers face locating adequate port State reception facilities for harmful to the marine environment (HME) cargo residues and for hold washing water with HME substances, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), together with BIMCO, INTERCARGO, and others, advocated for the extension of International Maritime Organization (IMO) Circular MEPC.1/Circ.810, Adequate port reception facilities for cargoes declared as harmful to the marine environment under MARPOL Annex V.
IMO Circular MEPC.1/Circ.810 had allowed cargo hold washwater from holds previously containing solid bulk cargoes classified as HME to be discharged outside special areas, under certain conditions as described in the Circular until 31 December 2015. The International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code (IMSBC Code), revisions to which come into effect 01 January 2017 (in new subsection 4.2.2.2), will require cargo information to include whether or not the cargo is HME. Despite the gap in guidance, the 69th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the IMO, held from 18 to 22 April 2016, declined to extend IMO Circular MEPC.1/Circ.810.
Therefore, because MEPC 69 did not approve the proposal to extend the application of IMO Circular MEPC.1/Circ.810:
- Cargo hold washwater from holds previously containing solid bulk cargoes classified as HME must only be discharged at port State reception facilities; and
- Cargo hold washwater from holds previously containing solid bulk cargoes that were not classified are encouraged to discharge them at an adequate port State reception facility, however, until 01 January 2017, discharge is permitted 12 or more nautical miles from the nearest land and en route for ships outside of special areas.
Please click below to see the Maritime Safety Advisory
Source: RMI
