Committee adopted amendments to MARPOL

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) agreed at its recent session in London to circulate voluntary and interim measures to address greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, according to the Shipping Gazette.

It also adopted amendments to the MARPOL Convention to prevent pollution during ship-to-ship oil transfer operations, expected to come into force January 1, 2011.
The committee adopted amendments to MARPOL relating to the on-board management of oil residue (sludge); approved, with a view to future adoption, proposed draft amendments to MARPOL to prohibit carriage or use of heavy grade oil in the Antarctic area
It also agreed in principle to designate specific coastal waters of the US and Canada as emission control zones and agreed guidelines relating to the implementation of MARPOL Annex VI, the ship recycling Convention and the Ballast Water Management Convention, a statement said.

Following the adoption of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships in May 2009, the committee adopted guidelines for the development of the inventory of hazardous materials.

"Progress was also made in developing draft guidelines for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling. These are the first two guidelines intended to assist with the implementation of the convention and are crucial for the voluntary implementation of the convention prior to its entry into force," the statement said.

The MEPC also approved guidance to ensure safe handling and storage of chemicals used to treat ballast water and the development of safety procedures for risks to the ship and crew resulting from the treatment process. The committee confirmed that sufficient ballast water management systems would be available to ships constructed in 2010.
 
(Source:Transport Weekly)