《防污公约》允许在距最近陆地不少于12海里处航行的船舶将未经处理的食物垃圾排放入海。听起来很简单？可惜事实并非如此——沿海各国对“最近陆地边界”的定义各不相同。
根据Gard保陪协议通代华泰提供的信息，驶往中国的船舶经常因为不遵守中国水域的垃圾排放规定而受到处罚，大多数情况下是因为违法倾倒食物垃圾。在PNI[2022]08号通函中，华泰解释称，中国对于食物垃圾排放的要求通常不会比《防污公约》附则V的规定更严格。船舶受到处罚的主要原因仅仅是因为船舶的垃圾处置程序以及海图规定的禁止排放食物垃圾的中国海域的坐标不够明确。
详细信息请参阅附件。
MARPOL Compliance And Distances ‘From The Nearest Land’
MARPOL permits unprocessed food waste to be discharged into the sea from vessels proceeding at a distance not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land. Sounds straightforward? Unfortunately, it is not – all coastal states do not define their ‘nearest land boundary’ in the same way.
According to Gard’s Chinese correspondent Huatai Marine, vessels trading to China are regularly fined for non-compliance with garbage discharge provisions in Chinese waters, most often for illegal dumping of food wastes. In its circular PNI[2022]08, the correspondent explains that the Chinese requirements for discharges of food wastes are generally no stricter than those set forth in MARPOL Annex V. The main reason for being penalised is merely that vessels’ garbage procedures, and nautical charts, are not sufficiently clear on the coordinates of Chinese sea areas in which the discharge of food wastes is prohibited.
Please see attached file for details.
