Boat Show Season - Florida Yacht Brokers Association, Inc.

STEVEN H. HIBBE
Maritime Attorney
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OFFICE: (305) 375-0966 • FAX: (305) 375-0967•SH@YACHTCOUNSELOR.COM
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august/september 2012 | florida yacht brokers association | www.fyba.org
The New Year Will Bring
Changes to MARPOL Annex V
By: Will Nock, Safety and Technical Manager
International Registries, Inc. / The Marshall Islands Registry
Revisions to the International Convention for the Prevention
of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex V (Garbage)
will come into force on January 1, 2013. The revisions were
adopted through Resolution MEPC.201(62) during 62nd session
of The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of
the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which was held
in July 2011.
The most notable of these revisions is that the discharge of
all garbage into the sea will be prohibited, except as provided
otherwise in Regulations 4, 5, 6, and 7. This means that items
such as dunnage, lining, metal, bottles, and other items can no
longer be thrown overboard, regardless of the vessel’s distance
from shore; which may require some creative storage solutions
for smaller vessels.
In addition, 10.2 of Annex V will require that every vessel of 100
gross tons (GT) and above, and every vessel which is certified
to carry 15 or more persons, have a Garbage Management
Plan. This lowers the tonnage requirement from its current level
of 400 GT, which will have implications for a large number of
smaller vessels; such as offshore supply vessels (OSV), tugs,
and yachts.
The establishment of the Garbage Management Plan may be
challenging for the yachting community given that there may
be a learning curve for many owners, crews, and managers
whose yachts fell below the 400 GT requirement. Guidance on
how to properly create and implement a Garbage Management
Plan can be found in Resolution MEPC.220(63).
Other changes have also been made to Annex V, including
updates of definitions, the addition of regulations pertaining to
the discharge of animal carcasses, and an expansion of the
requirements for placards onboard. Comprehensive guidelines
for implementing the revised MARPOL Annex V can be found
in Resolution MEPC.219(63).
Although these revisions may be relatively minor when
compared to other pending regulations affecting the industry,
it is good to be aware and prepared in advance of the New
Year. Please visit the IMO’s website (www.imo.org) to obtain
additional information and guidance that can help in their
proper implementation aboard your yacht.