MARPOL

ANNEX IV
Prevention of Pollution
by Sewage from Ships
1
2
Wastewater generated on ships is if 2 types :
Type 1 : Grey Water which include galley discharge, cabin showers, wash basins,
Laundry drainage , air condensate etc.
Type 2: Black water (Sewage) means drainage from Toilet/Urinals, drainage from
medical premises via wash basins/washtubs/scuppers , drainage from spaces
containing living animals or other waste water mixed with above drainages.
Annexe 4 regulations is applicable to black water(Sewage) only.
The sewage waste a ship produces depends on the number of crew members
and the type of ship. A large cruise ship can produce about 170,000 gallons of
sewage daily. On average, 0.01 to 0.06 m3 of sewage is produced per person in a
day.
The discharge of raw sewage into the sea can create a health hazard as it
contains concentration of nitrates/phosphates and organic ma er. The major
drivers of marine eutrophication are nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) . Eutrophication
leads to hypoxia and anoxia, reduced water quality, alteration of food web structure,
habitat degradation, loss of biodiversity and noxious and harmful algal blooms .
In coastal areas, sewage can also lead to oxygen depletion in the water and is an
obvious visual pollution, which is a major problem for countries with large tourist
populations.
Annex IV of MARPOL contains a set of regulations regarding:
1. the discharge of sewage into the sea, 3
2 ship’s equipment and systems for the discharge
 MARPOL Annex IV
• In Force on 27 Sept 2003.
• Revised Annex IV adopted on 01 Apr 2004 and entered into force on
th

01 Aug 2005.
st

• MARPOL Annex IV, Chapter 1, Regulation 2 (Application). The provisions

st

of this Annex shall apply to the following ships engaged in international

voyages:
– new ships >= 400 gross tonnage;
– new ships <= 400 gross tonnage which are certi ed to carry
more than 15 persons;
– existing ships of >= 400 gross tonnage, ve years after the date of
entry into force of this Annex; and
– existing ships <= 400 gross tonnage which are certi ed to carry
more than 15 persons, ve years after the date of entry into force of
this Annex.
– The Administration shall ensure that existing ships, the keels of
which are laid or which are of a similar stage of construction before
2 October 1983 shall be equipped, as far as practicable, to
discharge sewage in accordance with the requirements of
regulation 11 of the Annex.
4
 EXCEPTIONS
MARPOL Annex IV, Chapter 1, Regulation 3 – Exceptions
Regulation 11 (Discharge of Sewage) of this Annex shall not apply to:
1. the discharge of sewage from a ship necessary for the purpose of
securing the safety of a ship and those on board or saving life at sea; or
2. the discharge of sewage resulting from damage to a ship or its
equipment if all reasonable precautions have been taken before and
after the occurrence of the damage, for the purpose of preventing or
minimizing the discharge.

5
 ANNEXE 4 REGULATION 9
MARPOL Annex IV, Regulation 9 - Sewage Systems
Every ship which is required to comply with the provisions of this Annex shall be
equipped with one of the following sewage systems:
1. A sewage treatment plant which shall be of a type approved by the Administration,
taking into account the standards and test methods developed by the Organization.
OR
2. An approved sewage comminuting and disinfecting system. Such a system shall be
ed with facilities for the temporary storage of sewage when the ship is less than 3
nautical miles from the nearest land,
AND
3. A holding tank of the capacity to the satisfaction of the Administration for the retention
of all sewage, having regard to:
a) the operation of the ship,
b) the number of persons on board
c) other relevant factors.
The holding tank shall have a means to indicate visually the amount of its contents.
• Those ships which are not ed with sewage treatment plant do have a holding tank as
a minimum requirement under MARPOL.
• With a period of time, the tank wil mostly have solid sludge which needs to be disposed
at the shore. This is done by using international discharge connection (for sewage,
sludge and bilge) from the ship-to-shore reception facility. A pipeline from the holding
tank is provided to the connection with an isolating valve.
6
REQUIREMENTS OF OVERBOARD DISCHARGE FROM STP :
Biological Oxygen demand (B.O.D.)
Aerobic bacteria use Oxygen in the process of breaking down the sewage. At the end of
the process the action of the bacteria reduces and so does the Oxygen demand.
The e ectiveness of a sewage treatment plant may be gauged by taking a one litre
sample and incubating it for 5 days at 20oC. The amount of Oxygen consumed in
mil igrams per litre or ppm is termed as the B.O.D.
Coliform count
It is possible that the e uent contains bacteria and viruses hazardous to health if it has
not been properly treated at the nal stage. An indication of this is a count of the Coliform
bacteria which are found in the intestines.
A coliform count in a 100ml sample incubated for 48hrs at 35oC. Another test at the same
temperature but over a 24 hour period produces a colony of bacteria
Suspended Solids
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) Total Suspended Solids (TSS) refers to the ma er that can
be ltered out with asbestos among the wastewater and that can be dried, and are
indicated as PPM
SEWAGE DISCHARGE CRITERIA

8
Annex IV, Regulation 11 - Discharge of sewage from ships other than passenger
ships in all areas & disc of sewage from passenger ships outside special areas
At high seas, oceans are capable of assimilating and dealing with raw sewage
through natural bacterial action. Hence Annex IV prohibits discharge of sewage into
the sea within a speci ed distance from nearest land .
July 2011, IMO adopted the most recent amendments to MARPOL Annex IV which
entered into force on 1 January 2013. The amendments introduce the Baltic Sea as
a special area under Annex IV and requires compulsory use of STP irrespective of
the distance from nearest land.
1. Discharge of sewage into the sea is prohibited, except when:
1) the ship is discharging comminuted and disinfected sewage using a system
approved by the Administration at a distance of more than 3 nautical miles
from the nearest land, or sewage which is not comminuted or disinfected at
a distance of more than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land, provided
that, in any case, the sewage that has been stored in holding tanks shall not
be discharged instantaneously but at a moderate rate when the ship is en
route and proceeding at not less than 4 knots .
2) the ship has in operation an approved sewage treatment plant which has
been certi ed by the Administration to meet the operational requirements of
this Annex.
a) the test results of the plant are laid down in the ship's International
Sewage Pollution Prevention Certi cate; and 9
b) dditi ll th t h ll t d i ibl ti lid
 ANNEX 4 REGULATION 11
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply to ships operating in the waters
under the jurisdiction of a State and visiting ships from other States while they
are in these waters and are discharging sewage in accordance with such less
stringent requirements as may be imposed by such State.
3. Discharge of sewage from passenger ships within special area shall be
prohibited except under the conditions that ship has in operation approved
sewage treatment plant certi ed by administration to meet operational
requirements referred to in Reg. 9.2.1 of this Annexe and e uent shall not
produce visible oating solids nor cause discolouration of surrounding water.
4. When the sewage is mixed with wastes or waste water covered by other
Annexes of MARPOL 73/78, the requirements of those Annexes shall be
complied with in addition to the requirements of this Annex.
• The rate of discharge from the ship is also limited to 1/200,000 (or one
200,000th part) of swept volume as follows:
• DRmax = 0.00926 V D B
• Where:
DRmax is maximum permissible discharge rate (m3/h)
V is ship’s average speed (knots) over the period
D is Draft (m)
B is Breadth (m)
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 ANNEXE
COMPLIANCE BY SHIP :
4 COMPLIANCE BY SHIPS
1. Using sewage holding tank for sewage retention at all times when vessel is in noncompliance
either because of defective or inappropriate equipment or on account of local regulations.
2. Sewage in sewage holding tank can be pumped overboard outside special area and beyond
12 nm from nearest land provided vessel is enroute and vessel speed more than 4 Kt and
ensuring that max. discharge rate do not exceed 0.00926 *V*B*D where V is ship speed, B
is vessel’s breadth and D is vessel’s draft.
3. Vessel can also discharge stored sewage in sewage holding tank to shore reception facility
using standardized sewage discharge connection provided.
4. Vessel can use Comminutor and disinfection system beyond 3nm and outside special area
OR vessel can use sewage treatment plant within 3nm and within special area.
5. Regular maintainance of STP is required to be carried out to ensure that it meets MEPC
criteria at all tims. Maintainance normally involves fortnightly backwashing, 6 monthly internal
cleaning, monthly automation check etc. Only biofriendly toilet cleaners to be used.
6. All sewage isolation valves to be properly identi ed and posters displayed.
7. Sewage ovbd. Valves to be padlocked if vessel is not allowed to discharge sewage due to
any reason.
8. Operating procedures to be displayed near STP and safeties to be tried out regularly.

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 ANNEXE 4 : SPECIAL AREA
• special Areas :
• The most recent amendment for MARPOL annexe IV was enforced in January 2013,
wherein, the Baltic sea area has been adopted as the rst special area for sewage
discharge regulation. This regulation targets passenger ships, which are the major
cause of sewage-related pollution at sea and in coastal water bodies.
• This regulation bans the discharge of untreated sewage at sea in the Baltic region. The
untreated “raw” sewage produced on the ship can either be treated in an STP before
discharge or the collected sewage can be transferred to the shore facility.
• The sewage treatment plant installed on a passenger ship, intending to discharge
sewage e uent in Special Areas, should additionally meet the nitrogen and
phosphorus removal standards when tested for its Certi cate of Type Approval by the
Administration.
• The discharge requirements for Special Areas in regulation 11.3 of MARPOL Annex IV
for the Baltic Sea Special Area shall take e ect:
• 1. On 1st June 2019, for new passenger ships i.e. Building contract placed on or after
1st June 2019 or delivered after 1st June 2021
• 2. On 1st June 2021, for existing passenger ships other than those speci ed in point 3
• 3. Two-year extension period for existing passenger ships i.e. from 1st June 2023,
which are en route directly to or from a port located outside the special area and to or
from a port located east of longitude 28˚10′ E within the special area that do not make
any other port calls within the special area (direct passages between St. Petersburg
area and the North Sea)
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 ANNEXE 4 : REGULATION 12,13
• REGULATION 12 :
• The government of each party to the convention, which requires ship
operating in waters under it’s jurisdiction and visiting ships while in it’s waters
to comply with the requirements of regulation 11.1, undertakes to ensure
provision of facilities at ports and terminals for reception of sewage without
causing delay to the ships adequate to meet needs of ships using them.
• REGULATION 13 :
• Each party the coastline of which borders special area undertakes to ensure
that facilities for reception of sewage to be provided in ports and terminals,
Facilities should be adequate to meet needs of passenger ships and facilities
can be operated without causing undue delay.

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 SEWAGE TREATMENT DEVICES
• Communating and Disinfecting System :
• It comprises of a grinder cum lter system which breaks down sewage into
smaller particles. Then the system separates the solids and liquid from ground
sewage.
• The solids will be stored and the liquid will be disinfected and discharged or
recirculated in some cases.
• This system should never be used within port limits.
• Within port limits, sewage overboard is required to be diverted to sewage holding
tank and overboard valve should be shut and sealed.

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Sewage Treatment Plant (STP)

Micro-organism will use waste ma ers as feed when it comes to the dissolved
oxygen, and the organic ma er that comprises at least 95% among the waste
ma ers is converted to water or carbon dioxide due to the generation of micro-
organism. This small micro-organism signi cantly decreases the amount of solid15
body content, and the sludge solid body’s discharge is required periodically, and
Operating Procedure :
(1) Waste water is own into the entrance that is located at the upper part of the
#1 aeration tank, and required oxygen is ampli ed the aeration device.
Aeration device, designed specially supplies the amount of oxygen needed for
the growth of the aerobic bacteria and for the powerful mixing of the
wastewater.
(2) Oxygen is supplied by the air blower at the upper part of the equipment. To
obtain satisfactory aerobic processing process, waste water that is processed
rst at the #1 aeration tank is own out to the #2 aeration tank through the
waste water transport pipe located at the rear of the waste water processing
device. Because oxygen exists in this processing process, it is possible to
avoid the generation of hazardous methane gas that may result during the non
-aerobic processing process.
(3) Suspended Solids’ precipitation takes place in the clari cation tank. This
clari cation
tank is designed to enable relatively high level of puri cation. Puri ed water is
own
out to the disinfection tank, and ozone is input to sterilize the wastewater that
is
discharged . In some designs, chlorine solution will be added proportional to
water in 16
sterilization chamber for disinfection
Operating procedure :
1. Start aeration blower for the STP.
2. Fill up the STP with FW or SW depending on the medium it’s designed for.
3. Open up Black water inlet, sterilization chamber outlet , dosing p/p in/out, and
discharge pump outlet valve and con rm prompt operation of STP.
4. Try out STP HL alarm by keeping discharge pump on manual. Then put on
AUTO.
5. Ensure power ON for germicidal lamp and put dosing pump and discharge
pump on Auto.
It takes about 10 days for bacteria generation. Hence to speed up the process
after cleaning the plant and after pu ing in operation, add special pouches
supplied onboard which contains bacteria. These pouches are required tobe put
in the toilet and upon ushing , they get dissolved in water and the bacteria get
inside the system.
Sludge discharge to be carried out monthly outside special area and outside
24nm by ushing STP and taking discharge pump suction directly from aeration
and clari cation compartment.
Sludge discharge operation is required to be recorded along with vessel position,
speed and ship draft.
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 ANNEXE 4 : REGULATION 10
1. To enable pipes of reception facilities to be connected with the ship's
discharge pipeline, both lines shall be ed with a standard discharge
connection in accordance with the following table :

2. For ships in dedicated trades, i.e. passenger ferries, alternatively the ship's
discharge pipeline may be ed with a discharge connection which can
be accepted by the Administration, such as quick-connection couplings.
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 COMMON ISSUES WITH SEWAGE SYSTEM
• Most Common Issues With Sewage System:
• The ship may be ed with a sewage holding tank or a sewage treatment plant to
comply with the MARPOL Annex IV norms. Following are the most common problems
faced by the ships’ crew while using the sewage system:
• Failing of the downstream equipment due to the accumulation of solids, human hair,
and other particles/items which are ushed in the toilet
• This debris may also increase the wastage of the internal surface of the pipes,
especial y at the bends, thus blocking the line
• Frequent chocking of screen lter due to improper operation at the source i.e. in-cabin
toilets by throwing papers, rags, plastics, tin etc. in the pot, which is non-
biodegradable in nature and a host for the solids to accumulate
• In the case of vacuum plant, loss of vacuum in the system is very common which may
happen due to the pipe or valve leakages
• The STP with a vacuum system is provided with ejectors to create a drop in pressure.
The ejector pump can become inactive as its nozzle may get blocked, thus hampering
the operation
• The sewage pipes, which carry the raw sewage to the holding tank or to the STP are
liable to corrosion and wastage. This may lead to ge ing stuck, a ecting the whole
operation of the sewage system
• The biological plant or aerobic digestion based system operates due to the presence
of bacteria, which helps in decomposing the raw sewage. If proper care is not taken,
for e.g the blower is not providing air or chemical or an unapproved cleaning agent is
used in the cabin toilet, it may lead to the kil ing of the bacteria
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 COMMON ISSUES WITH SEWAGE SYSTEM
• The discharge pump is ed with level sensors, which autostart or stops the
pump at the appropriate level. The mechanical level controller tends to face
issues as solids and debris will collect over the oat, making it inoperational and
not allowing the pump to start or stop
• If the chamber is not properly maintained, it may generate a foul smell (similar to
ro en eggs), indicating the tank is turning anaerobic
• Before discharging the “treated” e uent from the sewage treatment plant, it is
disinfected in the chlorinating chamber. Usually, it is either done by a dosing
pump connected to the chlorine tank or manually dosing by using chlorine
tablets. This can be overlooked sometimes, leading to a decrease in the chlorine
content of the e uent. Typical chlorine levels at discharge is less than 1 ppm.
• One of the biggest reasons for the problem in the sewage treatment plant is “an
untrained crew”. It may happen that some of the crew members had experienced
only of holding tanks from there previous ships and the current ship has a
biological STP.
• The master should ensure all the ship sta is trained on do’s and don’t of using
the toilet (for e.g., not pu ing any non-biodegradable things, not cleaning the
toilets with unapproved chemicals or washing powders etc.)
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 ANNEXE 4 : PSC OBSERVATIONS
• What PSC inspects in sewage system?
• Whenever a ship arrives in a port, an inspector representing the port state
may inspect the ship for any de ciency. The most targeted area by any PSC
authority is the ship’s pollution prevention system, which also includes the
sewage system.
• The PSC surveyor may check the following things:
• 1. STP is operated correctly by the ship’s crew
• 2. All the crew members know the international and local regulations
• 3. The sewage discharge valve bypassing STP is shut and sealed/locked in
the port
• 4. The internal chamber of STP is clean (no sign of metal wastage)
• 5. The safety management system onboard includes the steps for regular
checks and maintenance of the sewage plant
• 6. The chlorine content in the e uent can be checked
• 7. Log of opening and closing of the discharge valve and Log of discharge
of
• untreated sewage
• 8. The validity of the International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certi cate
21
MARPOL Annex IV, Regulation 4 – Surveys
1. Every ship which, in accordance with regulation 2, is required to comply
with the provisions of this Annex shall be subject to the surveys
speci ed below:
1. An initial survey before the ship is put in service or before the
Certi cate is issued for the rst time, which shall include a
complete survey of its structure, equipment, systems, ings,
arrangements and material to ensure that they fully comply with
the applicable requirements of this Annex.
2. A renewal survey at intervals speci ed by the Administration, not
exceeding ve years.
3. An additional survey, either general or partial, according to the
circumstances, shall be made after a repair resulting from
investigations, or whenever any important repairs or renewals are
made. 22
MARPOL Annex IV, Regulation 4 - Surveys
5. When a nominated surveyor or recognized organization determines that
the ship is not t to proceed to sea*, such surveyor or organization shall
immediately ensure that:
a) corrective action is taken and shall in due course notify the
Administration.
b) If such corrective action is not taken, the Certi cate should be
withdrawn and the Administration shall be noti ed immediately and
c) if the ship is in a port of another Party, that Port State Control shall
also be noti ed immediately. When noti ed, the appropriate
authorities concerned shall give such o cer, surveyor or
organization any necessary assistance to carry out their obligations.
d) Where applicable, Port State Control will ensure that the ship shall
not sail until it can proceed to sea or leave the port for the purpose
of proceeding to the nearest appropriate repair yard available*.
* (without presenting an unreasonable threat of harm to the marine
environment)
23
MARPOL Annex IV, Regulation 4 – Surveys
6. In every case, the Administration concerned shall fully guarantee the
completeness and e ciency of the survey and shall undertake to
ensure the necessary arrangements to satisfy this obligation.
7. The condition of the ship and its equipment shall be maintained to
conform with the provisions of the present Convention to ensure that
the ship in all respects will remain t to proceed to sea without
presenting an unreasonable threat of harm to the marine environment.
8. After any survey of the ship has been completed, no change shall be
made in the structure, equipment, systems, ings, arrangements or
materials covered by the survey, without the sanction of the
Administration, except the direct replacement of such equipment and
ings.
9. Whenever an accident occurs to a ship or a defect is discovered which
substantially a ects the integrity of the ship or the e ciency or
completeness of its equipment covered by this Annex, the master or
owner of the ship shall report at the earliest opportunity to the
Administration, the recognized organization or the nominated surveyor
responsible for issuing the relevant Certi cate.
24
MARPOL Annex IV, Chapter 2, Regulation 5 - Issue or endorsement of
Certi cate
1. An International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certi cate shall
be issued, after an initial or renewal survey, to any ship which
is engaged in voyages to ports or o shore terminals under the
jurisdiction of other Parties to the Convention. In the case of
existing ships this requirement shall apply max. ve years after
1 August 2005 (entry into force). Certi cate is valid for 5
years.
2. Such Certi cate shall be issued or endorsed either by the
Administration or by any persons or organization duly
authorized by it.
In every case, the Administration assumes full responsibility for
the Certi cate. 25
 ANNEXE 4 : SHORTCOMINGS
• Shortcomings in MARPOL Annex IV Sewage Regulation
• – MARPOL Annex IV does not address those vessels carrying fewer
persons, which can be ships and ferries plying in domestic waters. However,
there are several smaller vessels around which are discharging wastewaters
that are not subject to these legal regulations
• – Tourism/recreational vessels such as yachts and small boats are also not
covered under the MARPOL regulation. In fact, such vessels contribute to a
good percentage of marine pollution, especially in countries with a high
number of tourists

26
 ANNEXE 4 : EXERCISE
• . Comminuted food waste can be disposed at what minimum distance from
nearest land outside Special Area : a)5nm b)3nm c)6nm d) 12 nm
• . Every ship which is required to comply with the provisions of Annex IV shall be subject to the
following surveys: a)Initial survey and renewal survey b) Initial survey, Annual survey and
Renewal survey c) Initial survey, Annual survey, Intermediate survey and Reneval survey d)
Initial, Renewal survey and additional survey either general or partial
• An ______ISPP__________ certi cate is issued, after survey in accordance with
the provisions of regulation in MARPOL Annex IV
• Which one is the correct example of 'Sewage' as per annex 4 A) Waste
waters from urinals or toilets B) Drainage from spaces containing live animals
C) Drainage from wash tubs in dispensary D) All are correct
• MARPOL Annexe IV deals with SEWAGE pollution from ships.

27
 ANNEXE 4 : EXERCISE
• De ne Sewage.
• Sewage Means : a) Drainage and other wastes from any form of toilets, urinals b)
Drainage from medical premises (dispensary, sick bay, etc.) via wash basins,
wash tubs and scuppers located in such premises & , drainage from spaces
containing living animals or other waste water mixed with above drainages.

28
 ANNEXE 4 : EXERCISE
• Describe the provisions regarding the discharge of sewage into the sea.
• IMO adopted the most recent amendments to MARPOL Annex IV which entered into
force
under on 1 January 2013. The amendments in troduce the Balt ic Sea as a speci a l area
nearestAnnexland. IV and requires compulsory use of STP irrespective of the distance from
• Discharge of sewage into the sea is prohibited, except when:
• the ship is discharging comminuted and disinfected sewage using a system approved
by the Admiwhi
ornauti
sewage nisctrati
h isonot
n atcommi
a distance
nuted of dimore
or sin than 3atnauti
fected a di cstance
al milesoffrom
morethethannearest
12 land,
been c al mi le s from
storedratein when the
holdinthe nearest
g tanks la nd, provi d ed that, in any case, the sewage that has
moderate ship shal
is enl not routebeanddischarged
proceediinnstantaneousl
g at not less ythan but 4atknots
a .
• the ship has in operation an approved sewage treatment plant which has been
• certi
The ed resul
test by thets Admi
of the niplstrati
a nt oare
n tolameet
id down theinoperati
the opnal's Internati
shi requirementso nal of this Annex.
Sewage Pol lu tio n
Preventi
sol o n Certi
idstonorbecause cate; and
discolprioorati addi t io
onvofal port. nally , the e uent shal l not produce
the surrounding [Link] addition, Local regulations vi sib le oati n g
need checked r arri
• Regulation 11 of this Annex shall not apply to in following EXCEPTIONS and discharge
of sewage is permi ed:
• for the purpose of securing the safety of a ship and those on board or saving life at sea;
or
• resulting from damage to a ship or its equipment if all reasonable precautions have
been
preventitaken
ng orbefore
minimand izingafter
the dithescharge.
occurrence of the damage, for the purpose of
29
 MAJOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
• Draw and label a Marine Sewage Treatment Plant and explain its working.

This is a biological STP where bacteria generation is accelerated by abundant

supply of [Link]-organism will use waste ma ers as feed and the organic
ma er that comprises at least 95% among the waste ma ers is converted to
water or carbon dioxide due to the generation of micro-organism. This small
micro-organism signi cantly decreases the amount of solid body content. The
out ow water do not have solid material but has bacteria and hence has to be
sterilized. Thus, ozone processing or chlorination is required to obtain out ow
water devoid of bacteria after puri cation.
 MAJOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
• Waste water is own into the entrance that is located at the upper part of the #1
aeration
device, tank, and
designed required
specially oxygen
supplies is ampli
the amounted the
of aeration
oxygen device.
needed Aeration
for the growth
of the aerobic bacteria and for the powerful mixing of the wastewater.
• Oxygen is supplied by the air blower at the upper part of the equipment. To
obtain
rst at satisfactory
the #1 aerobic
aeration tank processing
is own out process,
to the #2waste water
aeration tankthat is processed
through the
waste
device. water transport
Because oxygen pipe located
exists in at
this the rear
processing of the waste
process, water
it is processing
possible to avoid
the generation of
processing process. hazardous methane gas that may result during the non-aerobic
• (3) Suspended Solids’ precipitation takes place in the clari cation tank. This
clari cation
• tank is designed to enable relatively high level of puri cation. Puri ed water is
own
that is out to the
discharged disinfection
. In some tank,
designs,and ozone
chlorine is input
solution to sterilize
will be the
added wastewater
proportional to water in sterilization chamber, for disinfection .
• (4) Waste water is discharged to the outside of the vessel by discharge pump
and it operates automatically by level oat switch (cylinder type).
• When the content level of the sludge increases, the degree of the puri cation for
the
four wastewater
months, andto discharge
the resulting decreases.
small amountThis ofphenomenon
sludge requirednormally
to beoccurs after
discharged
with discharge pump beyond 12nm from nearest land outside special area.
 MAJOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
• What are the requirements for obtaining ISPP certi cate? (5M)
• Requirements for obtaining ISPP certi cates as below:
• A sewage treatment plant which shall be of a type approved by the Administration, taking
into account the standards and test methods developed by the Organization.
• OR
• An approved sewage comminuting and disinfecting system. Such a system shall be ed
with facilities for the temporary storage of sewage when the ship is less than 3 nautical
miles from the nearest land,
• AND
• A holding tank of the capacity to the satisfaction of the Administration for the retention of
all sewage, having regard to:
• the operation of the ship, the number of persons on board & other relevant factors.
• The holding tank shall have a means to indicate visually the amount of its contents.
• Those ships which are not ed with sewage treatment plant do have a holding tank as a
minimum requirement under MARPOL.
• With a period of time, the tank wil mostly have solid sludge which needs to be disposed at
the shore. This is done by using international discharge connection (for sewage, sludge
and bilge) from the ship-to-shore reception facility. A pipeline from the holding tank is
provided to the connection with an isolating valve.
 MAJOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
• Explain the regulations under Marpol Annexe 4 for sewage discharge and explain how ships can comply with
[Link] the most recent amendments to MARPOL Annex IV which entered into force on 1 January 2013. The
IMO
amendments introduce the Baltic Sea as a special area under Annex IV and requires compulsory use of STP irrespective
of the distance from nearest land.
Discharge of sewage into the sea is prohibited, except when:
the ship is discharging comminuted and disinfected sewage using a system approved by the Administration at a distance
of more than 3 nautical miles from the nearest land, or sewage which is not comminuted or disinfected at a distance of
more than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land, provided that, in any case, the sewage that has been stored in holding
tanks shall not be discharged instantaneously but at a moderate rate when the ship is en route and proceeding at not less
than 4 knots .
the ship has in operation an approved sewage treatment plant which has been certi ed by the Administration to meet the
operational requirements of this Annex.
The test results of the plant are laid down in the ship's International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certi cate; and
additionally, the e uent shall not produce visible oating solids nor cause discoloration of the surrounding [Link]
addition, Local regulations need to be checked prior arrival port.
Regulation 11 of this Annex shall not apply to in following EXCEPTIONS and discharge of sewage is permi ed:
for the purpose of securing the safety of a ship and those on board or saving life at sea; or
resulting from damage to a ship or its equipment if all reasonable precautions have been taken before and after the
occurrence of the damage, for the purpose of preventing or minimizing the discharge.
COMPLIANCE BY SHIP :
1. Using sewage holding tank for sewage retention at all times when vessel is in noncompliance either because of
defective or inappropriate equipment or on account of local regulations.
2. Sewage in sewage holding tank can be pumped overboard outside special area and beyond 12 nm from nearest land
provided vessel is enroute and vessel speed more than 4 Kt and ensuring that max. discharge rate do not exceed
0.00926 *V*B*D where V is ship speed, B is vessel’s breadth and D is vessel’s draft.
3. Vessel can also discharge stored sewage in sewage holding tank to shore reception facility using standardized
sewage discharge connection provided.
4. Vessel can use Comminutor and disinfection system beyond 3nm and outside special area OR vessel can use sewage
treatment plant within 3nm and within special area.
5. Regular maintainance of STP is required to be carried out to ensure that it meets MEPC criteria at all tims.
Maintainance normally involves fortnightly backwashing, 6 monthly internal cleaning, monthly automation check etc.