Ireland. Marine Notice Port Reception Facilities for Ship Generated Waste and Cargo Residues

Source: Ireland Department of Transport
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For the attention of all Fishermen, Passenger Boat Operators and Skippers, Recreational Craft Owners Port Reception Facilities for Ship Generated Waste and Cargo Residues – Recreational Craft, Passenger Boats and Fishing Vessels
EU Directive 2000/59/EC of the European Parliament and Council of the 27th of November 2000 on Port Reception facilities for ship-generated waste and cargo residues was transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Port Reception Facilities for Ship-Generated Waste and Cargo Residues) Regulations 2003, (SI No. 117 of 2003), as amended, and as notified in Marine Notice No. 18 of 2003.

The Department wishes to remind owners and Masters of all fishing vessels, all passenger boats and all recreational craft that they must ensure compliance with the requirements of the directive and legislation.
It is an offence to discharge ship-generated waste overboard and cargo residues overboard as follows:
The disposal of all plastics, including synthetic ropes, synthetic fishing nets, plastic garbage bags and incinerator ash from plastic products is prohibited.
The disposal into the sea of food waste, paper products, rags, glass, metal, bottles, crockery or similar should be made as far as practicable from land and in any case is prohibited if the distance from the nearest land is less than 12 nautical miles.
When garbage is mixed then the requirements of the most stringent discharge requirement is applicable.
Ship generated waste means all waste including sewage and residues other than cargo residues, which are generated during the service of the ship and fall under the scope of MARPOL Annex I, IV and V and cargo associated waste. The full details of the requirements are set out in the IMO MARPOL Convention.
Such vessels as above are required to deliver all of their ship generated waste and cargo residues to port reception facilities before leaving a port.
The Marine Survey Office of the Department of Transport is the regulatory authority charged with the monitoring of these regulations. The MSO has implemented control procedures established to ensure compliance with the directive. These will include checking compliance during renewal or periodical surveys on fishing vessels and passenger boats. Such vessels including recreational craft may also be subject to unannounced inspections to ensure compliance.
The Department wishes to remind operators that ports including marinas are required under this directive to provide adequate port waste reception facilities. The Department approves the plans for such facilities and their implementation is monitored.