PART II-A - Pollution Prevention Measures
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PART II-A - Pollution Prevention Measures

CHAPTER 1 – PREVENTION OF POLLUTION BY OIL

1.1 Operational requirements

1.1.1 In Arctic waters any discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixtures from any ship shall be prohibited.

1.1.2 The provisions of paragraph 1.1.1 shall not apply to the discharge of clean or segregated ballast.

1.1.3 Subject to the approval of the Administration, a category A ship constructed before 1 January 2017 that cannot comply with paragraph 1.1.1 for oil or oily mixtures from machinery spaces and is operating continuously in Arctic waters for more than 30 days shall comply with paragraph 1.1.1 not later than the first intermediate or renewal survey, whichever comes first, one year after 1 January 2017. Until such date these ships shall comply with the discharge requirements of MARPOL Annex I regulation 15.3.

1.1.4 Operation in polar waters shall be taken into account, as appropriate, in the Oil Record Books, manuals and the shipboard oil pollution emergency plan or the shipboard marine pollution emergency plan as required by MARPOL Annex I.

 1.2 Structural requirements

1.2.1 For category A and B ships constructed on or after 1 January 2017 with an aggregate oil fuel capacity of less than 600 m3, all oil fuel tanks shall be separated from the outer shell by a distance of not less than 0.76 m. This provision does not apply to small oil fuel tanks with a maximum individual capacity not greater than 30 m3.

1.2.2 For category A and B ships other than oil tankers constructed on or after 1 January 2017, all cargo tanks constructed and utilized to carry oil shall be separated from the outer shell by a distance of not less than 0.76 m.

1.2.3 For category A and B oil tankers of less than 5,000 tonnes deadweight constructed on or after 1 January 2017, the entire cargo tank length shall be protected with:
  • .1 double bottom tanks or spaces complying with the applicable requirements of regulation 19.6.1 of MARPOL Annex I; and
  • .2 wing tanks or spaces arranged in accordance with regulation 19.3.1 of MARPOL Annex I and complying with the applicable requirements for distance referred to in regulation 19.6.2 of MARPOL Annex I.

1.2.4 For category A and B ships constructed on or after 1 January 2017 all oil residue (sludge) tanks and oily bilge water holding tanks shall be separated from the outer shell by a distance of not less than 0.76 m. This provision does not apply to small tanks with a maximum individual capacity not greater than 30 m3.

CHAPTER 2 – CONTROL OF POLLUTION BY NOXIOUS LIQUID SUBSTANCES IN BULK

2.1Operational requirements

2.1.1 In Arctic waters any discharge into the sea of noxious liquid substances (NLS), or mixtures containing such substances, shall be prohibited.

2.1.2 Operation in polar waters shall be taken into account, as appropriate, in the Cargo Record Book, the Manual and the shipboard marine pollution emergency plan for noxious liquid substances or the shipboard marine pollution emergency plan as required by MARPOL Annex II.

2.1.3 For category A and B ships constructed on or after 1 January 2017, the carriage of NLS identified in chapter 17, column e, as ship type 3 or identified as NLS in chapter 18 of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk in cargo tanks of type 3 ships shall be subject to the approval of the Administration. The results shall be reflected on the International Pollution Prevention Certificate for the Carriage of Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk or Certificate of Fitness identifying the operation in polar waters.

CHAPTER 3 –PREVENTION OF POLLUTION BY HARMFUL SUBSTANCES CARRIED BY SEA IN PACKAGED FORM

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CHAPTER 4 –PREVENTION OF POLLUTION BY SEWAGE FROM SHIPS

4.1 Definitions

4.1.1 Constructed means a ship the keel of which is laid or which is at a similar stage of construction.

4.1.2 Ice-shelf means a floating ice sheet of considerable thickness showing 2 to 50 m or more above sea-level, attached to the coast.footnote

4.1.3 Fast ice means sea ice which forms and remains fast along the coast, where it is attached to the shore, to an ice wall, to an ice front, between shoals or grounded icebergsfootnote

4.2 Operational requirements

4.2.1 Discharges of sewage within polar waters are prohibited except when performed in accordance with MARPOL Annex IV and the following requirements:
  • .1 the ship is discharging comminuted and disinfected sewage in accordance with regulation 11.1.1 of MARPOL Annex IV at a distance of more than 3 nautical miles from any ice-shelf or fast ice and shall be as far as practicable from areas of ice concentration exceeding 1/10; or
  • .2 the ship is discharging sewage that is not comminuted or disinfected in accordance with regulation 11.1.1 of MARPOL Annex IV and at a distance of more than 12 nautical miles from any ice-shelf or fast ice and shall be as far as practicable from areas of ice concentration exceeding 1/10; or
  • .3 the ship has in operation an approved sewage treatment plantfootnote certified by the Administration to meet the operational requirements in either regulation 9.1.1 or 9.2.1 of MARPOL Annex IV, and discharges sewage in accordance with regulation 11.1.2 of Annex IV and shall be as far as practicable from the nearest land, any ice-shelf, fast ice or areas of ice concentration exceeding 1/10.

4.2.2 Discharge of sewage into the sea is prohibited from category A and B ships constructed on or after 1 January 2017 and all passenger ships constructed on or after 1 January 2017, except when such discharges are in compliance with paragraph 4.2.1.3 of this chapter.

4.2.3 Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph 4.2.1, category A and B ships that operate in areas of ice concentrations exceeding 1/10 for extended periods of time, may only discharge sewage using an approved sewage treatment plant certified by the Administration to meet the operational requirements in either regulation 9.1.1 or 9.2.1 of MARPOL Annex IV. Such discharges shall be subject to the approval by the Administration.

CHAPTER 5 – PREVENTION OF POLLUTION BY GARBAGE FROM SHIPS

5.1 Definitions

5.1.1 Ice-shelf means a floating ice sheet of considerable thickness showing 2 to 50 m or more above sea-level, attached to the coastfootnote

5.1.2 Fast ice means sea ice which forms and remains fast along the coast, where it is attached to the shore, to an ice wall, to an ice front, between shoals or grounded icebergsfootnote

 5.2 Operational requirements

5.2.1 In Arctic waters, discharge of garbage into the sea permitted in accordance with regulation 4 of MARPOL Annex V, shall meet the following additional requirements:
  • .1 discharge into the sea of food wastes is only permitted when the ship is as far as practicable from areas of ice concentration exceeding 1/10, but in any case not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land, nearest ice-shelf, or nearest fast ice;
  • .2 food wastes shall be comminuted or ground and shall be capable of passing through a screen with openings no greater than 25 mm. Food wastes shall not be contaminated by any other garbage type;
  • .3 food wastes shall not be discharged onto the ice;
  • .4 discharge of animal carcasses is prohibited; and
  • .5 discharge of cargo residues that cannot be recovered using commonly available methods for unloading shall only be permitted while the ship is en route and where all the following conditions are satisfied:
    • .1 cargo residues, cleaning agents or additives, contained in hold washing water do not include any substances classified as harmful to the marine environment, taking into account guidelines developed by the Organization;
    • .2 both the port of departure and the next port of destination are within Arctic waters and the ship will not transit outside Arctic waters between those ports;
    • .3 no adequate reception facilities are available at those ports taking into account guidelines developed by the Organization; and
    • .4 where the conditions of subparagraphs 5.2.1.5.1, 5.2.1.5.2 and 5.2.1.5.3 of this paragraph have been fulfilled, discharge of cargo hold washing water containing residues shall be made as far as practicable from areas of ice concentration exceeding 1/10, but in any case not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land, nearest ice shelf, or nearest fast ice
5.2.2 In the Antarctic area, discharge of garbage into the sea permitted in accordance with regulation 6 of MARPOL Annex V, shall meet the following additional requirements:
  • .1 discharges under regulation 6.1 of MARPOL Annex V shall be as far as practicable from areas of ice concentration exceeding 1/10, but in any case not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest fast ice; and
  • .2 food waste shall not be discharged onto ice.

5.2.3 Operation in polar waters shall be taken into account, as appropriate, in the Garbage Record Book, Garbage Management Plan and the placards as required by MARPOL Annex V.

Parent topic: Polar Code - International Code for Ships Operating In Polar Waters
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