Marpol Annex IV contains a set of regulations regarding the discharge of sewage

into the sea from ships, including regulations regarding the ships' equipment and

systems for the control of sewage discharge, the provision of port reception

facilities for sewage, and requirements for survey and certification.

It is generally considered that on the high seas, the oceans are capable of

assimilating and dealing with raw sewage through natural bacterial action.

Therefore, the regulations in Annex IV of MARPOL prohibit the discharge of

sewage into the sea within a specified distance from the nearest land, unless

otherwise provided.

Governments are required to ensure the provision of adequate reception facilities

at ports and terminals for the reception of sewage, without causing delay to ships.

The Annex entered into force on 27 September 2003. A revised Annex IV was

adopted on 1 April 2004 and entered into force on 1 August 2005.

The revised Annex applies to ships, engaged in international voyages, of 400 gross
tonnage and above or which are certified to carry more than 15 persons. The

Annex requires ships to be equipped with either an approved sewage treatment

plant or an approved sewage comminuting and disinfecting system or a sewage

holding tank.

The discharge of sewage into the sea is prohibited, except when the ship has in

operation an approved sewage treatment plant or when the ship is discharging

comminuted and disinfected sewage using an approved system at a distance of

more than three nautical miles from the nearest land. Sewage which is not

comminuted or disinfected may be discharged at a distance of more than 12

nautical miles from the nearest land when the ship is en route and proceeding at
not less than 4 knots, and the rate of discharge of untreated sewage shall be

approved by the Administration (see resolution MEPC.157(55))

The MEPC also adopted the Recommendation on standards for the rate of discharge

of untreated sewage from ships (resolution MEPC.157(55)).

Special Areas

In July 2011, MEPC 62 adopted, by resolution MEPC.200(62), the most recent

amendment to MARPOL Annex IV, which entered into force on 1 January 2013.

The amendment introduced, inter alia, a definition for Special Area as well as

relevant requirements for the discharge of sewage from passenger ships in Special

Areas and for port reception facilities.

The discharge of sewage from passenger ships within a Special Area is generally

be prohibited under the new regulations, except when the ship has in operation

an approved sewage treatment plant which has been certified by the

Administration (see resolution MEPC.227(64)). The sewage treatment plant

installed on a passenger ship intending to discharge sewage effluent in Special

Areas should additionally meet the nitrogen and phosphorus removal standard

when tested for its Certificate of Type Approval by the Administration

(resolution MEPC.227(64), section 4.2).

Currently, the Baltic Sea area is the only Special Area under Annex IV. In

accordance with resolution MEPC.275(69), the discharge requirements for

Special Areas in regulation 11.3 of MARPOL Annex IV for the Baltic Sea Special

Area shall take effect:

• on 1 June 2019, for new passenger ships[1];

 • on 1 June 2021, for existing passenger ships[1] other than those specified

in .3; and

• on 1 June 2023, for existing passenger ships 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.

§ 159.315 Sewage and graywater discharge record book.

(a) While operating in the applicable waters of Alaska each cruise vessel shall
maintain, in English, a legible Sewage and Graywater Discharge Record Book
with the vessel's name and official number listed on the front cover and at the
top of each page.
(b) Entries shall be made in the Sewage and Graywater Discharge Record Book
whenever any of the following is released into the applicable waters of Alaska:
(1) Treated or untreated sewage;
(2) Graywater; or
(3) Sewage and graywater mixture.
(c) Each entry in the Sewage and Graywater Discharge Record Book shall, at a
minimum, contain the following information:
(1) Name and location of each discharge port within the ship;
(2) Date the start of discharge occurred;
(3) Whether the effluent is treated or untreated sewage, graywater, or a sewage and
graywater mixture and type of treatment used;
(4) Time discharge port is opened;
(5) Vessel's latitude and longitude at the time the discharge port is opened;
(6) Volume discharged in cubic meters;
(7) Flow rate of discharge in liters per minute;
(8) Time discharge port is secured;
(9) Vessel's latitude and longitude at the time the discharge port is secured; and
(10) Vessel's minimum speed during discharge.
(d) In the event of an emergency, accidental or other exceptional discharge of sewage
or graywater, a statement shall be made in the Sewage and Graywater Discharge
Record Book of the circumstances and reasons for the discharge and an
immediate notification of the discharge shall be made to the COTP.
(e) Each entry of a discharge shall be recorded without delay and signed and dated by
the person or persons in charge of the discharge concerned and each completed
page shall be signed and dated by the master or other person having charge of
the ship.
(f) The Sewage and Graywater Discharge Record Book shall be kept in such a place as
to be readily available for inspection at all reasonable times and shall be kept on
board the ship.
(g) The master or other person having charge of a ship required to keep a Sewage and
Graywater Discharge Record Book shall be responsible for the maintenance of
such record.
(h) The Sewage and Graywater Discharge Record Book shall be maintained on board
for not less than three years.