The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships) Regulations 2020

PART 2 U.K. Discharge of Sewage

Prohibition on the discharge of sewage U.K.

7.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the discharge of sewage from a ship into the sea is prohibited, except—

(a) in the case of a ship on a voyage outside a special area, when the sewage is discharged in accordance with part A of regulation 11 of Annex IV (discharge of sewage from ships other than passenger ships in all areas and discharge of sewage from passenger ships outside special areas);

(b) in the case of a passenger ship operating in a special area from the relevant date onwards, when the sewage is discharged in accordance with part B of regulation 11 of Annex IV (discharge of sewage from passenger ships within a special area); and

(c) in the case of a United Kingdom ship operating in polar waters, when the sewage is discharged in accordance with chapter 4 of part II-A of the Polar Code (prevention of pollution by sewage from ships).

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply in the case of—

(a) a discharge of sewage which is necessary for the purpose of—

(i) securing the safety of a ship and those on board the ship; or

(ii) saving life at sea;

(b) a discharge of sewage—

(i) which results from damage to a ship or its equipment; and

(ii) where all reasonable precautions have been taken before and after the occurrence of the damage to prevent or minimise the discharge; or

(c) a discharge of sewage which took place in waters under the jurisdiction of a State other than the United Kingdom and was in accordance with such less stringent requirements as were imposed by that State.

(3) Subject to paragraph (2), where sewage is mixed with waste or waste water covered by an Annex to the Convention other than Annex IV, paragraph (1) applies in addition to any statutory prohibition or requirement which relates to that waste or waste water and which implements that other Annex.

(4) In this regulation—

(a) the following terms have the meaning given in regulation 1 of Annex IV (definitions)—

(i) “passenger ship”; and

(ii) “special area”; and

(b) “the relevant date” means the relevant date determined by the IMO for the special area in question pursuant to regulation 13.2 of Annex IV (reception facilities for passenger ships in special areas).

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 7 in force at 22.7.2020, see reg. 1(2)