11. Environmental Protection and Ballast Operation 

Pollution prevention 

Preventative measures to protect the marine environment may include: 

• Prevention of spillage of cargo 

• Prevention of spillage of fuel and oil 

• Control of polluting emission of gas and smoke 

• Policies and practices to minimize the spread and carriage of marine pests 

• Effective management of waste pollution and recycling processes 

• Effective management of ballast operations

• Shipboard housekeeping

• Measures to prevent runoff during slipping operations 

• Pollution control instructions 

For prevention of oil pollution from ship, MARPOL Annex-V, Regulation-10 set out the garbage (waste) management system as follow; 

Garbage (waste) management system 

• Garbage management manual/plan

• Garbage management procedure 

• Placards 

• Garbage record book

This management manual/ plan provides a systematic approach to the enforcement and control of garbage in the marine environment. 

Shipboard management plan requires for crews to follow which provide written procedures for minimizing, collecting, storing, processing and disposing of ship- generated garbage, including the use of equipment on board, in accordance with Regulation.

1.1) Collection Receptacles 

Three kinds of Receptacles, namely 

• Barrels, 

• Bags, and 

• Boxes. 

Should be clearly marked and distinguished by color, graphics, shape, size or location for collections; (Receptacles on board can be in the form of Drums, Metal Bins, Cans, Container Bags, or Wheelie Bins.)

1. All of plastics garbage, must be retained onboard for discharge to port reception facilities;

2. Oily-rags and contaminated rags should be incinerated or be disposed of to port reception facilities; 

3. Foreign food wastes and associated garbage which may carry disease or pests should be kept separate from other garbage which does not contain.

Processing Equipment 

Ships may be equipped with 

• Incinerators (to incinerate paper products, saturated oil rags & other tenderly garbage),

• Compactors (to reduce the Volume of Garbage), 

• Comminutors (to comminute Food Wastes) or other devices for shipboard garbage processing. 

Use of such Processing Equipment 

• makes it possible to reduce shipboard space requirements for storing garbage, 

• make it easier to discharge garbage in ports, and 

• enhance assimilation of garbage discharged into the marine environment.

Short-Term Storage 

• Short-Term Storage Locations - In Bridge, Engine Room, Crew’s Cabin, and Mess Room.

• Garbage (which must be discharged into sea) should be kept in Short-Term Storage Locations or Disposed of Directly. 

• Short-Term Storage garbage can be discharged at sea when limitations permitted. 

Long-Term Storage 

• Long-Term Storage Locations - In Aft Part of Poop Deck. 

• Garbage (which must be returned to ports) should be kept in Long-Term Storage Locations according to Long-Term Storage Requirements.

• Long-Term Storage Garbage must be filled in Bins, Barrels, Bags & Other Receptacles with Tight and Solid Covers.

• Although discharge into the sea of limited types of garbage is permitted under Annex-V, discharge of garbage to Port Reception Facilities should be given primary consideration.

• When discharging garbage, the following points should be considered: Table-1: Summarizes the requirements for garbage permitted to be discharged into the sea. 

In general, the discharge shall take place when the ship is enroute and as far as practicable from the nearest land. 

There are two types of oil spill accidents on board a ship. 

One in which there is no danger of the oil going over board; and another wherein the chances of oil going overboard are maximum. Needless to say, the second type is extremely dangerous 

There can be four situations wherein oil goes overboard causing marine pollution: 

1) Internal Transfer, 

2) Bunkering Operation, 

3) Cargo Operation,

4) Accident- Collision/ Grounding etc.

For prevention of oil pollution from ship, MARPOL Annex-I, Regulation-37: "SHIPBOARD OIL POLLUTION EMERGENCY PLAN (SOPEP)” are set out as follow; 

Oil tanker 150-GT & above and other ships 400-GT & above must carry on board an approved SOPEP 

The plan contains: 

1) Reporting procedures; 

2) Contact List; 

3) Immediate actions in case of spill; 

4) Procedures and point of contact on the ship for coordinating shipboard action with national and local authorities in combating the pollution. The amendments are to make the Polar Code† mandatory under Regulations 3, 4, 14, 15, 34, 38, 46, 47 of the Annex-I and IOPPC. The amendments shall apply to all ships operating in Arctic waters. The discharge criteria shall be the same as in Special Areas.

The ship’s crew plays the most vital role in implementing the MARPOL Annex 1 on ships. 

Following are the duties of the ship’s crew to keep check of this Annex: 

• Maintain OWS, ODMCS and other MARPOL Annex 1 equipment in good running conditions

• Handle all oil transfer (internal and external) carefully to prevent any oil spill 

• Bunkering operation to be carried out after complete preparation 

• Assist in the operation of the oil transfer, sludge, bilge, tank washing, etc. to prevent pollution

• should carry out and participated in regular pollution prevention training and drills onboard

• Every crew must be familiarized with the SOPEP locker and other pollution prevention equipment onboard ships 

• The crew must try all the means to restrict any oil going overboard. If the ship is involved in an accident, the ship’s crew must try to minimize the oil flow out to the sea if the ship is still safe to sail. 

• Any accidental oil spill must immediately be informed.

A vessel can take on bunkers from a bunker barge on the offshore side or alternatively from shore side facilities. In any event the following activities should be carried out: 

(a) Seal all deck scuppers before commencing to take on bunkers. 

(b) Display the red light signal or ‘B’ Bravo Flag by day. 

(c) Additional ‘No Smoking’ signs displayed at the gangway and deck outlets. 

(d) No unauthorised personnel allowed on board and gangway watch set. 

(e) Three-way communication link tested between 

(i) the manifold;

(ii) the pumping station and 

(iii) the tank top ullage port.

(f) Ships Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP) checklist observed. 

(g) Fire precautions set in a position of readiness. 

(h) Drip trays in position under flange/pipe connections. 

(i) Anti-spillage equipment readily available. 

(j) Double access established. 

(k) Adequate manpower on deck throughout, especially during topping off. 

(l) Log Book entries made on commencement and finish. 

(m) Notation in the Oil Record Book on completion.

Ballasting or de-ballasting is a process by which sea water is taken in and out of the ship when the ship is at the port or at the sea. The sea water carried by the ship is known as ballast water. 

Ballast or ballast water is sea water carried by a vessel in its ballast tanks to ensure its trim, stability and structural integrity. Ballast tanks are constructed in ships with piping system and high capacity ballast pumps to carry out the operation. 

Ballasting or de-ballasting is required when the ship is to enter a channel, cross any canal like Panama Canal and Suez Canal, during loading or unloading of cargo, and when ship is going for berthing. When no cargo is carried by the ship, the later becomes light in weight, which can affect its stability. 

For this reason, ballast water is taken in dedicated tanks in the ship to stabilize it. Tanks are filled with ballast water with the help of high-capacity ballast pumps and this process is known as Ballasting.

However, when the ship is filled with cargo, the stability of the ship is maintained by the weight of the cargo itself and thus there is no requirement of ballast water. The process of taking out ballast water from the ballast tanks to make them empty is known as de-ballasting. 

Ballast and de-ballast operations on ship must be carried out by an experienced and responsible officer as it is directly related to the stability factor of the ship. A ballast system may differ from ship to ship but the basics of all ballast systems remain same; filling, removing, and transferring water from one tank to other to get the required stability for a ship. 

Exchange of Ballast water 

All participating ships must implement a ballast water treatment plant and sediment management plan and carry a ballast water record book as per the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) was adopted by IMO in 2004 and entered into force on the 8th September 2017.

Ships Operational Procedures 

Management and control measures recommended by the guidelines include: 

• Minimizing the uptake of organisms during ballasting, by avoiding areas in ports where outbreaks or populations of harmful organisms are known to occur, e.g., in shallow waters and in the dark. 

• Cleaning ballast tanks and removing mud and sediments that accumulates on a regular basis. 

• Exchanging ballast water at sea before arrival in port, replacing it with “clean” open ocean water. Any marine species taken on at the source port are unlikely to survive in the open ocean, where environmental conditions are different. 

If possible, avoid taking ballast water 

• In shallow water 

• In vicinity of sewage out-falls or dredging operations 

• In areas with toxic phytoplankton blooms (harmful algae blooms such as Red tides)

• Where tidal flushing is poor or where the incoming or outgoing tide is known to be turbid 

• At night when bottom dwelling organisms may rise up in the water column 

• Near a known outbreak of diseases communicable through ballast water (e.g. cholera)

1) The ballast water management plan should include the nomination of key shipboard control personnel undertaking ballast water exchange at sea and operation of treatment system. 

2) Ships' officers and ratings engaged in ballast water exchange/treatment operation should be trained in and familiarized with Ballast water management standard procedures.

• ability to ensure the operation of respective valves i.e., opening/closing position. 

• assist in sounding of ballasting/deballasting tanks 

• assist in reading drafts, trim and list 

• assist to monitor the pressurized condition and overflow air vent/pipe. 

• assist to identify for pollution threat during deballasting operation

Anti-fouling paint is a special coating that is applied to the hull and propellers of a marine craft. The coating is used to slow down the growth of marine organisms such as barnacles, slime, algae and mossy weed. 

In addition to anti-fouling, the coating prevents corrosion on metal hulls and propellers. It also improves water flow past the hull of the vessel. Anti-fouling paint is also known as bottom paint. 

The International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships, which was adopted on 5 October 2001, will prohibit the use of harmful organotin compounds in anti- fouling paints used on ships and will establish a mechanism to prevent the potential future use of other harmful substances in anti-fouling systems.