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New Zealand urges vessels not to discharge scrubber washwater close to its shores

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The notice published in the Marshall Islands Registry suggests for shipowners to utilise other options such as low sulphur bunker fuel when entering NZ waters.
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The Marshall Islands Registry on Wednesday (7 October) published an advisory from the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment (NZ MFE) requesting shipowners/operators operating in NZ territorial waters, to avoid discharging scrubber washwater close to shore as a precautionary measure.

The notice advised shipowners/operators to utilise alternate options such as:

  • preparing for entry into NZ waters by carrying compliant low sulphur fuel to use when operating in sensitive environments as identified by the relevant regional authorities;
  • operating closed-loop scrubber functionality in zero-discharge mode and retaining any effluent on board until able to dispose of it at the next available port facility; and
  • discharging any open loop scrubber washwater outside NZ territorial waters.

At present, EGCS residues generated must be delivered ashore to reception facilities. Coastal States may impose unique requirements for scrubbers, said the NZ MFE.

IMO’s current guidance on washwater discharge criteria, IMO Resolution MEPC.259(68), may be

revised in the future as more data becomes available on the contents of the discharge and its effects, it added.

 NZ’s guidance on the use of exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) is available here.


Photo credit: Dan Freeman on Unsplash
Published: 9 October, 2020

 

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