UN Polar Code adopted,N does not affect ships built before 2017

May.28--THE UN's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) has adopted the Polar Code and associated marine pollution (MARPOL) measures to make it mandatory.

The Polar Code will apply to ships constructed on or after January 1, 2017. Any ships constructed prior will be required to meet the relevant requirements of the code by its first intermediate or renewal survey (whichever occurs first) after January 1, 2018.

Provisions outline that discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixtures from any ship is prohibited and oil fuel tanks must be separated from the outer shell. Similarly, the discharge into the sea of noxious liquid substances or mixtures containing such substances is prohibited.

They also declare the discharge of sewage is prohibited unless performed in line with Marine Pollution (MARPOL Annex IV) and requirements outline in the Polar Code, and that discharge of garbage is restricted and only permitted in accordance with MARPOL Annex V and requirements in the Polar Code.

In December 2014 the safety-related requirements of the Polar Code were adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) and made mandatory under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). The adoption of the environmental-related requirements come some five months hence, with the Polar Code expected to enter into force on January 1,N 2017.