From May 1, 2024, an amendment to MARPOL Annex V will come into effect, marking a critical step towards enhanced marine environmental protection. The amendment significantly tightens the requirements for garbage record-keeping on ships.
Under the new regulation, the threshold for ships required to maintain a Garbage Record Book has been lowered from 400 GT to 100 GT. This broadened scope ensures that a greater number of vessels are now accountable for documenting their garbage handling and disposal practices. The regulation also mandates that all ships certified to carry 15 or more persons, as well as all fixed or floating platforms, comply with these record-keeping requirements.
The Garbage Record Book, which can be part of the ship's official logbook or an approved electronic record book, must follow the format specified in Appendix II of MARPOL Annex V.
Shipowners, operators, managers, and masters must now take immediate action to comply with these new regulations. This includes ensuring that all affected vessels are provided with the necessary Garbage Record Books and that these are properly maintained according to the updated guidelines.
Other regulations regarding the disposal of garbage have been revised to address ships under 100 GT. These smaller vessels must now make entries in their official logbooks regarding any discharge or accidental loss of garbage.
The amendment to MARPOL Annex V reflects the IMO’s ongoing efforts to reduce marine pollution and promote sustainable shipping practices. By expanding the scope of garbage record-keeping to include more vessels, the IMO aims to enhance accountability and transparency in waste management practices at sea.