A Worldwide Regulatory Movement to Protect Our Waters
International efforts to prevent oily water discharge are underway to protect our environment. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) was established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1954. Early conventions required ships of a certain size to separate and properly dispose of the free oil from the top of the bilge fluid. In 1971, MARPOL adopted performance specifications for the Bilge Water Separator (BWS) systems.
Neither the 1971 requirements (which established a limit of 100 ppm for free oil), nor the 1992 requirement (which established a limit of 15 ppm for free oil) addressed emulsified oil. In 2005 the IMO instituted Marine Environment Protection Committee MEPC.107(49) for ships over 400 GT, setting the permissible oil content in discharged bilge fluid to less than 15 ppm for free and emulsified oil. For environmentally sensitive areas, the local regulation limits discharge to less than 5 ppm oil content.
MEPC.107(49) also requires 15 ppm Bilge Alarms to measure for emulsified oil and maintain 18 months of data for review by port state control inspectors.
As regulations become more stringent and enforcement increases, everyone, including owners, designers, builders and operators of ships have become aware that the bilge water separator (OWS) is a serious design specification and operating consideration… and a key personal responsibility.
Are you confident that every drop of water your vessel discharges overboard will meet the strict new IMO standards?
ULTRA-SEP Bilge Water Separators – featuring SPIR-O-LATOR Positive Physical Barrier™ Membrane Technology for Assured Compliance – continuously discharge bilge water to less than 5ppm oil content.
International efforts to prevent oily water discharge are underway to protect our environment. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) was established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1954. Early conventions required ships of a certain size to separate and properly dispose of the free oil from the top of the bilge fluid. In 1971, MARPOL adopted performance specifications for the Bilge Water Separator (BWS) systems.
Neither the 1971 requirements (which established a limit of 100 ppm for free oil), nor the 1992 requirement (which established a limit of 15 ppm for free oil) addressed emulsified oil. In 2005 the IMO instituted Marine Environment Protection Committee MEPC.107(49) for ships over 400 GT, setting the permissible oil content in discharged bilge fluid to less than 15 ppm for free and emulsified oil. For environmentally sensitive areas, the local regulation limits discharge to less than 5 ppm oil content.
MEPC.107(49) also requires 15 ppm Bilge Alarms to measure for emulsified oil and maintain 18 months of data for review by port state control inspectors.
As regulations become more stringent and enforcement increases, everyone, including owners, designers, builders and operators of ships have become aware that the bilge water separator (OWS) is a serious design specification and operating consideration… and a key personal responsibility.
Are you confident that every drop of water your vessel discharges overboard will meet the strict new IMO standards?
ULTRA-SEP Bilge Water Separators – featuring SPIR-O-LATOR Positive Physical Barrier™ Membrane Technology for Assured Compliance – continuously discharge bilge water to less than 5ppm oil content.
MARINE REGULATIONS