MARINE POLLUTION

The Convention consists of Articles, Protocols, Annexes and Resolutions. The Articles are
legal in nature. They regulate the relationship between states and foreign ships and the
cooperation between states. The protocols elaborate on certain articles of the convention.
The Resolutions are non-mandatory and are recommendatory in nature. Most of the
technical measures and standards are found in the seven annexes.

Annex IV of MARPOL 73/78: Sewage

Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships.

Discharges of black and grey water generated and discharged in the course of normal ship
operations is regulated internationally through Annex IV of the International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). Discharges of sewage or "blackwater" are
prohibited except for specific conditions stipulated under the Annex. In addition to international
standards as established under MARPOL Annex IV, some jurisdictions also regulate sewage
discharges. For example, in the United States, specific waters are designated as "no discharge
zones" or NDZs. Sewage discharges are prohibited in these areas.

CHT SYSTEMS (COLLECTION HOLDING AND TRANSFER SYSTEMS)

This type of system consist of a drain collecting piping network leading to a holding tank,
usually via a comminutor. The tank is drained by a sewage pump through lines leading either to a
shore connection on the weather deck or overboard. By the use of valves the mode of tank
discharge could be either ashore to a sewage receiving facility or overboard in unregulated
waters. The holding tank may or may not have aeration capability with blowers supplying air.
Generally, small capacity tanks require no aeration, while the larger tanks are aerated. Tanks
must be carefully designed with smooth internal surfaces and sloped at the bottom to prevent
soilids entrapment; they must be epoxy coated to retard corrosion, properly ventilated. Valves
should be full-flow ball or plug valves and all check valves and overboard valves should have
large bonnets to facilitate unclogging. Seawater systems are connected to the tanks and piuping
especially at the shore connection for flushing the lines when disconnecting the hoses. Grease
traps should be used in drain lines from the galley.

The advantages of CHT system include low acquisition and operational costs, low to moderate
installation costs, the ability to meet the “zero-discharge” regulations, and no chemical handling.

The disadvantages include the need for utilizing large tanks, the adverse effect of weight changes
as the tanks fill(especially on small ships), offensive odour problem, the need for frequent
disposal facilities and corrosion problems in tanks.
Devices to Satisfy the Regulations are:

1. CHT (Collection, Holding and Transfer) Systems

2. Physical Chemical Systems
3. Biological Systems
4. Vacuum Collection
5. Recirculation Flush

4 Criteria of Effluent quality can be specified as below:

(1) Suspended solid standard

(2) Faecal coliform standard
(3) Biochemical Oxygen Demand B.O.D (specified on a 5 day period written as B.O.D5)
(4) Residual chlorine content.

What is sewage from Ships: It is the

( a) Drainage and other wastes from any form of toilets, urinals, and WC scuppers;

(b) Drainage from medical premises (dispensary, sick bay, etc.) via wash basins, wash tubs and
scuppers located in such premises;

(c) Drainage from spaces containing living animals; or

(d) Other waste waters when mixed with the drainages defined above.

MAJOR CONSTITUENTS OF TYPICAL DOMESTIC WASTEWATER

Constituent Concentration, mg/l

Strong Medium Weak
Total solids 1200 700 350
1
Dissolved solids (TDS) 850 500 250
Suspended solids 350 200 100
Nitrogen (as N) 85 40 20
Phosphorus (as P) 20 10 6
1
Chloride 100 50 30
Alkalinity (as CaCO3) 200 100 50
Grease 150 100 50
2
BOD5 300 200 100

1
 The amounts of TDS and chloride can be increased by the concentrations of these constituents
in the carriage water.
2
 BOD5 is the biochemical oxygen demand at 20°C over 5 days and is a measure of the
biodegradable organic matter in the wastewater.

Source: UN Department of Technical Cooperation for Development (1985)

HARMFUL EFFECTS OF DISCHARGING RAW SEWAGE

Waste discharge from ships is a potential hazard to health and the environment mainly because
of the mobility of vessels in coastal areas, harbours, and navigable inland waterways. Raw
Sewage can cause the spread of such diseases as typhoid, dysentery, poliomyelitis etc.

Raw sewage has a high oxygen demand and restricted water could experience serious harmful
effects from oxygen depletion and excessive nutrient concentration.

Raw sewage could be treated to reduce its environmental impact. The effluent produced will then
have a low oxygen demand and the sludge will be harmless.

The first question you would probably ask is, “Why to use a ship sewage treatment plant if the
waste is already biodegradable?” The question definitely isn’t wrong but the problem is that not
all sewage constituents are biodegradable and not all take the same time to break down. Also,
untreated sewage has solid particles which take a lot of time to disintegrate. It is for this reason
that a sewage treatment plant is used.

Sewage treatment plants on ships are of two types:

 Chemical sewage treatment plant

 Biological sewage treatment plant

Chemical Sewage Treatment plant

A chemical treatment plant consists of a big storage tank which collects treats and stores the
sewage for discharging it to the sea or to a shore receiving facility. The sewage is first collected
in a tank and the liquid content is reduced. This can be done by flushing water from wash basins
and bathroom drains directly into the sea. The liquid from any other sources is treated chemically
to get rid of the color and smell and then it is reused as flushing water in toilets. The chemicals
that are used assist in the process of breaking the solid constituents and also in sterilization.

A mechanical instrument known as comminutor is used to help breaking down of the solid
particles to smaller ones. The liquid sewage remains at the top and the solid particles settle down,
which are then discharged to a sullage tank. The liquid sewage is chemically treated and is used
for toilet flushing purposes. The sewage from the sullage tank is discharged to the shore
collecting facilities.

It is important to supply adequate quantity of chemical dosages to prevent odour and corrosion
due to high level of alkalinity.
ADVANTAGES:

1) Relative simplicity in operation.

2) Due to solids separation a minimal quantity of chemicals is required.
3) Moderate acquisition and operating costs.
4) Will operated either with sea water or fresh water flush and will handlke sewage drains as
well as other wastes
5) Can handle surges easily

DISADVANTAGES:

1) Relatively large size, making retrofit installations difficult.

2) Requires the handling and storage of corrosive chemicals onboard.
3) Solids must be discharge frequently.

Biological Sewage treatment plan

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Water. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) represents
the amount of oxygen consumed by bacteria and other microorganisms while they decompose
organic matter under aerobic (oxygen is present) conditions at a specified temperature. When
you look at water in a lake the one thing you don't see is oxygen.

Biological sewage treatment plant uses bacteria to facilitate the process of breaking down of
solid constituents. It generates an oxygen rich atmosphere that aerobic bacteria utilize to multiply
and disintegrate the sewage waste to convert it into sludge. The treated sewage thus generated
can be disposed off to any waters. The process that takes place inside the plant is known as
aeration process.

 aeration compartment
 settling compartment
 chlorine treatment compartment.
OPERATION

The unit is divided into three processing chambers: an aeration compartment, a settling
compartment, and a chlorination chamber. Sewage enters the sewage treatment plant first
through the aeration compartment. Aerobic bacteria and micro-organisms breakdown the human
waste into carbon dioxide, water and inert organic material to produce new bacteria cells and
organisms. A continuous supply of atmospheric oxygen is provided by Rotary aeration blowers
to increase the rate of digestion process. The disintegrated solid waste is then transferred to the
settling compartment where the solid constituents settle down under the effect of gravity and to
allow the bacteria to propagate under quiet conditions... The liquid at the top is then passed to the
chlorine treatment compartment. In this compartment the liquid water is treated with chlorine
and other chemicals to kill any surviving bacteria. Once done the water is then discharged into
the sea. The process of chlorination is facilitated with the help of chlorine tablets. The sludge that
settles down in the settling compartment is removed and stored in a storage tank to later
discharge it to shore facilities or decontrolled areas.

ADVANTAGES:

1) These systems form a minimal sludge which only requires occasional removal
2) Simple to operate, inexpensive and moderate in size
 3) They work well with seawater or freshwater flush, although change over from one to the
other requires care since different bacteria live in each environment.

DISADVANTAGES:

1) Requires continuous operation to maintain the functioning bacteria.

2) The use of certain detergents can be harmful to the functioning bacteria culture
3) Recommended only for processing of sewage drains.

Sewage and Greywater Discharge Record Book

MAPROL Annex IV
from MARPOL, Polar Code and CFR
Information on PSSA