APEC Marine Debris risks, regulation & the IMO regime
Shipping in society & the global economy • Global, multi-national & gargantuan • Carries >90% world trade • Underpins global economic development • 85,000 ships in world fleet • 5.4 billion tonnes cargo / year • Modern society totally shipping dependant
• Shipping /fishing most intensive human use of the seas • Active in all maritime zones
Environmental impacts of shipping • Shipping most energy-efficient, cost- effective & ecologically sound mode of freight transport • Net environmental costs/benefits per unit cargo carried • However, can still cause major impacts
Environmental impacts of shipping Different ship types = different impacts, e.g.: Tankers – risk of major spills, little sewage & garbage Cruise liners – minor risk of spills, major sewage & garbage
Pollution accidents & emergencies • Global media focus • However, not a severe as ongoing, chronic pollution such as ‘operational’ discharges, inc. garbage / marine debris
Garbage / marine debris • 6.4 million tonnes / year globally • 5.6 million tonnes from shipping • 46,000 pieces of plastic / square mile • 3 x more garbage into ocean as fish taken out • N Pacific – 6 pounds of plastic for every pound of plankton near surface • Significant wildlife impacts • Transfer fouling species • High seas convergence zones
International regulatory regime UNCLOS: • 69 of 320 Articles relate directly to shipping • Freedom of navigation • Right of innocent passage • Flag State control • Part XII – inc. controls on pollution & discharges
IMO Regime Specialised agency of the UN
IMO Conventions • MARPOL 73 / 78 • Annex V deals with garbage • Applies to ALL vessels, as per below :
MARPOL 73/78 • Annex V requires waste reception facilities in ports • Lack of these is MAJOR problem
Technical Guidelines & Manuals
Ship-board Management Plans
MARPOL Special Areas The Baltic Sea The North Sea The Black Sea* The Gulf Area* The Mediterranean Sea* Wider Caribbean * The Red Sea* The Antarctic south of 60 o S is a Special Area for Annexes I, II and V The areas marked (*) have not been enforced as Special Areas in all respects due to lack of adequate reception facilities (the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea have obtained the full Special Area status for Annex I).
Additional Annex V Restrictions in Special Areas
PSSAs Wadden Sea Florida Keys Sabana-Camaguey Malpelo Island Great Barrier Reef
PSSAs • IMO Assembly Resolution A.972(22) ‘The criteria relate to PSSAs within and beyond the limits of the territorial sea. They can be used by IMO to designate PSSAs beyond the territorial sea with a view to the adoption of international protective measures regarding pollution and other damage caused by ships’
Last 50 years - performance to date
Governance gaps • IMO regime highly successful in reducing shipping accidents, oil pollution & sea dumping • Largely ineffective at addressing marine debris (distance from land / compliance enforcement / poor waste reception in ports • Cultural change required – human element
Governance gaps • MARPOL distances from land criteria reinforce “out of sight, out of mind” mentality’
Governance needs • Better implementation of existing regime • Overhaul MARPOL – move away from distance from land philosophy • Creative approaches to address marine debris • More coastal and port State control with better flag State implementation (satellite monitoring?)
Huge education effort needed
Encourage industry initiatives / non- regulatory incentives
Ultimate objective
Shipping / fishing is global
Oceans are inter- connected
Garbage / marine debris • Must be addressed in a, strategic, integrated manner • As part of a ‘total oceans management’ regime
www.imo.org www.imo.org
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