Port waste reception facilities in UK ports

The ability to comply fully with the discharge requirements set out in the MARPOL 73/78 Convention depends upon the availability of adequate facilitie s on land for the reception of ship-generated waste. This paper considers w ays of ensuring adequate provision of reception facilities, and discusses t he approach taken by the UK to reduce the amount of pollution entering the marine environment from the deliberate discharge of waste from ships. Argua bly, the most significant of the measures adopted by the UK is the requirem ent for all ports and harbours to prepare port waste management plans. Disi ncentives to the use of port waste reception facilities are examined, toget her with the benefits and shortcomings of various financing arrangements, a nd compulsory discharge of waste in ports. The paper concludes that the sta tutory approach to improving the provision and use of waste facilities shou ld be supported by an appropriate awareness campaign to educate shipowners about the need to discharge waste legally to port reception facilities. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.