3.9 CSD 4 in April 1996 noted the 1994 report of IMO. With
regard to the issue on further development of globally
applicable environmental regulations for offshore activities,
CSD 4 noted the conclusion in IMO's 1994 Report and
encouraged States to continue relevant national and regional
reviews of the need for additional measures to address the
issue of degradation of the marine environment from offshore
activities (CSD 4, Decision 4/15, paragraphs 26 to 28).
3.10 At its thirty-eighth session in July 1996, the MEPC
reviewed the outcome of CSD 4 on the matter. It noted that,
since 1994 when the MEPC concluded its report to CSD,
offshore activities have been accelerated in many parts of
the world. However, expectations for regional and national
regulations have not been fulfilled. There are, in many
regions of the world, no control mechanisms regulating the
discharges from offshore activities. It was therefore
suggested that the development of the current national,
regional and global regulations should be assessed.
3.11 In view of the above, the MEPC has kept the matter under
review. Member States and interested organizations were
invited to submit proposals on the matter to the MEPC for
consideration.
Facilities in ports for the reception of wastes from ships
3.12 Paragraph 17.30 (d) of Chapter 17 of Agenda 21 invited
States and IMO to assess the need for additional measures to
address degradation of the marine environment by establishing
port reception facilities for the collection of oily and
chemical residues and garbage from ships, especially in
MARPOL special areas.
3.13 MARPOL 73/78 sets out requirements for port reception
facilities and all Parties to the Convention are obliged to
provide reception facilities for ships calling at their
ports. The requirement for such reception facilities is
especially necessary in "special areas" where,
because of the vulnerability of these areas to pollution,
more stringent discharge restrictions have been imposed.
MARPOL 73/78 also provides that these reception facilities
should, in each case, be "adequate" for the
reception of wastes from ships without causing undue delay to
the ships using them.
3.14 However, unlike the ships which are subject to survey
and certification by the flag State Administration and port
State control, the responsibility for providing reception
facilities is a matter for individual governments, and the
progress in this regard has not been a satisfactory one. In
order to address the matter, IMO has developed a number of
guidelines and the last comprehensive guidelines have been
published as a "Comprehensive Manual on Port Reception
Facilities". The Manual provides guidance on many issues
including waste management strategy, type and quantity of
ship-generated wastes, planning, choice of location,
collection and treatment, financing and cost recovery, and
co-operation of port and ship requirements. IMO has also
provided technical assistance over many years to a large
number of countries in the form of seminars, symposia and
workshops, mostly at the regional level. Progress has been
made in certain parts of the world. It is apparent, however,
that, in some oil producing regions, the situation with
regard to the provision of reception facilities is not
improving.
3.15 The provision of adequate reception facilities worldwide
is a matter of extreme complexity which involves the shipping
industry, port operators, oil and chemical companies and
governments. A satisfactory solution to the shortage of
reception facilities in many parts of the world has yet to be
found. It is widely recognized that if this problem is to be
satisfactorily resolved, it will be necessary to address the
economic as well as the technical aspects of this issue.
