TANGGAPAN NG KOMANDANTE
(OFFICE OF THE COMMANDANT)
PUNONGHIMPILAN TANOD BAYBAYIN NG PILIPINAS
(HEADQUARTERS PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD)
139 25th Street, Port Area
1018 Manila

03 November 2005
MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR)
:
NUMBER . . . . . . . . 07-2005)

PREVENTION OF POLLUTION BY SEWAGE FROM SHIPS

1. AUTHORITY:

a. Republic Act No. 5173
b. Presidential Decree No. 600
c. Presidential Decree No. 979
d. Annex IV of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, MARPOL 73/78
e. Executive Order No. 292

2. PURPOSE:

The purpose of this Memorandum Circular is to provide implementing rules to prevent pollution by sewage from ships.

3. SCOPE:

This Memorandum Circular shall apply to:

a. All Philippine registered vessels 200 gross tonnage and above, and

b. All Philippine registered vessels less than 200 gross tonnage, which is certified to carry more than fifty (50) persons, whether engaged in domestic or international trade.

4. DEFINITION OF TERMS:

a. "Vessel" means a ship of any type operating in the marine environment, including hydrofoil boats, aircushion vehicles, submersible, floating craft and fixed or floating platforms.

b. "Sewage" means:

1) Drainage and other wastes from any form of toilets, urinals and water closed scuppers;

2) Drainage from medical premises (dispensary, sickbay, etc.) via wash- basins, wash tubs and scuppers located in such premises.

3) Drainage from spaces containing living animals; or

4) Other wastes water mixed with any of the drainages defined above.

c. "Holding Tank” means a tank used for the collection and storage of sewage.

d. "Nearest Land" means from the closest shoreline of all bodies of water within Philippine territory.

e. "Special Area" means a body of water which due to recognized technical reasons in relation to its oceanographic and ecological condition and strategic importance, is deemed subject to special control such as the Laguna de Bay, Manila Bay, Pasig River, Taall Lake, marine parks and reserves, tourist spots, etc.

f. "Marine Sanitation Devices" means shipboard equipment that collect, store, treat and discharge sewage overboard as per figure in Annex A.

g. "Reception Facility" refers to a port sewage discharge reception facility provided by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) or a mobile discharge reception service provided by, or approved on contract and permit with the PPA, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) or the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), as the case may be.

5. POLICIES:

a. Vessels covered by this Circular are required to have an International Sewage Pollution Prevention (ISPP) Certificate on board at all times.

b. Vessels covered by this Circular shall be provided with marine sanitation devices or sewage treatment plant with faucal coliform count not exceeding 250 faucal coliforms per 100 millimeter MPN (most probable number) as determined by multiple tube fermentation analysis or any equivalent analytical procedure.

c. The geometric mean of the total suspended solids standard of the effluent sample shall not exceed 50 milligrams per liter (mg/l) when tested on shore.

d. The geometric means of the total suspended solid content of effluent samples shall not exceed 100 mg/l of the suspended solid contents of ambient water used for flushing purposes when tested aboardship.

e. The plant or devices shall be designed in such a manner that the geometric means of the 5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5) of the effluent samples taken during the test period do not exceed 50 mg/l.

f. The use of ozone ultraviolet eradication or any other disinfectant that minimize any adverse effect on the environment while pursuing the faucal coliform standard is highly encouraged.

g. The equipment shall operate for shipboards or marine use; and

h. To enable the connection of reception facility pipes to the ship’s discharge pipeline, both lines shall be fitted with standard discharge connection in accordance with the following table:

STANDARD DIMENSION OF FLANGES FOR DISCHARGE CONNECTION

DESCRIPTION DIMENSION

Outside diameter 210 mm
Inner diameter According to the pipe’s outside diameter
Bolt center diameter 170 mm
Slots in flange 4 holes 18 mm in diameters equidistantly placed on a bolt circle of the above diameter slotted to the flange periphery. Slot width shall be 18mm.
Flange thickness 16 mm
Bolts and nuts quantity and diameter 4 each of 16 mm diameter and of suitable length

The flange shall be designed to accept pipes up to a maximum diameter of 100 mm and steel or equivalent material having a flat face suitable for a service pressure of 6kg/sq cm.

For ships having a molded depth of 3 meters or less, the inner diameter of the discharge connection may be 38 millimeters.

6. DISCHARGE OF SEWAGE:

a. The discharge of sewage into Philippine waters is prohibited except when:

1) The ship is discharging contaminated and disinfected/treated sewage at a distance of more than five (5) nautical miles from the nearest shoreline;

2) The ship is discharging sewage which is not contaminated or disinfected/treated at a distance of more than twelve (12) nautical miles from the nearest shoreline;

3) The ship has in operation an approved sewage treatment plant and that the effluent shall neither produce visible and floating solids nor cause the discoloration of surrounding waters; or

4) The discharge is necessary for purposes of securing the safety of the ship and/or saving life at sea in case of a real, grave and imminent danger, provided that all reasonable precautions have been taken to prevent or minimize the discharge. Provided further, that in the first two exceptions the sewage that has been stored in holding tanks shall not be discharged instantaneously but at a moderate rate when the ship is enroute and proceeding at no less than four (4) knots.

7. PROCEDURE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF AN ISPP CERTIFICATE:

a. Shipowners of vessels covered by this Circular shall file an application before the Commander, Marine Environmental Protection Command (Attn: Director, NOCOP) the Certificate to vessels covered in this Circular.

b. Prior to the issuance of the Certificate and before the ship is put on service, an initial survey shall be undertaken by the PCG or its duly authorized representative. In case the Certificate is being issued for the first time, the initial survey shall include a complete survey of the marine sanitation device or sewage treatment plant. Periodical surveys to be conducted annually and during dry docking in order to ensure that the equipment/plant fully complies with the provisions of this Memorandum Circular.

b. After the survey, no changes or alterations shall be made in the system covered by the survey without written authority from the Commandant, PCG.

c. CMEPCOM, through AC of S, CG-9, shall recommend to the Commandant, PCG the accreditation of classification societies or survey organizations/societies that may conduct the above-mentioned surveys.

d. Vessels found to have complied with the provisions of this Circular shall be issued a Certificate signed by the Commandant, PCG subject to the condition that periodical surveys shall be conducted annually during dry docking. If the vessel is found to be in order, a Certificate of Inspection shall be issued by the PCG which shall be carried on board at all times. Failure to submit the vessel to the periodical survey shall warrant the suspension of the ISPP Certificate.

e. The Certificate shall be effective for a period of 5 years from its date of issue.

f. If the vessel, at the time when the certificate expires, is not in port or off-shore terminal subject to the jurisdiction of the Philippines, an extension may be allowed only for the purpose of completing its voyage and returning to port for the purpose of survey.

g. The effectivity of the Certificate shall not be extended to a period longer than three (3) months. Vessels granted an extension shall not, upon its arrival at its homeport or the port where it is to be surveyed, be entitled by virtue of such extension, the right to leave that port without having obtained a new certificate.

h. The Certificate shall cease to be valid: (1) Upon the expiration of the Certificate, i.e., five (5) years from its approval; and (2) whenever significant alterations have taken place in the system/ equipment without a written authority from the Commandant, PCG.

8. FEES:

Ship owners shall be charged Survey Fees in the amount of five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) per survey conducted by the Coast Guard District or Maritime Safety Office.

9. VIOLATIONS:

An administrative fine of ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) shall be imposed on the Ship owner or his duly authorized representative for every violation of any or all of the following: a. Making any unauthorized significant alterations to the system, particularly Section 5 (Policies) of this Circular, after a survey; b. Failure to have on board a valid ISPP Certificate and/or Certificate of Inspection at all times; and c. Failure to submit the vessel to a periodical survey. The imposition of the administrative penalty mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be without prejudice to other sanctions that may be imposed for violation of any law, rule or regulation arising from the same act.

10. REPEALING CLAUSE:

Memorandum Circular No. 07-2001 dated 22 June 2001 is hereby repealed.

11. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE:

This Circular shall take effect after fifteen (15) days after publication in the Official Gazette or in the newspaper of National Circulation in the Philippines.

ARTHUR N GOSINGAN
VADM PCG
Commandant, PCG