A vessel to which Annex V to MARPOL 73/78 applies is located in a MARPOL designated special area, 14 nautical miles from nearest land. What type of garbage is permitted to be discharged?
• MARPOL Annex V – Garbage from Ships and the difference between special areas and other sea areas • Distance-from-land limits for discharging food waste versus other types of garbage • Which kinds of garbage must be retained on board regardless of grinding or comminution
• First, recall what makes a MARPOL special area different. How do the discharge rules tighten compared with normal sea areas? • Think specifically about food waste: Under Annex V, is there any distance from land where food waste might be allowed in a special area, and does grinding change that distance? • For paper, glass, and metal: Are these ever allowed to be discharged in a special area, even when ground to small pieces, or are they always prohibited and must be landed ashore?
• Verify in Annex V which garbage category has a separate, more permissive rule in special areas compared with other garbage types. • Check the minimum distance from the nearest land for that specific garbage category in a special area and compare it to the 14 NM in the question. • Confirm that all non‑food solid materials (like paper, glass, metal, plastics) have much stricter or total discharge bans in special areas.
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