WASTE MANAGEMENT ON PASSENGER SHIPS

Abstract

Pollution of the marine environment as a result of maritime transport today represents a significant
environmental problem. It causes permanent disturbances to the ecosystem of the sea and coastal areas and thus
significantly affects fisheries, mariculture, tourism, industry and has a negative impact on human health. The marine
environment can be contaminated with nutrients from fecal waters that cause algae blooms, sediments, pathogenic
organisms from fecal waters, new (foreign) species transferred in ballast waters, persistent toxins (heavy metals), oil,
plastic, radioactive material, thermal pollution from cooling systems and noise. International regulations for the
protection of marine pollution from vessels are based on the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution
from Ships (MARPOL 73/78), which is binding on the signatory countries of the MARPOL agreement. MARPOL is
divided into six technical annexes according to different categories of pollutants, each of which includes regulations
aimed to preventing and minimizing, accidental and operational, contamination from ships. Countries that are not
signatories to the MARPOL Convention adopt their legislation even stricter regulations relating to territorial waters
under the jurisdiction of the countries concerned. The development of tourist cruises encourages the construction of
larger passenger ships with an increasing number of passengers and crew. Consequently, there is an increasing
amount of waste produced on ships. Waste management is based on waste collection, treatment and storage of waste
for the purpose of significantly reducing the amount or volume of waste on board. Without a waste treatment
system, ships would have large storage facilities for untreated waste, which would lead to a significant reduction in
the useful space on board and higher financial costs when disembarking at port reception facilities. Treated waste is
incinerated in the incinerator, discharged into the sea if it complies with legal regulations (black and gray water,
bilge water and processed food) kept in storage on board and disposed of in port reception facilities. The choice of
waste treatment system on board depends on the purpose of the ship, the number of persons staying on board, the
time of detention of the ship in the port and the time in navigation, the area of navigation, the required quality of
waste treatment or standards for meeting legal regulations. This paper presents international legislation, lists the
types of waste produced on passenger ships and systems for the treatment of various types of waste on passenger
ships, the responsibilities of crew members as well as measures for more efficient waste management in order to
reduce the negative impact on the marine environment.