Coast Guard to help U.S.-flag ships meet MARPOL requirements

Coast Guard to help U.S.-flag ships meet MARPOL requirements    The U.S. Coast Guard said it “plans to assist qualified U.S.-flag vessels in demonstrating compliance” with new MARPOL vessel sanitation requirements that go into effect Sept. 27.
   The United States is not a party to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/78), Annex IV, intended to reduce pollution by sewage from ships.
   However, “failure of a U.S.-flagged vessel to have the appropriate certificate or a document stating shipboard equivalency to the MARPOL 73/78 Annex IV (rules) could result in a port state detention abroad,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
   “To facilitate commerce and reduce confusion, the Coast Guard plans to issue a Flag State document to demonstrate equivalent compliance for eligible vessels,” the statement said. For more information, contact Lt. Commander Brian Downey in the Coast Guard’s office of compliance, (202) 267-2735.