Mauritius to introduce regulations against sea pollution

31 Octobre 2020

Port-Louis, Mauritius, October 31 (Infosplusgabon) - Mauritian Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping Ministry would promulgate the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form) Regulations 2020 to prevent sea pollution from harmful chemical substances, the Government announced on Saturday morning, following its weekly Cabinet meeting.

The Regulations would provide a legal framework for the safe sea transportation of harmful substances in packaged forms and require that each package containing a harmful substance shall be durably marked, in an identifiable manner surviving at least 3 months’ immersion in the sea, with the technical name and to indicate if the substance is a marine pollutant.

It will ensure that the ship carries a special list of harmful substances on board and a detailed stowage plan of harmful substances properly stowed on board; (c) provide for inspection of ships, verification of documentation for compliance with the transportation of harmful substances in packaged form; and (d) empower the Director of Shipping to investigate into suspected cases of discharge violations within the maritime zones of Mauritius, to detain such a ship, and cause proceedings to be instituted against the owner or master of the ship.

The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2020 would also be promulgated to regulate the emission into the atmosphere of specified pollutants such as sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, ozone-depleting substances and volatile organic compounds from all Mauritius ships of 400 gross tonnage or above, wherever they may be or from any other ship within the territorial sea of Mauritius; (b) provide a legal framework to ensure that all ships undergo the initial, renewal, intermediate, annual or any additional surveys, as stipulated by the Convention and that appropriate certificates are issued; (c) ensure that the quality of fuel oil used on board for combustion meets the requirements and regulate shipboard incineration for ships within the territorial sea of Mauritius.

Furthermore, it will also ensure that a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan is kept on board following the first intermediate survey or the first renewal survey, and that consumption data collected through the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan is reported to the Director of Shipping.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/VVC/GABON2020

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