Directive on port reception facilities – European Commission adopts implementing regulations

The directive (EU) 2019/883 of the European parliament and of the Council  on port reception facilities for the delivery of waste from prevents marine pollution from ships by ensuring that waste generated on ships are returned to land and adequately managed  was adopted on the 17 April 2019.

The European Commission has adopted four implementing regulations for this directive, three of which apply to shipping.

Storage capacity for waste in a ship

When calling at an EU port, ships must deliver all waste to the port facilities. An exemption to this rule is applied for ships with sufficient capacity to store the waste accumulated during their intended voyage until they reach the next port of call. This Implementing Regulation defines how to determine whether a ship has sufficient storage capacity for this exemption to apply.

Ships that produce reduced quantities of waste and manage it sustainably

In order to reduce the amount of waste produced on board a ship this, the Directive requires that port fees are lower for ships that produce reduced quantities of waste, and manage it in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner. This Implementing Regulation defines the criteria for determining when a ship is entitled to a reduced fee for producing less waste and managing it well.

Selecting which ships to inspect

Member States are required to inspect 15% of ships calling in their ports to verify compliance with waste rules. When doing so, Member States must target those ships for which the risk of non-compliance is highest. This Implementing Regulation defines a mechanism for the selection of ships for inspection, based on common criteria, so that the selection is made in the same way across the EU.

These Regulations shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (24 January). They shall be binding in their entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

The three doucments are attached.