[Federal Register: September 4, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 171)]
[Notices]
[Page 52593-52594]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04se03-56]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[USCG-2003-16010]
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From
Ships, Annex IV--International Sewage Pollution Prevention Equivalency
Documentation
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of policy.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces that on September 27, 2003, the
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships,
1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/78), (revised)
Annex IV will enter into force internationally. The United States is
not a Party to MARPOL 73/78, Annex IV, however, U.S. flagged vessels
visiting nations that are parties may need to demonstrate compliance
with these MARPOL regulations on the prevention of pollution by sewage
from ships. The Coast Guard plans to assist qualified U.S. flag vessels
in demonstrating compliance with these MARPOL requirements by issuing a
document certifying equivalent compliance with the revised Annex IV of
MARPOL 73/78. Failure of a United States flagged vessel to have the
appropriate certificate or a document stating shipboard equivalency to
MARPOL 73/78, Annex IV could result in a port state detention abroad.
DATES: The MARPOL 73/78, Annex IV international requirements come into
force September 27, 2003, for new ships built on or after September 27,
2003. For existing vessels, these MARPOL international requirements
come into force September 27, 2008.
ADDRESSES: For new vessels, requests for documentation certifying
equivalent compliance with the revised Annex IV of MARPOL 73/78 should
be sent to the local Officer-in-Charge, Marine Inspection. This notice
and documents mentioned in this notice as being available in the
docket, are part of docket USCG-2003-16010 and are available for
inspection or copying at the Docket Management Facility, U.S.
Department of Transportation, room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street SW.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays. You may also find this docket on the Internet
at http://dms.dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions regarding this
notice, you may call, fax, or e-mail Lieutenant Commander Brian Downey,
Office of Compliance, (G-MOC-1): telephone 202-267-2735, fax 202-267-
4394, e-mail BDowney@comdt.uscg.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Starting September 27, 2003, certain U.S.
flagged vessels visiting nations that are 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 (Sewage) (``MARPOL 73/
78, Annex IV'') may need to demonstrate compliance with MARPOL 73/78,
(revised) Annex IV--regulations on the prevention of pollution by
sewage from ships.
The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) has agreed to
revisions to Annex IV. MEPC of IMO has asked Annex IV Parties to
implement the revised Annex IV immediately on the entry into force of
the existing Annex to avoid the creation of a dual treaty regime
between the existing and the revised Annex IV.
Applicability
The MARPOL 73/78, (revised) Annex IV applies to all new vessels
built on or after September 27, 2003, that are 400 Gross Tons (GT),
International Tonnage Convention (ITC), or more and new vessels less
than 400 GT ITC that are certified to carry more than 15 passengers.
The Annex does not require existing vessels within these tonnage and
passenger categories to comply until September 27, 2008. A copy of the
text of the MARPOL 73/78, (revised) Annex IV, and a related MEPC
circular
[[Page 52594]]
are available in the docket for this notice under ADDRESSES.
Equivalency Documentation
The U.S. Coast Guard plans to help the United States maritime
industry demonstrate equivalent compliance with MARPOL 73/78, (revised)
Annex IV to which the United States is not a Party. The United States
considers a U.S. Coast Guard certified Marine Sanitation Device (MSD)
to offer equivalent sewage pollution prevention to MSDs with an IMO
Certificate of Type Test demonstrating compliance with the performance
requirements of MARPOL 73/78, (revised) Annex IV. Therefore, any vessel
with an installed and operational Coast Guard certified MSD which meets
the criteria of 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 159 should be
eligible to receive documentation certifying equivalent compliance with
the revised Annex IV of MARPOL 73/78.
Because the United States is not a party to MARPOL 73/78, Annex IV,
the Coast Guard cannot issue official international convention
certificates as a Flag State. To facilitate commerce and reduce
confusion, however, the Coast Guard plans to issue a Flag State
document to demonstrate equivalent compliance with MARPOL 73/78,
(revised) Annex IV for eligible vessels.
Dated: August 28, 2003.
L. L. Hereth,
Acting Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and
Environmental Protection.
[FR Doc. 03-22560 Filed 8-29-03; 3:07 pm]
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