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• Bahamas Maritime Authority has issued an information bulletin no. 169 on amendments to MARPOL Annex V and Garbage Record Books.

• Salient points of the notice are as follows:

1. MARPOL Annex V regulation 10 requires every ship of 400 gross tonnage and above and every ship which is certified to carry 15 or more persons engaged in voyages to ports or offshore terminals under the jurisdiction of another Party to the Convention and every fixed or floating platform shall be provided with a Garbage Record Book.

2. The current version of Garbage Record Book issued by Administration (BMA Rev.1 August 2012) may continue to be used until 28 February 2018 provided it includes reference to Chapter 5 of Part II-A of the Polar Code as per MEPC.265 (68) [The Bahamas Administration has allowed the Garbage Record Book onboard to be amended by including underlined text by issuing statement (Refer Annex of the circular)“4.1.3 When garbage is discharged into the sea in accordance with regulation 4, 5 or 6 of MARPOL Annex V or chapter 5 of part II-A of the Polar Code”to comply with the requirement of Polar Code during implementation period of Polar Code (which entered into force on 01 January 2017).]

3. Further IMO has adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex V through MEPC.277 (70) which amends the format of Garbage Record Book and will be effective from 01 March 2018.

4. As per amendments Garbage Record Book is divided into two parts. Part I of Garbage Record Book is applicable to all ships; while Part II is required only for ships carrying solid bulk cargoes.

5. Administration has no objection to voluntary use new format of Garbage Record Book prior to 01 March 2018.

From 01 March 2018 Companies are required to use new Garbage Record Book issued by Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) which can be ordered from BMA publications section. Administration has no objection on use of Garbage Record Book issued by other suppliers and Administration; provided same is in the format specified in MARPOL Annex V Appendix I.

• Ship owners/ operators and masters are advised to be guided by above.

Enclosure:

1. BMA Information bulletin 169.                      

Disclaimer:

This Technical Circular and the material contained in it is provided only for the purpose of supplying current information to the reader and not as an advice to be relied upon by any person. While we have taken utmost care to be as factual as possible, readers/ users are advised to verify the exact text and content of the Regulation from the original source/ issuing Authority.

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