Lok Sabha Question No. 2338 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-05
Subject: Pollution from Ships
Ministry: SHIPPING
Asked by: Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SHIPPING

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2338.

TO BE ANSWERED ON sTH MARCH, 2O2O

## POLLUTION FROM SHIPS

## 2338. SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU:

Will the Minister of SHIPPING  be pleased  to state: c'td"cR-c-{q rif'

- (a) the steps  taken for prevention and control of pollution arising from ships in the sea and in the inland  waterways;
- (b) whether lndia has signed any international convention for reducing pollution arising from ships; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR SHIPPING (SHRI  MANSUKH  MANDAVIYA)

- (a) Steps taken for prevention and control of pollution arising from ships in the sea and in the inland waterways:
- The provision of Prevention and Containment  of Pollution of the sea by oil is covered under Chapter XIA of Merchant  Shipping Act' 1958. This provision is applicable to all ships registered under this Act and compliance  is monitored and regulated  by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS).
- The Rules developed by Central Government  under the Power granted by Section 356E of Merchant  Shipping Act, 1958 is to deal with pollution of seas from ship-generated  pollution sources.
- Ships are subjected to initial inspection once they are constructed  to ensure that the ship is fitted with all necessary equipment to prevent pollution of seas. Once the ship is put into operation,  it is subjected  to periodical  inspections  at regular intervals,  annually, to verify whether the pollution prevention  equipment are in order and that the vessel is in compliance  with all applicable rules and regulations for prevention of pollution.
- Surprise inspections  are also conducted  by Surveyors stationed at various Mercantile  Marine  Department on lndian and Foreign Flag vessels through powers granted under Section 356G  [Power  of Surveyor to board a ship (lndian or Foreign) to verify compliance to rules made under Section  356 El of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.

- ! The ships contravening  the requirements are detained  until the non-compliances are rectified and a detention fees is imposed.
- . To prevent ships contravening  the Regulatory  requirements  for operational necessity,Section356lintheMerchantShippingAct,l95Stoen.able-portsto provide ieception  facilities  at ports in order  to receive ship generated wastes.
- o The DGS as a proactive measure and also being custodian of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 has developed  a centralized  online  portal called ,Swachh  Sagar,, for request and provisioning of waste reception  facilities'
- o To reduce pollution of air by sulphur oxide, MARPOL Annex Vl (Prevention of Air pollution)  iras been amended'and now requires  that from 1 January 2020 sulphur content of fuel used on board ships should not exceed 0.5% mass/mass. The Directorate  General of shipping has issued Engineering circular o2 ot 2o19 implementing the same on lndian ships and foreign ships coming to lndian poris.
- . With respect  to prevention and control of pollution in inland-waterways,  the lnland waterways  Authority of lndia (lwAl) regulates the same through the state Maritime  Authorities  concerned.

(b) & (c) Yes, lndia has signed the lnternational convention for the Prevention  of i,6ttutio'i irom Ships (MARPOL). The MARPOL  Convention  has six annexes  (l to Vl) and it deals with prevention  of Pollution from ships by Oil, Noxious liquid  substances' Dangerous  goods in packaged form, sewage, Garbage and Air pollution from ships respectively.

## Details of Ratification  of these Annexes  are as below:

| MARPOL ANNEX   | HEADING OF ANNEX                                                              | DATE OF RATIFICATION BY INDIA   |
|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| I              | Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by oil                            | 24 September 1986               |
| II             | Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances i4 Qqlf | 24 September 1986               |
| lil            | Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form | 11 June 2003                    |
|                | Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from €l4s                                   | 11 June 2003                    |
|                | Prevention of Pollution by Garbage frS!!S!!pq                                 | '1 1 June 2003                  |
|                | Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships                                        | 23 November 201 1               |