USCG: Revision of MARPOL Annex V/10 guidelines for Garbage Record Book

The United States Coast Guard issued Marine Safety Information Bulletin MSIB 03/24 concerning the updated requirements for Garbage Record Books.

The MSIB was published on 25 March 2024.

This Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) serves to notify the maritime industry of the revised applicability criteria to maintain a garbage record book (GRB). These changes are a result of the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) adoption of amendments to MARPOL Annex V Regulation 10 – Placards, garbage management plans and garbage record-keeping.

As of May 1, 2024, the effective date of amendments to MARPOL Annex V adopted in MEPC.360(79), the following are required by Annex V to carry and make entries in a garbage record book (or a logbook, if the vessel is less than 100 GT):

• all ships of 100 gross tons and above engaged in voyages to ports or offshore terminals under the jurisdiction of another Party to Annex V;
• all ships which are certified to carry 15 or more persons engaged in voyages to ports or offshore terminals under the jurisdiction of another Party to Annex V; and
• all fixed or floating platforms.

The United States is party to MARPOL Annex V (Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships), which includes garbage recordkeeping requirements. The U.S. implements the MARPOL Protocol, as defined in 33 U.S.C. 1901(a)(4), through the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS). (See 33 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.) The U.S. has accepted the Annex V amendments in MEPC.360(79), as provided in APPS. APPS makes Annex V applicable to U.S. flagged ships, as well as to ships other than U.S. flagged ships, while in the navigable waters of the U.S. and while in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). (See 33 U.S.C. 1902.) By operation of law, the amendments will supersede any existing Coast Guard regulations which are inconsistent with the amendments.

Resolution MEPC.360(79), which sets out the GRB amendment language, is available to the public at MEPC 360 79 (imo.org).

Questions regarding these requirements should be sent to the Coast Guard Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance, by email at CGCVC@uscg.mil.

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):

Amendment to MARPOL Annex V/10: Update to Garbage Record Book Requirements