Every ship leaving a shipyard with a substandard water treatment system will pollute the oceans for the next 25 years.
This is a hidden crisis that fails to reach the public even though it is pretty established among those ever sailed on a commercial vessel and even some regulatory bodies, yet its impact on our marine ecosystems is devastating.
The MARPOL Convention, which governs ship pollution, is simply not enough. The regulations allow ships to meet minimal standards, enabling them to operate with wastewater treatment systems that fail to properly handle harmful substances. These ships continue to release pollutants such as black, grey and oily water into the oceans for decades, contributing to long-term environmental degradation.
Weak Regulations, Weak Solutions
One might point out that there are fewer detentions related to MARPOL Annex I violations today than in the past. However, this does not mean that the equipment being used is any better than it was 20 years ago. The reality is that even Port State Control seems to have lost focus in addressing the issue. They no longer prioritize these inspections or hold ships accountable for failing wastewater systems. A quick look at SkyTruth reveals just how serious the problem still is.
The issue lies in the weakness of the current regulations. MARPOL sets the bar too low. Shipowners comply with the bare minimum instead of investing in advanced technologies that were already available 30 years ago and remain so today. Systems capable of reducing pollutants far beyond current regulatory standards.
As it stands, there’s no incentive to adopt these technologies. Instead, loopholes allow ships to legally pollute, with no accountability for the damage they cause. Every vessel equipped with outdated systems continues to discharge waste into our seas, while we turn a blind eye to the real environmental cost.
A Simple Solution
We need to close the gaps and enforce stricter requirements that mandate the use of advanced water treatment technologies from day one. The shipping industry must be held accountable for its environmental footprint, and wastewater treatment must become a priority in maritime regulations.
This problem cannot remain hidden from the public any longer. The future of our oceans depends on immediate action. If we continue to allow ships to leave shipyards with substandard systems, we will be paying the environmental price for decades to come.
This issue needs to be addressed, or our oceans will continue to suffer in silence.
The views expressed here are those of the author and not necssarily those of the publisher, its affiliates or employees.