Garbage Management Plan(GMP) on a Ship

The following points are mandatory for an approved garbage management plan:

Description of the training or education programs to facilitate garbage treatment.
Identification of the location of each collection point.
Garbage disposal methods.
Possible local recycling agreements.
Written procedures for Collecting Garbage.
Identification of the operational and maintenance procedures available for on-board collection equipment.
Ships details.
Entry to be made in garbage register.
Emergency and accidental discharge criteria.
Needs of the reception facilities.
Garbage storage methods and garbage station.
Garbage processing methods available on the ship.
Overview of Annex V of MARPOL.
List of equipments for handling garbage on ship.
Signs for disposal criteria.

There are additional factors to marine pollution which include not only the effects of oil and harmful gas emissions but also garbage generated on the ship during normal operation. In fact, among these there are also garbage of plastic, synthetics, oil rags, cardboard boxes etc., which are equally harmful for marine organisms and environment as is oil to the sea. It is therefore necessary a garbage management plan on ship.

The Garbage Management Plan is a complete written protocol which includes all the procedures for garbage generated onboard ship – as per regulations provided in Annex V of MARPOL – to be properly collected, stored, processed and disposed. Training for proper garbage disposal onboard ship must be given to ship’s staff together with knowledge on garbage disposal regulations at sea and in special areas.

For all ships above 100GT and on ships certified to carry 15 people or more, the GMP is mandatory and it is written in the working language of the crew as per the guidelines developed by the organization. Moreover, it shall be kept onboard as a record for a period of two years from the date of last entry. The garbage management plan on ship must be maintained by a responsible officer together with 2nd engineer (engine department).