At IMO MEPC 70th session the amendments to the Annex V of the MARPOL Convention related to the Form of Garbage Record Book were adopted. These amendments were adopted by Resolution MEPC.277(70) with the entry-into-force date 1 March 2018 and include the following:

• Amendments to Regulation 4 and 6 of the Annex V of the MARPOL Convention (garbage discharge provisions) providing criteria for the classification of solid bulk cargoes as harmful to the marine environment by adding the appendix to this Annex (See Annex II);
• Form of Garbage Record Book improved in order to distinguish the information on delivery/discharge to Port Reception Facilities of cargo residues. New form will consist of two parts – Part I remains similar to the present form, Part II will include records for Cargo residues only (HME and Non-HME) (See Annex III to this Circular);
• New category of waste “e-waste” is included in form of Garbage Record Book (See Annex I to this Circular). Definition for this category of waste is already laid down in 2012 Guidelines for the implementation of MARPOL Annex V (resolution MEPC.219(63), as amended by resolution MEPC.239(65));
• Additional table introduced in Part I of the form of Garbage Record Book to ensure the records on exceptional discharges or loss of garbage under Regulation 7 (Exceptions) are kept;
• Alignment of the Regulation 10 of the Annex V (Placards, garbage management plans and garbage record-keeping) to amended form of Garbage Record Book.

Proposals put forward by Intertanko and others to IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) should reduce the risks faced by seafarers during lifeboat drills. In fairly quick succession, MSC’s 97th meeting in November last year, followed by the fourth meeting of its Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE) sub-committee in March and the 98th MSC meeting in June, considered and approved some important changes to IMO’s guidelines for conducting lifeboat drills.

One of the key changes is that drills “should avoid the physical activation of the release mechanism in order to avoid exposing the crew to the risk of accidental release of the lifeboat,” said Intertanko senior technical manager Gil-Yong Han. That text was included in a submission to SSE 4 by members of the informal Industry Lifeboat Group (ILG), of which Intertanko is a member.