More online information on port waste reception facilities

The system provides easy online access to information to the shipping industry on the possibilities to deliver ship generated waste in around 100 ports in Demark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Russia.

"The development of the information system is an important step towards the full implementation of the Baltic Strategy and the elimination of illegal discharges, which can have a serious negative impact on the marine ecosystem of the Baltic Sea" says Mr Tadas Navickas, Professional Secretary at the Helsinki Commission.

The system has been developed within the Danish programme for Cooperation for the Environment in Eastern Europe (DANCEE) and is located at the Secretariat of the Helsinki Commission in Finland. The participating ports are updating relevant information when needed and thus promote their services at a transparent basis. In addition to the information on the available reception facilities for different types of ship generated waste, their capacity and financial conditions, the system offers the possibility for the ships to notify the port about the intention to deliver waste and thus to ensure availability of relevant capacities in the port. Furthermore, the information system provides national authorities and international organizations with the overview of the implementation of the agreed policies.

Contacts

HELCOM Secretariat
Mr Tadas Navickas
Professional Secretary
Phone: +358 9 6220 2242
Mobile: +358 50 3683 802
Fax: +358 9 6220 2239

Notes for the Editor

The Strategy for Port Reception Facilities for Ship-Generated Wastes and Associated Issues (also known as the Baltic Strategy) has been adopted at the 17th Meeting of the Helsinki Commission in the late 1990s. Supported by several Recommendations of the Helsinki Commission the Baltic Strategy aims to ensure the elimination of the discharges of any waste from the ships to the Baltic Sea. Availability of the port waste reception facilities in the Baltic ports as well as mandatory delivery of ship-generated waste and the "no-special-fee" system make a backbone of the Baltic Strategy and uphold the "special area" status of the Baltic Sea agreed by international shipping community under MARPOL 73/78 in the 1980s.