Working for a sustainable ocean – pollution prevention Sub-Committee meets

IMO's Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR), meets this week (22-26 March) in remote session.

The Sub-Committee will carry on with agenda items aimed at minimizing the impact of shipping on the fragile Arctic environment. It is expected to consider draft guidelines on mitigation measures to reduce risks of use and carriage of heavy fuel oil as fu el by ships in Arctic waters, which have been developed by a correspondence group.

The Sub-Committee is also expected to discuss a number of submissions related to reducing the impact on the Arctic of Black Carbon emissions from international shipping.

Prevention of pollution by sewage from ships is another important agenda item. A correspondence group will report on its review of MARPOL Annex IV regulations and the related 2012 guidelines Guidelines on implementation of effluent standards and performance tests for sewage treatment plants (resolution MEPC.227(64)).

IMO's work to prevent the spread of potentially harmful invasive aquatic species is continuing. The Sub-Committee will continue its work on the development of a standard for the verification of ballast water compliance monitoring devices. IMO's Ballast Water Management Convention, which has been in force since 2017, aims to prevent the spread of harmful species in ballast water by requiring ships to manage their ballast water.

Invasive species can also hitch a ride on the outside of ships. The Sub-Committee will continue its review of the IMO Biofouling Guidelines, which provide a globally consistent approach to the management of biofouling – the accumulation of various aquatic organisms on ships' hulls.
IMO' s action plan to address marine plastic litter is relevant to the Sub-Committee. Specifically, the Sub-Committee will consider the output of a correspondence group, which has been looking at how to address losses or discharges of fishing gear, including reporting requirements.

The meeting was opened by IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim and is being chaired by Dr Flavio Da Costa Fernandes (Brazil).