| New legislation on ship pollution

The Government has
introduced a law that aims to
clean up cruise ships’ waste
disposal and energy practices.
AUSTRALIA’S shipping industry is undergoing
its most significant overhaul since it was
established in 1912, with the latest change
targeting cruise passenger ships.
The Maritime Legislation Amendment Bill
2012 was introduced into Parliament yesterday
to help reduce pollution from ships and
protect the marine environment.
It requires new ships to adhere to more
stringent energy efficiency targets and for all
ships to develop management plans setting
out how energy savings will be made.
Announcing the new law, Minister for
Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony
Albanese, said the cruise industry was not
immune.
“Passenger ships operating in designated
‘special areas’ will also face new restrictions
relating to the discharge of sewage and the
disposal of garbage in environmentally
sensitive areas,” he said.
“It’s timely for cruise ships to continue
improving their energy practices in a
responsible, systematic and sustainable way.”
The Bill implements amendments to the
International Convention for the Prevention of
Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) adopted by the
Marine Environment Protection Committee of
the United Nation’s International Maritime
Organization.
It makes mandatory the Energy Efficiency
Design Index for new ships of over 400 gross
tonnage that will be built on or after 01 Jan
2013 for international trade.
“New ships can meet energy efficiency
targets through improved hull design and more
energy efficient engines,” Albanese said.
It also makes mandatory a Ship Energy
Efficiency Management Plan for all ships of
that size.
The new legislation is part of a suite of bills
introduced by the Government in the last
month that will establish a single National
Marine Safety Regulator and the Navigation
Bill that modernises the 100 year old
Navigation Act.
“By strengthening the legislative approach to
protecting our pristine marine environment
from pollution, we’re doing all we can to
protect our waters and fragile environmental
assets for future generations,” said Albanese.