International rules and management strategies of waste generated by commercial vessels

This paper presents a review on commercial vessel generated waste. In this context various ship waste categories are identified (oily wastes, Black water, Grey water, Ballast water, Garbage, Air emission), their variation between different vessel types is pinpointed and the legal framework and guidelines for their management and handling are drafted adequately. Ship waste shall be refer to any harmful substance (for both the marine environment and the public health), which is generated during the usual day-to-day ship operation. Past experience has proven that these wastes accumulate significant quantities and therefore potential for marine pollution. Thus, only after recent significant environment damage (e.g. in Alaska, the Caribbean Sea etc) has occurred, did the international maritime community turn its attention on the matter. Only Through an international marine forum marine pollution from ships can be satisfactorily tackles. That forum is the International Maritime Organization (IMO) whose twin objectives are maritime safety and the prevention of marine pollution caused by ships. Finally, more attention should be calculated to ship waste streams, monitoring of the illegal outputs and ship waste reception facilities on the beach with a common framework, to be proposed.