Florida
Florida waters are part of the North American Emission Control Area and as such MARPOL Annex VI regulation 14 & regulation 4 apply. While discharges from EGCS are allowed and there no specific restrictions contained within the 2013 VGP, 2 ports, Port Canaveral and Port Everglades have local regulations controlling discharges from scrubbers:
Port Canaveral
The following can be found at https://www.portcanaveral.com/Cargo/Port-Tariff. (Rule 205 gives the port’s geographic location):
Canaveral Port Authority Tariff No. 16, Rule 500: Discharging /throwing trash, refuse and/or garbage into waterways
It shall be unlawful for any person, company or corporation to deposit, place or discharge into the waterways of Port Canaveral either directly or through private or public sewers, any sanitary sewage, garbage, dead animals, gaseous liquid or solid matter, petroleum product, calcium or carbide, trade waste, tar or refuse, ship engine exhaust scrubber washwater effluent discharge, or any other matter, which is capable of producing floating matter or scum on the surface of the water, sediment on the bottom of the waterways, turbid water within the water column, or the odors and gasses of putrefaction. In addition, all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules or regulations pertaining to air and water pollution shall be rigidly observed.
Vessels discharging oil from bilges or tanks into the waters of Port Canaveral will be reported to the U.S. Coast Guard. All vessels, their owners or agents, and all other users of CPA facilities, shall be held responsible for any such discharges caused by them.
CPA reserves the right to undertake any assessment or corrective action deemed necessary or prudent to protect public health or property. The cost of assessment and corrective action plus 50% will be assessed to vessel causing such discharge.
Port Everglades
The following can be found in Section Ten: Security, Safety, Damage and Environmental – Rules, Regulations & Fees at https://www.porteverglades.net/development/tariff/. (Section One on the same webpage gives the port’s geographic location):
Tariff No. 12, Item No. 1015 − Discharge of pollutants and nuisances.
The discharge of ballast water and a ship engine exhaust scrubber washwater effluent from a vessel in Port Everglades harbor is prohibited unless performed in conformance with Chapter 27, Pollution Control, Article V, 27-193(b)(3)a., of the Broward County Code of Ordinances. Broward County Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department (“EPGMD”) retains jurisdiction over all ballast water and ship engine exhaust scrubber washwater effluent discharge activities at Port Everglades, including, but not limited to, enforcement actions.
IMPORTANT NOTES FOR SHIP OPERATORS
Boward County Code of Ordinances 27-193(b)(3)a (click here to view the Boward County webpage):
(3) Non-domestic wastewater:
a. New discharges prohibited: After March 12, 1984, no new non-domestic (except stormwater runoff) discharge to surface waters or to ground waters is permitted, suffered, or allowed except as provided for under a county license valid on the aforementioned date and renewed per section 27-60 since March 12, 1984, or as may be allowed for non-domestic stormwater discharges. Non-domestic wastewater discharges existing on March 12, 1984, and in use since that time shall not be increased in quantity or decreased in quality, unless approved by EPGMD upon demonstration that the activity does not pose a significant threat to the public health or environment.
It should also be noted that any discharges must comply with Sec. 27-195. – Water quality standards & Sec. 27-196. – Effluent standards, and that Sec. 27-195. Table 1 contains an extensive list of parameters, substances and limits, including PAH, turbidity (10 NTU), pH (6.5) and various metals that are relevant to EGCS.
