Port Reception Facilities on the agenda in Kiel
The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) from Germany is planning to hold an International Workshop on Port Reception Facilities for the Baltic Sea as Special Area according to MARPOL Annex IV . The event is to be held at the premises of the Wissenschaftszentrum in Kiel and will be organized in cooperation with the Port of Kiel and the Baltic Ports Organization (BPO).
The workshop is aimed at strengthening the cooperation between policy makers, administrators, municipal sewage treatment providers, port managers and representatives from the cruise/ shipping industry and NGO's on matters regarding the development of a comprehensive network of Baltic ports equipped with adequate port reception facilities (PRFs) for sewage from passenger ships.
The Baltic Sea is home to a highly sensitive marine ecosystem, that is under constant threat of pollution from different fields of human activity. It is vital for the development of the Baltic region to address future challenges by identifying best practices and increasing the exchange of technical know-how between the stakeholders involved in the area.
The main goals of the event are to bring together the representatives of the different stakeholder groups on a political level, provide an update on regulatory developments and implementation efforts related to PRFs both regionally and internationally and discuss selected political, technical and legal issues.
The topic of obligatory delivery of sewage from passenger ships remains one of BPO's main priorities. Baltic ports need to be adequately prepared for the upcoming deadlines and costs linked to the development of necessary infrastructure. The dates for the special area restrictions have been set to June 1st 2019 for new passenger vessels and June 1st 2021 for existing passenger ships.
The workshop is planned on 30 June to 1 July 2016. A site visit of the Port of Kiel or the Municipal Waste Water Treatment of Kiel and a networking dinner will be a part of the event.