Marine Advisory: 09/2020 - India Bans Plastic on Ships Update (Addendum No. 1)

(This Marine Advisory replaces Marine Advisory 16/2019) Subject: India Bans Plastic on Ships Update (Addendum No. 1) TO: ALL OWNERS/OPERATORS AND MASTERS OF LIBERIAN FLAGGED VESSELS

Dear Shipowner/Operator/Recognize Organization:

The Indian Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), Ministry of Shipping India has issued DGS Order No. 05 of 2019 imposing a ban on single use plastics on Indian flagged ships and foreign flagged ships that call to any port or place in India and during their passage through India’s territorial sea.

The DGS has recently released an addendum that clarifies what Single Use Plastics (SUP) are and what are considered acceptable SUP.

The addendum also outlines how to address SUP onboard vessels while in Indian Ports.

Definition for SUP

• Disposable plastics which are used only once and then thrown away by the user.

Items Excluded from ban

• Plastic items re-used on ships
• Juice/milk packets / tetra-packs with plastic lining or caps
• Biodegradable with stamp, marking, or certificate from manufacturer
• Cargo related items and packing materials
• Crew and passenger personnel effects for the time being
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Medicines
• Medical equipment
• Life-saving appliances
• Fire-fighting appliances
• Other statutory items

Items Included in ban

• Cutlery, plates, and cups
• Up to 10-liter bottles for water and other drinks
• Garbage and shopping bags
• Dispensing containers for cleaning fluids which are less than 10 liters volume

• Bags, trays, containers, food packaging film
• Milk bottles, freezer bags, shampoo bottles, ice cream containers
• Bottles of water and other drinks, dispensing containers for cleaning fluid, biscuit trays
• Hot drink cups, insulated food packaging, protective packaging for fragile items
• Microwave dishes, ice cream tubs, potato chip bags, bottle caps
• Non-biodegradable multi-layered packaging

The DGS is now requiring vessels to implement a Ship Execution Plan (SEP). The SEP is an inventory list indicating all single use plastic used on board ships by 31 January 2020 and 31 March 2020 for passenger ships. This plan will also need to address how the vessel will not use SUP items while in port.

Plan should be executed in accordance with the below table.

Vessels visiting Indian ports are not to use SUPs during their stay at an Indian port and need to include in their execution plan an outline of how the use of SUPs will be prevented. The DGS strongly urges the avoidance of using SUP onboard vessels.

If the vessel has not prepared an inventory list, SUP will not be allowed to be used onboard while in port as per the table below:

Waste reception facilities will still continue to be provided in all Indian ports through Swachh Sagar Portal including the disposal for single use plastic items. However, they should be kept segregated and marked for disposal.

Please contact the Fleet Performance Department at prevention@liscr.com if you have any questions.

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