RECALLING Article 38(a) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization
concerning the functions of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (the
Committee) conferred upon it by international conventions for the prevention and
control of marine pollution from ships,
RECALLING ALSO that, at its fifty-eighth session, it adopted, by resolution
MEPC.176(58), a revised MARPOL Annex
VI (hereinafter referred to as "MARPOL Annex
VI") and, by resolution MEPC.177(58), a revised Technical Code on Control
of Emission of Nitrogen Oxides from Marine Diesel Engines (hereinafter referred to
as the "NOX Technical Code 2008"),
NOTING regulation
13 of MARPOL Annex VI which makes the NOX Technical Code 2008 mandatory under that
Annex,
NOTING ALSO that the use of NOX-reducing devices is envisaged in the NOX Technical Code 2008 and that exhaust gas
recirculation (EGR) systems are such NOX-reducing devices for compliance
with the Tier II and/or Tier III NOX limit,
RECOGNIZING the need to develop guidelines for the discharge of EGR bleed-off
water,
HAVING CONSIDERED, at its seventy-third session, draft guidelines for the discharge
of EGR bleed-off water, prepared by the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and
Response, at its fifth session,
1 ADOPTS the 2018 Guidelines for the discharge of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)
bleed-off water, as set out at annex to the present resolution;
2 INVITES Administrations to take the annexed Guidelines into account in developing
provisions for regulating the discharge of EGR bleed-off water;
3 REQUESTS Parties to MARPOL Annex
VI and other Member Governments to bring the annexed Guidelines to the
attention of shipowners, ship operators, shipbuilders, marine diesel engine
manufacturers and any other interested parties;
4 AGREES to keep these Guidelines under review in light of experience gained with
their application.