Question 1

You are the Chief Engineer and discover that the Oily Water Separator (OWS) 15ppm alarm has been triggering frequently during recent operations, and a junior engineer suggests temporarily bypassing the OWS overboard discharge to "save time" during a busy port turnaround, intending to process the bilge water properly once at sea. How should you respond?

Accepted Answer

Refuse the bypass under any circumstances — any overboard discharge bypassing the OWS and oil content monitor constitutes illegal discharge under MARPOL Annex I, and instead arrange for bilge water to be retained onboard or discharged ashore via a reception facility, while also investigating the cause of the frequent 15ppm alarms Bypassing the OWS and oil content monitoring equipment for overboard discharge is illegal under MARPOL Annex I regardless of intent, frequency, or whether it is recorded, and "magic pipe" arrangements of exactly this kind have resulted in some of the largest criminal penalties and prison sentences in maritime history, including for Chief Engineers who failed to prevent or report such arrangements. Frequent 15ppm alarms indicate either a genuine separation problem (requiring investigation and possible OWS maintenance) or contamination of the bilge water source, and the correct response addresses both the immediate compliance issue (retain onboard, discharge ashore) and the underlying technical cause.

Question 2

The yacht generates food waste, plastics, and oily rags during a passage more than 12 nautical miles from land. Under MARPOL Annex V, what must happen to the plastics?

Accepted Answer

All plastics must be retained on board for discharge to a port reception facility — discharge of plastics into the sea is prohibited under all circumstances MARPOL Annex V prohibits the discharge of all plastics into the sea, with no distance-from-land exception (unlike some other garbage categories). Plastics must be retained on board and landed ashore, recorded in the Garbage Record Book.

Question 3

Your vessel is preparing to bunker fuel alongside. As Master, what must be in place before bunkering starts under your SOPEP/SMPEP arrangements?

Accepted Answer

A pre-bunkering checklist completed (hose connections, drip trays, communication with the barge/terminal, spill response equipment ready and accessible), a dedicated watch maintained throughout, and SOPEP equipment immediately available SOPEP/SMPEP plans require pre-transfer checks, continuous watchkeeping during bunkering, clear communication with the supplying party, and immediately available spill response equipment — bunkering spills are a leading cause of MARPOL violations and pollution incidents.