33 CFR 151.05 – Definitions
As used in this subpart—
Act means the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, as amended (33 U.S.C. §§ 1901–1911).
Antarctica means the area south of 60 degrees south latitude.
Captain of the Port (COTP) means the Coast Guard officer designated by the Commandant to command a COTP Zone as described in part 3 of this chapter.
Cargo residues means the remnants of any cargo which are not covered by other MARPOL Annexes and which remain on the deck or in holds following loading or unloading, including loading and unloading excess or spillage, whether in wet or dry condition or entrained in wash water, but does not include cargo dust remaining on the deck after sweeping or dust on the external surfaces of the ship.
Clean ballast means the ballast in a tank which, since oil was last carried therein, has been so cleaned that effluent therefrom, if it were discharged from a ship that is stationary into clean calm water on a clear day would not produce visible traces of oil on the surface of the water or adjoining shorelines or cause a sludge or emulsion to be deposited beneath the surface of the water or upon adjoining shorelines. If the ballast is discharged through an oil discharge monitoring and control system approved by the government of the country under whose authority the ship is operating, evidence based on such a system, to the effect that the oil content of the effluent does not exceed 15 parts per million (ppm) is determinative that the ballast is clean.
Commandant means Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard.
Cooking oil means any type of edible oil or animal fat used or intended to be used for the preparation or cooking of food, but does not include the food itself that is prepared using these oils.
Discharge means any release, however caused, from a ship and includes any escape, disposal, spilling, leaking, pumping, emitting or emptying. It does not include—
(1) Dumping within the meaning of the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, done at London on 13 November 1972; or
(2) Release of oil or oily mixtures directly arising from the exploration, exploitation and associated off-shore processing of sea-bed mineral resources.
Discharge, as defined by MARPOL in relation to harmful substances or effluent containing such substances, means any release however caused from a ship, and includes any escape, disposal, spilling, leaking, pumping, emitting or emptying. It does not include—
(1) Dumping within the meaning of the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, done at London on November 13, 1972; or
(2) The release of harmful substances directly arising from the exploration, exploitation, and associated offshore processing of seabed mineral resources; or
(3) The release of harmful substances for purposes of legitimate scientific research relating to pollution abatement or control.
Dishwater means the liquid residue from the manual or automatic washing of dishes and cooking utensils which have been pre-cleaned to the extent that any food particles adhering to them would not normally interfere with the operation of automatic dishwashers.
Domestic wastes means all types of wastes not covered by other MARPOL annexes that are generated in the accommodation spaces on board the ship. Domestic wastes do not include graywater.
En route means that the ship is underway at sea on a course or courses, including deviation from the shortest direct route, which as far as practicable for navigational purposes, will cause any discharge to be spread over as great an area of the sea as is reasonable and practicable.
Existing ship means a ship that is not a new ship.
Fishing gear means any physical device or part thereof or combination of items that may be placed on or in the water or on the sea-bed with the intended purpose of capturing, or controlling for subsequent capture or harvesting, marine or fresh water organisms.
Fixed or floating drilling rig or other platform means a fixed or floating structure located at sea which is engaged in the exploration, exploitation, or associated offshore processing of sea-bed mineral resources.
Food wastes means any spoiled or unspoiled food substances and includes fruits, vegetables, dairy products, poultry, meat products and food scraps generated aboard ship.
Fuel oil means any oil used to fuel the propulsion and auxiliary machinery of the ship carrying the fuel. The term “fuel oil” is also known as “oil fuel.”
Garbage means all kinds of food wastes, domestic wastes and operational wastes, all plastics, cargo residues, cooking oil, fishing gear, and animal carcasses generated during the normal operation of the ship and liable to be disposed of continuously or periodically except those substances which are defined or listed in other Annexes to the present Convention. Garbage does not include fresh fish and parts thereof generated as a result of fishing activities undertaken during the voyage, or as a result of aquaculture activities which involve the transport of fish including shellfish for placement in the aquaculture facility and the transport of harvested fish including shellfish from such facilities to shore for processing.
Graywater means drainage from dishwater, shower, laundry, bath, and washbasin drains. It does not include drainage from toilets, urinals, hospitals, animal spaces, and cargo spaces.
Great Lakes means the Great Lakes of North America and the St. Lawrence River west of a rhumb line drawn from Cap des Rosiers to West Point, Anticosti Island, and, on the north side of Anticosti Island, the meridian of longitude 63 degrees west.
Harmful substance means any substance which, if introduced into the sea, is liable to create hazards to human health, harm living resources and marine life, damage amenities, or interfere with other legitimate uses of the sea, and includes any substance subject to control by MARPOL.
Harmful to the marine environment in relation to the discharge of:
(1) Cargo residues means residues of solid bulk substances which are classified according to the criteria of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (UN GHS) meeting the following parameters:
(i) Acute Aquatic Toxicity Category 1; and/or
(ii) Chronic Aquatic Toxicity Category 1 or 2; and/or
(iii) Carcinogenicity Category 1A or 1B combined with not being rapidly degradable and having high bioaccumulation; and/or
(iv) Mutagenicity Category 1A or 1B combined with not being rapidly degradable and having high bioaccumulation; and/or
(v) Reproductive Toxicity Category 1A or 1B combined with not being rapidly degradable and having high bioaccumulation; and/or
(vi) Specific Target Organ Toxicity Repeated Exposure Category 1 combined with not being rapidly degradable and having high bioaccumulation; and/or
(vii) Solid bulk cargoes containing or consisting of synthetic polymers, rubber, plastics, or plastic feedstock pellets (this includes materials that are shredded, milled, chopped, or macerated or similar materials).
(2) Cleaning agents or additives means a cleaning agent or additive that is:
(i) A “harmful substance” in accordance with the criteria in MARPOL Annex III; and/or
(ii) Contains any components which are known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic.
Notes to definition of Harmful to the marine environment:
1. These criteria are based on UN GHS, fourth revised edition (2011). For specific products (e.g., metals and inorganic metal compounds), guidance available in UN GHS, annexes 9 and 10 is essential for proper interpretation of the criteria and classification and should be followed.
2. These are products with a hazard statement classification for Carcinogenicity, Mutagenicity, Reproductive Toxicity, or Specific Target Organ Toxicity Repeated Exposure for oral hazards, dermal hazards, or without specification of the exposure route.
High viscosity Category B NLS means any Category B NLS having a viscosity of at least 25 mPa.s at 20 °C and at least 25 mPa.s at the time it is unloaded.
High viscosity Category C NLS means any Category C NLS having a viscosity of at least 60 mPa.s at 20 °C and at least 60 mPa.s at the time it is unloaded.
High viscosity NLS includes Category A NLSs having a viscosity of at least 25 mPa.s at 20 °C and at least 25 mPa.s at the time they are unloaded, high viscosity Category B NLSs, and high viscosity Category C NLSs.
Incinerator ashes means ash and clinkers resulting from shipboard incinerators used for the incineration of garbage.
Instantaneous rate of discharge of oil content means the rate of discharge of oil in liters per hour at any instant divided by the speed of the ship in knots at the same instant.
International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines means the guidelines for the Implementation of MARPOL Annex V (IMO Resolution MEPC.219(63), adopted March 2, 2012) and other garbage pollution related guidance approved or adopted by the IMO.
Length means the horizontal distance between the foremost part of a ship’s stem to the aftermost part of its stern, excluding fittings and attachments.
Major conversion means a conversion of an existing ship—
(1) That substantially alters the dimensions or carrying capacity of the ship; or
(2) That changes the type of the ship; or
(3) The intent of which, in the opinion of the government of the country under whose authority the ship is operating, is substantially to prolong its life; or
(4) Which otherwise so alters the ship that, if it were a new ship, it would become subject to relevant provisions of MARPOL not applicable to it as an existing ship.
Marine pollutant means a harmful substance in packaged form, as it appears in Appendix B of 49 CFR 172.101.
MARPOL means the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocols of 1978 and 1997 relating to that Convention. A copy of MARPOL is available from the International Maritime Organization, 4 Albert Embankment, London, SE1, 7SR, United Kingdom.
Medical waste means isolation wastes, infectious agents, human blood and blood products, pathological wastes, sharps, body parts, contaminated bedding, surgical wastes and potentially contaminated laboratory wastes, dialysis wastes, and such additional medical items as prescribed by the Administrator of the EPA by regulation.
Navigable waters means the territorial sea of the United States (as defined in Presidential Proclamation 5928 of December 27, 1988) and the internal waters of the United States.
Nearest land. The term “from the nearest land” means from the baseline from which the territorial sea of the territory in question is established in accordance with international law, except that, for the purposes of these regulations, “from the nearest land” off the northeastern coast of Australia shall mean from a line drawn from a point on the coast of Australia in—latitude 11°00? South, longitude 142°08? East to a point in—latitude 10°35? South, longitude 141°55? East, thence to a point—latitude 10°00? South, longitude 142°00? East, thence to a point—latitude 9°10? South, longitude 143°52? East, thence to a point—latitude 9°00? South, longitude 144°30? East, thence to a point—latitude 10°41? South, longitude 145°00? East, thence to a point—latitude 13°00? South, longitude 145°00? East, thence to a point—latitude 15°00? South, longitude 146°00? East, thence to a point—latitude 17°30? South, longitude 147°00? East, thence to a point—latitude 21°00? South, longitude 152°55? East, thence to a point on the coast of Australia in latitude 24°42? South, longitude 153°15? East.
New ship means a ship—
(1) For which the building contract is placed after December 31, 1975; or
(2) In the absence of a building contract, the keel of which is laid or which is at a similar stage of construction after June 30, 1976; or
(3) The delivery of which is after December 31, 1979; or
(4) That has undergone a major conversion—
(i) For which the contract is placed after December 31, 1975;
(ii) In the absence of a contract, the construction work of which is begun after June 30, 1976; or
(iii) That is completed after December 31, 1979.
(5) For the purposes of §§ 151.26 through 151.28, which is delivered on or after April 4, 1993.
NLS means Noxious Liquid Substance.
NLS Certificate means an International Pollution Prevention Certificate for the Carriage of Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk issued under MARPOL.
Noxious liquid substance (NLS) means—
(1) Each substance listed in § 151.47 or § 151.49;
(2) Each substance having an “A”, “B”, “C”, or “D” beside it’s name in the column headed “Pollution Category” in Table 1 of 46 CFR Part 153; and
(3) Each substance that is identified as an NLS in a written permission issued under 46 CFR 153.900 (d).
Oceangoing ship means a ship that—
(1) Is operated under the authority of the United States and engages in international voyages;
(2) Is operated under the authority of the United States and is certificated for ocean service;
(3) Is operated under the authority of the United States and is certificated for coastwise service beyond three miles from land;
(4) Is operated under the authority of the United States and operates at any time seaward of the outermost boundary of the territorial sea of the United States as defined in § 2.22 of this chapter; or
(5) Is operated under the authority of a country other than the United States.
A Canadian or U.S. ship being operated exclusively on the Great Lakes of North America or their connecting and tributary waters, or exclusively on the internal waters of the United States and Canada; is not an “oceangoing” ship.
Oil means petroleum whether in solid, semi-solid, emulsified, or liquid form, including but not limited to, crude oil, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuse, oil residue, and refined products, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes the substances listed in Appendix I of Annex I of MARPOL. “Oil” does not include animal and vegetable based oil or noxious liquid substances (NLS) designated under Annex II of MARPOL.
Oil cargo residue means any residue of oil cargo whether in solid, semi-solid, emulsified, or liquid form from cargo tanks and cargo pump room bilges, including but not limited to, drainages, leakages, exhausted oil, muck, clingage, sludge, bottoms, paraffin (wax), and any constituent component of oil. The term “oil cargo residue” is also known as “cargo oil residue.”
Oil residue means oil cargo residue.
Oil residue (sludge) means the residual waste oil products generated during the normal operation of a ship such as those resulting from the purification of fuel or lubricating oil for main or auxiliary machinery, separated waste oil from oil filtering equipment, waste oil collected in drip trays, and waste hydraulic and lubricating oils.
Oil residue (sludge) tank means a tank which holds oil residue (sludge) from which sludge may be disposed directly through the standard discharge connection or any other approved means of disposal.
Oil tanker means a ship constructed or adapted primarily to carry oil in bulk in its cargo spaces and includes combination carriers and any “chemical tanker” as defined in Annex II of MARPOL when it is carrying a cargo or part cargo of oil in bulk.
Oil-like NLS means each cargo listed in § 151.49.
Oily bilge water means water which may be contaminated by oil resulting from things such as leakage or maintenance work in machinery spaces. Any liquid entering the bilge system including bilge wells, bilge piping, tank top or bilge holding tanks is considered oily bilge water.
Oily bilge water holding tank means a tank collecting oily bilge water prior to its discharge, transfer or disposal.
Oily mixture means a mixture, in any form, with any oil content. “Oily mixture” includes, but is not limited to—
(1) Slops from bilges;
(2) Slops from oil cargoes (such as cargo tank washings, oily waste, and oily refuse);
(3) Oil residue (sludge); and
(4) Oily ballast water from cargo or fuel oil tanks.
Operational wastes means all solid wastes (including slurries) not covered by other MARPOL Annexes that are collected on board during normal maintenance or operations of a ship, or used for cargo stowage and handling. Operational wastes also include cleaning agents and additives contained in cargo hold and external wash water. Operational wastes does not include discharges essential to the operation of a ship, including but not limited to graywater, bilge water, ballast water, controllable pitch propeller and thruster hydraulic fluid and other oil to sea interfaces (e.g., thruster bearings, stabilizers, rudder bearings, etc.), deck washdown and runoff and above water line hull cleaning (not harmful to the marine environment), firemain systems water, gas turbine wash water, and/or non-oily machinery wastewater.
Person means an individual, firm, public or private corporation, partnership, association, State, municipality, commission, political subdivision of a State, or any interstate body.
Plastic means a solid material, which contains as an essential ingredient one or more high molecular mass polymers, and which is formed (shaped) during either the manufacture of the polymer or the fabrication into a finished product by heat and/or pressure. Plastics have material properties ranging from hard and brittle to soft and elastic. For the purposes of these regulations, “all plastics” means all garbage that consists of or includes plastic in any form, including synthetic ropes, synthetic fishing nets, plastic garbage bags and incinerator ashes from plastic products.
Port means—
(1) A group of terminals that combines to act as a unit and be considered a port for the purposes of this subpart;
(2) A port authority or other organization that chooses to be considered a port for the purposes of this subpart; or
(3) A place or facility that has been specifically designated as a port by the COTP.
Prewash means a tank washing operation that meets the procedure in 46 CFR 153.1120.
Recognized Classification Society means a classification society that is a participating member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).
Recycling means the activity of segregating and recovering components and materials for reprocessing.
Residues and mixtures containing NLSs (NLS residue) means—
(1) Any Category A, B, C, or D NLS cargo retained on the ship because it fails to meet consignee specifications;
(2) Any part of a Category A, B, C, or D NLS cargo remaining on the ship after the NLS is discharged to the consignee, including but not limited to puddles on the tank bottom and in sumps, clingage in the tanks, and substance remaining in the pipes; or
(3) Any material contaminated with Category A, B, C, or D NLS cargo, including but not limited to bilge slops, ballast, hose drip pan contents, and tank wash water.
Segregated ballast means the ballast water introduced into a tank that is completely separated from the cargo oil and fuel oil system and that is permanently allocated to the carriage of ballast or to the carriage of ballast or cargoes other than oil or noxious substances as variously defined in the Annexes of MARPOL.
Ship means a vessel of any type whatsoever, operating in the marine environment. This includes hydrofoils, air-cushion vehicles, submersibles, floating craft whether self-propelled or not, and fixed or floating drilling rigs and other platforms.
Shipboard oil pollution emergency plan means a plan prepared, submitted, and maintained according to the provisions of §§ 151.26 through 151.28 of this subpart for United States ships or maintained according to the provisions of § 151.29(a) of this subpart for foreign ships operated under the authority of a country that is party to MARPOL or carried on board foreign ships operated under the authority of a country that is not a party to MARPOL, while in the navigable waters of the United States, as evidence of compliance with § 151.21 of this subpart.
Solidifying NLS means a Category A, B, or C NLS that has a melting point—
(1) Greater than 0 °C but less than 15 °C and a temperature, measured under the procedure in 46 CFR 153.908(d), that is less than 5 °C above its melting point at the time it is unloaded; or
(2) 15 °C or greater and a temperature, measured under the procedure in 46 CFR 153.908(d), that is less than 10 °C above its melting point at the time it is unloaded.
Special area means a sea area, where for recognized technical reasons in relation to its oceanographical and ecological condition and to the particular character of the traffic, the adoption of special mandatory methods for the prevention of sea pollution by oil, NLSs, or garbage is required.
Terminal means an onshore facility or an offshore structure located in the navigable waters of the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and used, or intended to be used, as a port or facility for the transfer or other handling of a harmful substance.
The Coast Guard interprets commercial fishing facilities, recreational boating facilities, and mineral and oil industry shorebases to be terminals for the purposes of Annex V of MARPOL, since these facilities normally provide wharfage and other services, including garbage handling, for ships.
U.S. inspected ships means those ship required to be inspected and certificated under 46 CFR 2.01-7.