Discharge of gray water from cruise ships in UAE waters

03 Mar 2023 / United Arab Emirates

The UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure has issued Ministerial Resolution No. (36) of 2023, for regulating the discharge of gray water from cruise ships, defined as below:

Gray water: The water that is being discharged from the sinks, washing machines, bathtubs, and dishwashers and does not include sewage.

Cruise ships: Ships certified to carry more than 100 persons and equipped with overnight accommodations.

All cruise ships as defined above are required to abide with the Ministerial resolution as detailed below:

  1. It is prohibited to discharge the gray water into the internal waters of the State and the ports, marinas, canyons, straits, water channels and natural or artificial bays contained therein.

  2. The discharge of gray water into the marine environment of the State Including the EEZ shall meet the following conditions:
    a. The cruise ship shall discharge the treated gray water while sailing in its navigational line at a speed of not less than 6 knots and at not less than 4 nautical miles from the nearest shore land, populated area, aquatic development facility and marine reserve in the waters of the State.
    b. In the case of discharge of the untreated gray water into the UAE marine environment, the cruise ship shall discharge untreated gray water while sailing in its navigational line at a speed of not less than 6 knots and at not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest shore land, populated area, aquaculture development facility or marine reserve in the waters of the State.
    c. Discharged gray water should not form visible marks or streaks of gloss on the surface of the seawater.

  3. The competent local authorities in each emirate shall provide the necessary reception facilities at the ports and marinas for receiving gray water from cruise ships.

(For information about cruise operations in the United Arab Emirates, contact GAC at [email protected])

Source: United Arab Emirates Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure Circular No.3 of 2023 dated 2 March 2023

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.

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