Lamor supports Mongla port in meeting Marpol Convention requirements for suitable ship waste reception facilities

Challenge

The 1973 Marpol Convention stipulates that each signatory government is responsible for providing facilities to receive ship residues without causing unnecessary delays to the vessels. The convention requires adequate waste reception facilities to be available in each port, tailored to the needs of port users, port size, geographical location, and types of ships visiting the port.

The challenge lies in effectively managing the diverse types of waste generated by ships during their voyages, such as sewage, garbage, bilge water, oily waste, and waste from engine rooms or cargo tanks.

Solution

In response to the challenge, Bangladesh signed the MARPOL Convention and mandated suitable waste collection, reception, and treatment facilities for all maritime ports, including Mongla port. At Mongla port, an estimated 27,460 tons of waste was generated, with oily waste accounting for 89%.

The implemented solution involved collecting all waste produced on board ships and treating oily residues using specialised equipment for emulsion, water, and sediment separation. A biotreatment system with two reactors was employed for sewage, ensuring proper water discharge into the river. Solid waste that could not be recycled locally was incinerated alongside waste from other treatment units within the Port Reception Facility to minimise environmental impact.

“The positive impact is that a ship goes alongside vessels to collect all kinds of waste produced on board, and the waste is treated in several steps using specialized equipment to minimize the impacts of waste on the environment”, says Stephen Reilly, Sales Asia.

Impact

The positive outcome of this project is that a ship collects various types of waste produced on board other vessels and processes it through several stages using specialised equipment, minimising the environmental impact.

Solid waste that cannot be recycled locally is incinerated alongside waste generated in other treatment units to reduce its impact. The treated water meets European standards and can be released into rivers, used as an energy source or sold to industries. Furthermore, to prevent additional pollution, all waste produced and any solid waste from ships are incinerated with specialised exhaust gas treatment, in accordance with EU standards for special areas.