With effect from 1st January 2006, all ocean-going ships will be prohibited from conductingonboard incineration while operating within three miles of the California coast. In addition, all large passenger ships and ocean-going ships will be prohibited from releasing hazardous or other waste, sewage sludge or oily bilge water into the state’s marine waters. Ocean-going ships with sufficient holding tank capacity and all large passenger ships will be further prohibited from releasing sewage and/or grey water.

If any of the above is released, the owner or operator will have to notify the State Water Resources Control Board within 24 hours. The notification must include the date, time, location,volume and source of the release and provide details of remedial action taken to prevent futurereleases. The master, owner or operator of any ocean-going ship operated in the marine water of the state during 2006 must maintain records of the following information and provide it to the State Lands Commission upon the vessel’s departure from its first port or place of call in California:

• vessel details: name, IMO number, vessel type, owner/operator, gross tonnage, keel
• laid date, port of registry and typical or required number of crew
• grey and black water information, including capacity of holding tanks
• marine sanitation devices information and details of connections to pump-out facilities
• California port of call information, expected number of calls, in days, during 2006

For the purposes of the above, ‘ocean-going ship’ means a private, commercial, government, ormilitary vessel of 300 grt or more calling at California ports or places. ‘Large passenger vessel’ means a vessel of 300 grt or more that is engaged in the carrying of passengers for hire, excluding:

• vessels without berths or overnight accommodations for passengers
• non-commercial vessels, warships, vessels operated by non-profit entities and vessels operated by the California state, the US, or a foreign government.