Do Cruise Ships Dump Their Sewage In The Ocean

Such discharge has to be noted into a log book which is a legal document and verified by various authorities during inspections.

Do cruise ships dump their sewage in the ocean. One vessel in an EPA study produced. I am reasonably certain that large fish and mammal sewage dump a whole lot of poop per animal. Alaska has additional regulations for dumping near its waterways.

This means the ship can deal with their own waste ranging all the way from recycling to water filtration. You are right eventually it is dumped into the ocean but within international IMO national guidelines. While cruise ships disgorged their sewage and garbage in Alaskas Skagway harbor passengers disgorged into shops owned by the cruise ships rather than voyage into the spectacular scenery theyd supposedly come to see.

A general belief is that these enormous boats simply dump raw sewage and other pollutants straight into the oceans. According to Friends of the Earth a non-governmental environmental group which used the US Environmental Protection Agency data to calculate that a single 3000 person cruise ship pumps 150000 gallons of sewage into the ocean per week. Ships can dump treated sewage anywhere in the ocean except in Alaskan waters where companies must comply with higher state standards.

If dumping untreated sewage the ship must be located at least 12 miles offshore moving not less than four knots and using an approved discharge rate. All cruise ship sewage goes through what is called sewage treatment where solid and liquid waste is separated and sterilized then the solid is incinerated and the liquid is released back into the ocean. Secure Your Cruise Today With NCLs Flexible Cancellation Policy.

When factoring in all types of boats this total figure could be as high as 1 billion gallons per year. It must be done as per the international maritime laws. The sewage on the cruise ship includes the wastewater from the bathrooms toilets urinals medical premises and other similar facilities.

In fact according to the latest Cruise Ship Report Card by Friends of the Earth they might be about the worst. Three miles from shore the cruise ships that flock to the Caribbean cross a boundary where the sea becomes a dump for metal glass and other waste that is flushed overboard. Cruise ships like Symphony have a designated waste and recycling center.