Bypassing the OWS impasse

摘要

When first introduced more than thirty years ago oily water separators (OWS) were regarded as a peripheral piece of kit best left to junior engineers, while others concentrated on the important business of running the ship. How times have changed. The ensuing years have seen a heightened environmental consciousness drive both tighter regulation and a tougher punitive approach towards OWS abuse/misuse. Between 1995 and 2005, the United States Coastguard prosecuted 30 cases relating to apparent dumping of waste oil at sea — of these 21 were brought in the last four years.