When the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) made new sewage treatment plant guidelines mandatory under MARPOL Annex IV at its 64th meeting, it seemed to be another example of 'aspirational regulations', according to Robert Ashdown, the European Cruise Council's (ECC) director for technical, environment and operations. The revisions to Annex IV specify stringent waste-water treatment standards (see table) for systems installed on passengerships operating in designated special areas such as the Baltic Sea. 'It was surprising to us to see a new special area adopted that is only applicable to one ship type,' comments Ashdown.
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