Do Not Dispose Carelessly! ... Sacheon Coast Guard Offers Free Collection of Fishing Vessel Bilge Water

Campaign for Legal Processing Promotion Until June 24

Gyeongnam Sacheon Coast Guard providing free collection of bilge water from small fishing vessels.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Sacheon Maritime Police Station in Gyeongnam, together with the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation and fishing villages, conducted free collection of bilge water from small fishing vessels at Jungchon in Sacheon City and Naengcheon Port in Namhae County.

Bilge water (船底廢水) is a mixture of oil and water that accumulates at the bottom of a ship's engine room and is a substance allowed to be discharged into the sea according to appropriate discharge standards and methods.

During navigation, oil pollution prevention equipment must be operating, and the oil content in the discharge must be 0.0015% or 15 ppm or less to be discharged.

Fishing vessels under 100 tons without oil pollution prevention equipment must discharge on land through authorized pollutant collection and treatment companies, and violating this results in imprisonment for up to 5 years or a fine of up to 50 million won.

The Sacheon Maritime Police have been promoting a campaign for the proper disposal of fishing vessel bilge water from May 30 to June 24 to prevent illegal discharge of pollutants generated by fishing vessels during the summer fishing season and to create a clean sea.

From the 14th for two days, bilge water was collected from nine small fishing vessels under 10 tons moored at the Jungchon and Naengcheon Port docks, and marine pollution prevention education was also conducted for the vessel owners.

A maritime police official said, “The willingness to properly handle bilge water generated during ship operation according to procedures is most important,” and added, “Unauthorized discharge causes marine pollution, so we hope for active participation in this campaign.”