Play your part to reduce pollution

Play your part to reduce pollution © Transport for NSW Maritime

The Marine Pollution Regulation 2024 came into effect on 25th March 2024 and introduced changes to improve the management of marine pollution in NSW.

These changes will help protect our waters and coastal environment from pollution from vessels.

Major changes for Recreational vessels include:

• A broadening of the rules to ensure that they apply to vessels in all State waters
• Improving recreational vessel operators' compliance with pollution requirements by introducing a new offence for defective, altered or modified sewage systems that can allow for the illegal discharge of sewage
• Introducing oil pollution insurance requirements for super yachts (recreational vessels greater than 24m in length), and
• Introducing proactive measures to require pollutants such as oil to be removed from derelict or out of commission vessels.

Major changes for Domestic Commercial Vessels (DCVs) include:

• A Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate (SPPC) will be required for all prescribed DCVs which will be implemented in stages, subject to the class of the vessel, and
• Introducing the requirement of grey-water producing appliances (e.g. dishwashers, galley sinks) to be fitted with a suitable grease trap if they are connected to the sewage system

More information is available through our websites:

• Check out the rules for private vessels
• Check out the rules for commercial vessels