MSA Imposes Penalty for Pollutant Discharge in Bohai Sea: Inland Water Definition Clarified

On the afternoon of August 4th, 2023, the MSA (Maritime Safety Administration) decided to impose a penalty of RMB 50,000 to 80,000 for violating pollutant discharge regulations on the subject vessel in the BOHAI area after a meeting.

However, it should be noted that the baselines for the Bohai Sea waters have not been announced. According to the GB3552-2018 'DISCHARGE STANDARD FOR WATER POLLUTANTS FROM SHIPS,' the definition of INLAND WATER includes rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and other surface water bodies within the territory of the People's Republic of China. As stated in term 4.1, all sewage should be collected in receiving facilities and prohibited from being discharged into the sea in inland water areas.

Based on previous experience in handling similar cases, the China MSA considers the area west of the connecting line between the west corner of Lao Tie Shan and Penglai Jiao as China's inland water, where all waste from ships is strictly forbidden to be discharged. According to the LAW OF MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, the subject vessel should be fined between RMB 20,000.00 and RMB 100,000.00.