The purpose of these Regulations is to give effect to Directive (EU) 2019/883 of 17 April 2019 on port reception facilities for the delivery of waste from ships. These Regulations apply to (a) all ships, irrespective of their flag, calling at, or operating within, a port of the State, with the exception of (i) ships engaged in port services within the meaning of Article 1(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/352 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 February 20172, and (ii) warships, naval auxiliary or other ships owned or operated by the State or another state and used, for the time being, only on government non-commercial basis, and (b) all ports of the State normally visited by ships falling within the scope of paragraph (a).
The Regulations provide as well for regulation of Port reception facilities and Waste Reception and Handling Plans (developed by the port authority and approved by the Minister). Part 3 concerns delivery of waste from ships and requires advance waste notification, respect of relevant discharge norms laid down in the MARPOL Convention, emission of receipt and exemptions. Part 4 is on enforcement.