Oily residues arise from the routine operation of ships. Some residues are left over from cargoes transported on board ships. These residues have to be discharged or delivered to ports or terminals and managed on land.

Action over the past 30 years to prevent discharge at sea, in particular through the implementation of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78), has been successful but has not been matched by the provision and improvement of port based facilities for receiving these residues and the development of adequate infrastructure for their environmentally sound management on land.

This conference was driven by the need to respond swiftly to the inadequacy of arrangements for managing oily residues and cargo residues generated at sea. The focus was put on elaborating workable solutions, ensuring that residues generated at sea are managed on land in an environmentally sound way, as all wastes should be, in order to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of waste.

This Conference’s objectives were: illustrate the problem, propose solutions and encourage partnerships to address the situation in different parts of the world.

The conference addressed the following themes:
> Current situation: gaps and challenges,
> The environmentally sound management of oily residues and cargo residues generated on board ships,
> Partnerships and cooperation: valuing assets and elaborating workable solutions,

Key debates were handled through two workshops on the following issues:
> Certification of port reception facilities qualified to receive residues generated on board ships;
> Traceability of residues generated on board ships, from their reception at shore in port reception facilities, to their recycling or final disposal on land.