Reducing the wastewater discharges from shipping and boating
Under the vessel waste legislation, vessels that operate internationally can discharge their untreated
latrine wastewater at sea at a distance of 12 nautical miles from the coast, and treated wastewater at a distance of 3 nautical miles from the coast. A wastewater fee has to be paid for discharging wastewater at the harbour. At present the vessel waste fee does not include a wastewater charge, but this is paid separately when the wastewater is discharged. Vessels in regular operation are generally exempt from the vessel waste fee (Finnish Maritime Administration) and they manage their waste themselves. However, they do have to pay a fee for any wastewater they discharge at the harbour.
Photo: Mikko Jokinen
The Turku and Helsinki harbours have the facilities to accept wastewater. Wastewater discharged at sea by shipping has a direct impact on the eutrophication of the sea. One effective way to promote the receiving of wastewater is to fit the appropriate equipment for receiving wastewater at the docking berths.
Using shore to ship electricity reduces the emissions to the air and the noise pollution from ships in the harbour. Increasing the use of shore to ship electricity requires investments in the ships and in the harbours.
The septic tank network for small boats is still too limited, and for large recreational yachts in particular, there are few emptying places on offer.
Helsinki and Turku...
• Change the harbour dues so that a wastewater charge is automatically included in the vessel waste fee, irrespective of whether the vessel discharges its wastewater to sewage system or to sea.
• Reduce or eliminate the wastewater fee for those vessels that are exempt from paying vessel waste
fees so that it is more attractive for them to discharge their wastewater on land, and try to arrange discharge points at the docking berths.
• Create better preconditions for vessels in regular operation to use shore to ship -electricity.
• Increase the number of septic tanks at boat harbours and camping areas in the city.
