**Executive Summary**
This document, Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai Order No. 05/2019, dated October 16, 2019, prohibits the use of single-use plastics on Indian and foreign vessels in Indian waters. The order is effective January 1, 2020, for some items and immediately for others. The document also details enforcement measures.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Purpose:** To eliminate single-use plastics in Indian seas by controlling their use on Indian and foreign vessels.
* **Scope:** Applies to:
* Ships considered Indian under the Merchant Shipping Act of 1958.
* Any foreign ship in an Indian port or location.
* **Prohibited Items (Effective January 1, 2020):**
* Bags, trays, boxes, food packaging film
* Milk bottles, freezer bags, shampoo bottles, ice cream tubs
* Water and other beverage bottles, cleaning fluid containers, biscuit trays
* Hot beverage cups, insulated food packaging, protective packaging for glassware and similar materials.
* Microwave plates, ice cream tubs, potato chip bags, bottle lids
* **Prohibited Items (Effective Immediately):**
* Cutlery, plates, and cups
* Water and other beverage bottles up to 10 liters.
* Trash and shopping bags
* Dispensing containers of cleaning fluid less than 10 liters
* **Enforcement:**
* Recognized organizations must ensure compliance during surveys, inspections, and audits of Indian ships.
* Single-use plastics should not be found, used, or stored onboard. A note to this effect should be made in the ship's survey status.
* Administration surveyors must verify compliance during inspections and surveys.
* Non-compliance should be treated as a deficiency to be rectified before departure. Repeated deficiencies should be treated as grounds for detention under the ISM Code.
* Foreign flagged vessels are to not use single use plastics or have them stored in a sealed container while in Indian waters.
* Indian ships intending to enter Indian ports are required to declare the particulars regarding single use plastic items.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Indian and Foreign Vessels operating in Indian Seas**
* **Impact:** Affected by the prohibition of single-use plastics.
* **Action Required:** Must comply with the restrictions on single-use plastics starting January 1, 2020, and immediately for certain items.
**Stakeholder: Ship Owners and Operators**
* **Impact:** Required to ensure their vessels comply with the regulations.
* **Action Required:** Must modify onboard practices to eliminate the use, storage, and disposal of prohibited single-use plastic items.
Must declare to Port Authorities information on single use plastic items to be stored and when leaving Indian seas, and where.
**Stakeholder: Port Authorities and Recognized Organizations**
* **Impact:** Responsible for enforcing the regulations.
* **Action Required:** Conduct inspections and audits to verify compliance, and enforce penalties for non-compliance.
Indian ships intending to enter Indian ports are required to declare the particulars regarding single use plastic items.
**Stakeholder: Administration Surveyors**
* **Impact:** Responsible for inspections and surveys for compliance.
* **Action Required:** Verify compliance during inspections and surveys. Foreign flagged vessels are to not use single use plastics or have them stored in a sealed container while in Indian waters. If violations arise they must provide all data pertaining to the violations on IOCIS websites to the foreign ports.
Key Entities Referenced
Merchant Shipping Act 1958: A key law governing shipping in India, referenced for defining Indian ships and facilitating its goals.
Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai: The primary regulatory body issuing this order, responsible for maritime affairs in India.
Ministry of Shipping: The central government ministry to which the Directorate General of Shipping reports.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): UNEP's reports on single-use plastics are referenced.
Single-Use Plastic Framework: A report by UNEP in 2018, which is referenced in this document.