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Department of Ecology News Release - January 31, 2006

Cruise-ship agreement got results in 2005

BELLEVUE - More cruise ships took steps to protect Puget Sound from wastewater pollution in 2005, the second year of an environmental agreement signed in 2004 with the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the Port of Seattle.

Ecology issued a report today on progress under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in April of 2004 as the cruise season began. The agreement was signed by the Northwest Cruise Ship Association (NWCA) on behalf of the cruise industry.

The voluntary agreement set leading-edge standards for wastewater treatment and discharge in Washington waters that exceed federal requirements that ordinarily apply to the ships.

No discharges in violation of the agreement occurred in 2005.

"These are excellent results, especially since this agreement sets very high treatment standards for cruise ships," said Ecology Director Jay Manning. "We appreciate the cruise lines' continued investment in equipment and training to meet the agreement's requirements and protect the beautiful waters their passengers come to enjoy."

Nine of the 17 large cruise ships visiting Seattle received authorization from Ecology to discharge under the MOU's wastewater treatment standards, tripling the number of ships approved under the agreement. They accounted for 69 percent of the sailings by the giant liners from April through October.

Ecology conducted on-board inspections of the ships to review treatment system operations and collect samples. Lab results showed that shipboard treatment systems were treating wastewater and discharging treated water that was as clean as, or cleaner than, the effluents from on-shore municipal wastewater treatment plants.

Five other large liners covered by the MOU agreed not to discharge waste water at all within Washington waters. Three other liners - which made a total of five visits to Seattle - were not NWCA members and were subject to normal federal wastewater requirements.

Ecology's report includes recommendations for ongoing efforts to control cruise ship wastewater discharges, including:

• Continue Ecology inspections of ships sailing under the MOU in Washington, with emphasis on maintenance of wastewater systems, as well as performance.
• Ecology and the state Department of Health should jointly gather information on wastewater discharges from smaller passenger vessels that do not belong to the NWCA.
• Ecology, the port and the NWCA should finalize a funding mechanism under the MOU to provide ongoing oversight of the agreement.

Ecology's report and additional information are available on-line.