In my 30 years in the industry, I have witnessed firsthand how waste handling on ships remains one of the most underestimated challenges in maritime operations.
The problem is not a lack of care—officers and crew members do not want to pollute the oceans. We have previously written about regulatory shortfalls, substandard products, and poor onboard culture as contributing factors to the waste management issues we see today. However, at the core of all these problems is a fundamental lack of knowledge and training. While sufficient solutions exist on the market today, without a clear understanding of the underlying principles, it becomes nearly impossible to distinguish between effective and ineffective ones. Additionally, without knowledge of chemical processes, environmental impacts, and regulatory constraints, personnel risk making decisions that inadvertently lead to pollution. How can we expect someone to manage waste treatment processes that, on land, would require specialised education, if they themselves have never received proper training?
It is time to address this shortfall with a mandatory waste-handling training program for all maritime officers. This foundational course must be followed up with a refresher at least every five years, much like Advanced Firefighting training. Without it, we cannot expect ship crews to understand the complexities of waste management, evolving regulations, or new waste streams generated by modern fuels and onboard systems.
The Knowledge Gap That Leads to Pollution
Most pollution at sea does not happen because someone intentionally ignores the rules. Instead, officers and crew face practical challenges they do not have the training to handle. They take action based on what seems reasonable at the time, unaware of the environmental consequences. When waste-management mistakes happen repeatedly, it leads to a culture of resignation—“It doesn’t matter what we do; nothing works.”
This must change. Crews need education, not just stricter rules and more oversight. Without understanding how waste-handling systems work, even the best-designed regulations and equipment will fail in practice.
Training That Pays Off
One key advantage we have seen at Marinfloc from educating ship crews is that proper waste-management training does not only lead to better environmental compliance—it also improves operational efficiency and reduces costs. Vessels where crews receive structured training show measurable improvements in waste handling, reducing inefficiencies that often lead to unnecessary expenses.
By Benny Carlson, Co-Founder of Marinfloc.
