Technical Notices

Director General of shipping, issued DGS Order No. 05 of 2019 which imposes a ban on single use plastic on all Indian ships and foreign ships while in Indian waters, as follows:

Items prohibited as of 01.01.2020:

• Bags, trays, containers, food packaging film;
• Milk bottles, freezer bags, shampoo bottles, ice cream containers;
• Bottles for water and other drinks, dispensing containers for cleaning fluids, biscuit trays;
• Hot drink cups, insulated food packaging, protective packaging for fragile items;
• Microwave dishes, ice cream tubs, potato chip bags, bottle caps.

Items prohibited with immediate effect:

• Cutlery, plates and cups;
• Up-to 10 litres bottles for water and other drinks;
• Garbage and shopping bags; and
• Dispensing containers for cleaning fluids which are less than 10 litres volume.

Enforcement of above requirements on Foreign Flag ships: 

• During Port State Inspection, verification will be carried out to ensure that Single use plastics are not in use and are kept locked in a store during ships stay in Indian ports and on their passage through the territorial waters of India.
• Foreign ships intending to enter an Indian port are advised to make a log entry identifying the “Single Use Plastic Items” on board the ship and stating the time, latitude and longitude when along with the location of the store where these items are stored prior entering Indian territorial waters. Further no single use plastic items are to be discharged to port reception facility at an Indian port. Same will be verified during Port State Inspection.

Ship owners, operators and masters are advised to be guided by above.