33 CFR 151.57: Garbage management plan requirements for ships

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section requires a written garbage management plan on board covered ships. The master or person in charge must ensure the ship is not operated without it and that each person handling garbage follows it. The plan must meet three content requirements.

Applies toA ship to which this section applies, with duties placed on the master or person in charge.

What it says

  1. The master or person in charge must ensure the ship is not operated unless a compliant garbage management plan is on board.

    33 CFR 151.57(a)“shall ensure that the ship is not operated unless a garbage management plan meeting paragraph (b) of this section is on the ship”

  2. The master or person in charge must ensure that each person handling garbage follows the plan.

    33 CFR 151.57(a)“that each person handling garbage follows the plan”

  3. The plan must be in writing.

    33 CFR 151.57(b)“Each garbage management plan under paragraph (a) of this section must be in writing”

  4. The plan must provide for discharging garbage by means that meet Annex V of MARPOL, the Act, and §§ 151.51 through 151.77.

    33 CFR 151.57(b)(1)“Provide for the discharge of garbage by means that meet Annex V of MARPOL, the Act, and §§ 151.51 through 151.77;”

  5. The plan must describe procedures for minimizing, collecting, processing, storing, and discharging garbage.

    33 CFR 151.57(b)(2)“Describe procedures for minimizing, collecting, processing, storing, and discharging garbage; and”

  6. The plan must designate the person in charge of carrying out the plan.

    33 CFR 151.57(b)(3)“Designate the person who is in charge of carrying out the plan.”

Common questions

Does my ship need a written garbage management plan?

If this section applies to your ship, the plan must be in writing and be on the ship. The ship must not be operated without it.

“Each garbage management plan under paragraph (a) of this section must be in writing”

Who is responsible for making sure the garbage plan is followed?

The master or person in charge of the ship must ensure that each person handling garbage follows the plan.

“that each person handling garbage follows the plan”

What must a garbage management plan include?

It must provide for discharge that meets the listed standards, describe garbage handling procedures, and designate the person in charge of carrying out the plan.

“Describe procedures for minimizing, collecting, processing, storing, and discharging garbage; and”

The text of 33 CFR 151.57

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Garbage management plans

(a) The master or person in charge of a ship to which this section applies shall ensure that the ship is not operated unless a garbage management plan meeting paragraph (b) of this section is on the ship and that each person handling garbage follows the plan.

(b) Each garbage management plan under paragraph (a) of this section must be in writing and—

(1) Provide for the discharge of garbage by means that meet Annex V of MARPOL, the Act, and §§ 151.51 through 151.77;

(2) Describe procedures for minimizing, collecting, processing, storing, and discharging garbage; and

(3) Designate the person who is in charge of carrying out the plan.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1625-0072)

Sections it refers to

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.