Plastic pellets in maritime transport

Plastic pellets, also called nurdles, are the feedstock of the plastics industry and move by sea in bulk, in bags and in containers. In solid bulk form they are caught by criterion 7 of MARPOL Annex V Appendix I, which classifies any solid bulk cargo containing or consisting of plastic feedstock pellets as harmful to the marine environment, so their residues and hold washing water may not be discharged at sea.

The full article will cover the regulatory position of containerized pellets, which fall outside the Annex V bulk criteria, the IMO work on pellet transport and spill response, and pellet releases from ship casualties. The solid bulk rule is covered in Annex V HME cargo residues, E-waste and hold-wash water .