Question 69 3AE02 - Third Assistant Engineer (Alt)

The Correct Answer is D. **Explanation of Option D (all of the above) being correct:** Federal regulations in the United States, primarily enforced by the Coast Guard and EPA, govern the discharge of sewage from vessels. A vessel is considered in compliance if it manages its sewage using any of the three methods described in options A, B, and C, depending on the vessel's size, type, and location: * **A) Treating sewage in an approved system:** Using a certified Marine Sanitation Device (MSD) (either Type I or Type II) allows the vessel to treat sewage to meet required standards before discharge, ensuring compliance in unrestricted waters. * **B) Holding all sewage onboard:** Using a Type III MSD (holding tank) or other approved methods to store sewage is mandatory in restricted areas like No Discharge Zones (NDZs). This is a standard method of compliance. * **C) Pumping the sewage ashore to an approved container:** Discharging sewage at approved pump-out facilities is the required way to dispose of sewage held in Type III holding tanks, thereby ensuring compliance with regulations, especially within NDZs. Since compliance is achieved through the use of an approved treatment system (A), storing sewage for later disposal (B), or properly disposing of stored sewage via approved shore facilities (C), **all three methods ensure the vessel is meeting federal regulatory standards.** **Explanation of why other options (A, B, C) are individually incorrect as the *sole* answer:** While A, B, and C are all valid methods of achieving compliance, none of them alone encompass every method approved by federal regulations. If the answer were only A, B, or C, it would imply the other valid methods are not compliant. * **A) Treating sewage in an approved system:** This is compliant, but only if the vessel is not operating in a No Discharge Zone (NDZ), where discharge (even treated) is prohibited. Therefore, it is not universally compliant. * **B) Holding all sewage onboard:** This is compliant, but eventually, the sewage must be disposed of. Furthermore, vessels with Type I or II MSDs that treat and discharge sewage are also compliant, making B incomplete. * **C) Pumping the sewage ashore to an approved container:** This is a compliant method of disposal for holding tanks, but the vessel must also be compliant *before* reaching the pump-out facility (e.g., by holding the sewage onboard). Vessels with treatment systems that discharge at sea may never use this method but are still compliant.