19 February 2026 – 2min read
Following the PPR 13 session held in London (February 2026), the Sub-Committee finalised the draft 2026 Strategy and Action Plan to Address Marine Plastic Litter from Ships.
This new strategy, set for formal adoption at MEPC 84 in April 2026, streamlines previous targets into a single, unified roadmap. The core ambition remains clear: to achieve zero plastic waste discharges to sea from ships by 2030.
Key pillars of the 2026 Strategy include:
• Enhanced Port Facilities: Improving the effectiveness of Port Reception Facilities (PRF) to ensure ships can easily and legally dispose of waste ashore.
• Mandatory Reporting & Traceability: New recommendations for a mandatory code regarding the transport of plastic pellets (nurdles) and stricter requirements for reporting lost containers.
• Fishing Gear Marking: Promoting global systems for marking fishing gear to prevent “ghost gear” pollution and assist in recovery.
• Shipboard Processing: Strengthening international regulations on how waste is handled and processed on board before reaching port.
For the maritime industry, this signals a shift from voluntary “best practices” to a mandatory, data-driven compliance environment where every piece of plastic must be accounted for from ship to shore.
For full context and publications, IMO 2026
