Access to safe and clean drinking water to sustain life is one of the most basic human needs; exposure to contaminated water can have serious health implications. Ports play an essential role in the provision of clean drinking water to the maritime industry, contributing to the welfare of the crew and the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Ability to access safe wholesome drinking water is a fundamental human right and a critical feature in ensuring the health and welfare of ships’ crews. Although ships take responsibility for maintaining the quality of water once onboard, the initial provision of this vital resource often falls to the ports and their fresh water bunkering services. The role ports play in supplying clean drinking water is pivotal, as it sets the baseline for the entire journey at sea.

The role ports play in supplying clean drinking water is pivotal

The unique environment of a ship presents specific challenges in water provision. Water either needs to be desalinated from seawater or loaded while in port, making it imperative that the water produced or loaded is uncontaminated and that tanks and pipe systems are clean. The quality of drinking water on board is governed by various international regulations and standards, ensuring that it is safe for consumption and free from pollutants.

Ports: the first line of defence

When it comes to safe and wholesome drinking water, ports can be seen to act as the first line of defence against waterborne diseases and contaminants. Also known as potable water, ports are responsible for ensuring that the water supplied to ships meets stringent quality standards and is suitable for human consumption. This involves a complex supply and transfer chain, including water sources entering the port, hydrants, hoses, water boats, and water barges. Each step presents potential risks for contamination, making the port's role in safeguarding water quality all the more critical.

Each step presents potential risks for contamination, making the port's role in safeguarding water quality all the more critical

Regulations and standards

International guidelines, such as the WHO’s International Health Regulations (IHR) and the EU's Drinking-Water Directive (DWD), provide a framework for ports to manage the provision of food and fresh water on merchant ships and fishing craft. These regulations ensure that the water provided is of appropriate quality, nutritional value, and quantity to meet the needs of those onboard.

The quality of water provided by ports has a direct impact on the welfare of ships’ crews. Poor water quality can lead to health issues, affecting the crew's ability to perform their duties and their overall well-being. Ensuring the provision of clean water is not only a matter of compliance with regulations but also a human obligation to protect the seafarers who rely on this essential resource.

Poor water quality can lead to health issues, affecting the crew's ability to perform their duties and their overall well-being

The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals encapsulate plans to build a greener, fairer, better world by 2030. Goal 6 specifically emphasises the importance of clean water and sanitation for all. Ports play a significant role in achieving this goal by providing ships with water that conforms to the WHO Guidelines for drinking-water quality or relevant national standards, whichever are stricter. By doing so, ports contribute to the global effort to ensure health and well-being, which is at the heart of sustainable development.

Ship-side: water safety plans

The WHO ‘Guide to Ship Sanitation’ provides excellent detailed guidance for managing water quality. It requires that ship operators devise and implement a water safety plan to manage all quality aspects of bunkered, made and distributed water, and to monitor the water safety plan’s effectiveness.

A water safety plan should be ship specific and based on hazard analysis approach and systematic risk assessment. A recommended tool is the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system which identifies Critical Control Points in a system (locations where there is a potential for contamination of the water, or where microbes which have survived disinfection can flourish), and management actions for preventing this. A water safety plan should give details of the potable water system layout, disinfection methods, all water treatment equipment in use and its operating parameters, sampling points, monitoring tests, quality standards applied, and pre-planned preventive and remedial actions. A ship’s water safety plan, complete with the records of results of monitoring tests and any remedial actions based on them, are likely to be among the first documents required by any inspecting authority.

Conclusion

The provision of clean drinking water by ports is a critical aspect of maritime operations that has far-reaching implications for the health and welfare of seafarers and the broader goals of sustainable development. Ports must continue to uphold high standards, implement effective management systems, and work closely with shipping companies to ensure that the water they supply is safe and clean, supporting the vital journey of seafarers across the world's oceans.

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