Deposit of any substance or object
This guidance explains when deposit activities may need a marine licence from the Marine Management Organisation.
Applies to England and Northern Ireland
Overview
You may need a marine licence to deposit any substance or object at sea.
This includes deposits made in English waters, Northern Ireland offshore waters, or from British vessels elsewhere in the world.
Some deposit activities are exempt or may qualify for self-service licensing. You can check if your activity is exempt or qualifies for self-service before you apply.
You may need a marine licence if your deposit takes place:
- in or over the sea
- on or under the seabed
This only applies if the deposit is made from one of the following:
- a vehicle
- a vessel
- an aircraft
- a marine structure
- a floating container
- a structure designed to deposit solids in the sea
These terms are defined in section 115 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
Deposits anywhere else in the world
You may need a marine if the deposit is made anywhere in the sea or on or under the seabed, from a:
- British vessel
- British aircraft
- British marine structure
- floating container, if controlled by one of the above
These terms are defined in section 115 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
You may also need a marine licence if both of the following apply:
The substance or object was loaded in:
- any part of the UK (except Scotland)
- English waters
- Northern Ireland offshore waters
The deposit is made from one of the following:
- Vehicle
- Vessel
- Aircraft
- Marine structure
- Floating container
These terms are defined in section 115 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
Diving activities
If you’re diving and depositing a substance or object, for example for safety training or to fix diver trails, you may need a marine licence. You can read the Marine Management Organisation’s (MMO) guidance for divers to help you decide.
Burial at sea
Some burials at sea may be suitable for self-service marine licensing. You can check if your activity qualifies for self-service before you apply.
You can also read the marine licence guidance on how to arrange a burial at sea in the UK.
Deposit or use of explosives
A marine licence is required to deposit or use any explosive substance or article, by any means, within English waters or Northern Ireland offshore waters, either in the sea or under the sea bed.
Disposing of waste at sea
Most waste disposal at sea is banned under the OSPAR Convention.
Waste means any substance or object you discard, intend to discard, or are required to discard. This definition comes from Article 3 of the EU Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC).
Only certain types of waste can be disposed of at sea. This depends on a detailed risk assessment and a marine licence from the MMO. Allowed types include:
- dredged material
- inert materials of natural origin
- fish waste – including shellfish and any part of a fish
When deciding whether to grant a disposal licence, the MMO applies the waste hierarchy from the Waste Framework Directive. This sets out the preferred order for dealing with waste:
- Prevention – for example by not carrying out the activity.
- Preparing for re-use – finding another beneficial use for the waste material.
- Recycling – for example, making high-grade products from waste material.
- Other recovery – for example, treating the waste to change its physical nature.
- Disposal at sea – the last resort.
You can read the guidance on applying the waste hierarchy.
Disposal sites
If you plan to dispose of material at sea, you must identify the area where the disposal will take place.
This can be:
- an existing site that has been authorised for dredge disposal
- a new site that you propose
You must provide enough information for the MMO to assess the proposal. The MMO will decide whether:
- the material is suitable for sea disposal
- the area proposed is appropriate
To propose a new site, you’ll need to provide a site characterisation report.
This should:
- assess the need for a new site
- identify suitable areas
- describe the physical and chemical characteristics of the dredged material
- evaluate potential adverse effects
- compare candidate disposal sites
The report should also explain how the site was selected and summarise any consultations.
If a site is designated as a result of your licence application and characterisation report, you will not have exclusive use of that site. The MMO may grant licences to other operators to use the same site.
Samples and analysis
You may need to provide sample analysis to support your disposal licence application, especially if it includes disposal of dredged material at sea.