Eliminate the discharges of sewage from ships, especially from passenger ships, by following-up the proposal by HELCOM to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to designate the Baltic Sea as a control area for sewage discharges from passenger ships, whereby cruise and passenger ships will be required to treat their sewage to remove nutrients or deliver it to port reception facilities. The HELCOM member countries led by Finland initiated a process in the IMO that led to the final adoption at the organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 62nd Meeting in July 2011 of the Baltic Sea as the first sea in the world designated by IMO as a Special Area for sewage under MARPOL Annex IV. All passenger ships operating within the Baltic Sea Special Area will be required to treat sewage on board, to remove nutrients prior to the discharge into the sea, or to deliver it to a port reception facility (PRF). It will be mandatory for new and existing passenger ships to comply with the anti-discharge regulations by 2016 and 2018 respectively. The Special Area status will be enforced when the HELCOM countries notify the IMO that adequate reception facilities for sewage are available in their passenger ports. Achievements: The aim ofthe HELCOM Member States to reduce the input of nutrients into the Baltic Sea from passenger ships was achieved as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) designated the Baltic Sea as a Special Area for sewage under MARPOL Annex IV. All passenger ships operating in the Baltic Sea Special Area will be required to treat their sewage prior to discharge into the sea, or alternatively deliver it to a port reception facility. It will be mandatory for new and existing passenger ships to comply with the anti-discharge regulations by 2016 and 2018, respectively. The process of having the Baltic Sea designated as a Special Area for sewage was as follows:• Proposal by HELCOM Member States to the IMO to designate the Baltic Sea as a Special Area for sewage discharges from passenger ships.• The HELCOM Member States led by Finland initiated a process in the IMO.• Final adoption at the 62nd session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in July 2011, designating the Baltic Sea as the first Special Area for sewage in the world.The Special Area status will be enforced when the HELCOM member states notify the IMO that adequate reception facilities for sewage are available in their passenger ports.