Methods and devices to assure ship environment discharge compliance

A method for preventing an overboard discharge of a first effluent from a ship within a first no-overboard discharge zone designated for the first effluent, the method comprising the following steps:

• a. loading a geofence database comprising at least one predetermined geofence coordinate set defining boundaries of the first no-overboard discharge zone onto a computing device, wherein the computing device is connected to a vessel automation system,
• wherein the computing device is operatively coupled to a ship navigation coordinate system providing real-time vessel coordinate or positioning data to the computing device;
• b. continuously operating the computing device to process operational discharge instructions by comparing vessel coordinates against geofence boundaries in real-time;
• c. operating the computing device to intercept operational discharge instructions from the vessel automation system,
• d. if the ship position is within the first no-overboard discharge zone, precluding passing on of a discharge command for execution;
• e. if the ship position is outside the first no-overboard discharge zone, allowing passing on of the discharge command for execution;
• f. operating a Human Machine Interface to provide for a manual override option for the automated operation of steps (b) through (e), wherein the Human Machine Interface is configured to automatically request an authenticated override authorization when operational override instructions are attempted within first no-overboard discharge zone.