How long shall a garbage record book be kept?

• A. 6 months
• B. 1 year
• C. 2 years
• D. 5 years

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is how long you must keep the Garbage Record Book for regulatory review. Under MARPOL Annex V, the Garbage Record Book must be kept on board and readily available for inspection for two years after the date of the last entry. This retention period gives authorities a complete trail of how garbage was managed on the vessel, in case of inspections or investigations.

Entries in the book typically record each discharge or incineration at sea, including the date, location, garbage category, disposal method, and any relevant remarks. Because of the two-year requirement, you maintain the record book beyond the end of a voyage to ensure a full two-year history is accessible if questioned. The other time spans (six months, one year, five years) do not align with MARPOL’s stipulated period.