International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)
Adoption: 1973 (Convention), 1978 (1978 Protocol), 1997
(Protocol - Annex VI); Entry into force:
2 October 1983 (Annexes I and II).
The International Convention for the Prevention of
Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is the main international convention covering
prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or
accidental causes.
The MARPOL Convention was adopted on 2 November 1973 at IMO.
The Protocol of 1978 was adopted in response to a spate of tanker accidents in
1976-1977. As the 1973 MARPOL Convention had not yet entered into force, the
1978 MARPOL Protocol absorbed the parent Convention. The combined instrument
entered into force on 2 October 1983. In 1997, a Protocol was adopted to amend
the Convention and a new Annex VI was added which entered into force on 19 May
2005. MARPOL has been updated by amendments through the years.
The Convention includes regulations aimed at preventing and
minimizing pollution from ships - both accidental pollution and that from
routine operations - and currently includes six technical Annexes. Special
Areas with strict controls on operational discharges are included in most
Annexes.
Annex I Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil (entered into force 2 October 1983)
Covers prevention of pollution by oil from operational
measures as well as from accidental discharges; the 1992 amendments to Annex I
made it mandatory for new oil tankers to have double hulls and brought in a
phase-in schedule for existing tankers to fit double hulls, which was
subsequently revised in 2001 and 2003.
Annex II Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk (entered into force 2 October 1983)
Details the discharge criteria and measures for the control
of pollution by noxious liquid substances carried in bulk; some 250 substances
were evaluated and included in the list appended to the Convention; the
discharge of their residues is allowed only to reception facilities until
certain concentrations and conditions (which vary with the category of
substances) are complied with.
In any case, no discharge of residues containing noxious
substances is permitted within 12 miles of the nearest land.
Annex III Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form (entered into force 1 July 1992)
Contains general requirements for the issuing of detailed
standards on packing, marking, labelling, documentation, stowage, quantity
limitations, exceptions and notifications.
For the purpose of this Annex, “harmful substances” are
those substances which are identified as marine pollutants in the International
Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code) or which meet the criteria in the
Appendix of Annex III.
Annex IV Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships (entered into force 27 September 2003)
Contains requirements to control pollution of the sea by
sewage; the discharge of sewage into the sea is prohibited, except when the
ship has in operation an approved sewage treatment plant or when the ship is
discharging comminuted and disinfected sewage using an approved system at a
distance of more than three nautical miles from the nearest land; sewage which
is not comminuted or disinfected has to be discharged at a distance of more
than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land.
Annex V Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships (entered into force 31 December 1988)
Deals with different types of garbage and specifies the
distances from land and the manner in which they may be disposed of; the most
important feature of the Annex is the complete ban imposed on the disposal into
the sea of all forms of plastics.
Annex VI Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships (entered into force 19 May 2005)
Sets limits on
sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from ship exhausts and prohibits
deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances; designated emission control
areas set more stringent standards for SOx, NOx and particulate matter. A chapter adopted in 2011 covers mandatory
technical and operational energy efficiency measures aimed at reducing
greenhouse gas emissions from ships.
http://www.imo.org/en/about/conventions/listofconventions/pages/international-convention-for-the-prevention-of-pollution-from-ships-(marpol).aspx
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