Imo Convention on Maritime Environment & Prevention of Maritime Pollution from Ships

International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of Ships (MARPOL) is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. The Main objective of MARPOL is to entirely eliminate pollution of the marine environment by discharges of oil and other hazardous substances from ships and to minimize such discharges in connection with ships' accidents. One shall thus prevent pollution of the marine environment due to discharges of oil, chemicals (transported in bulk or in packaged form), sewage and household waste (solid waste, also including solid cargo hold wastes) from ships. The MARPOL, 1973 was adopted in 1973. This Convention was subsequently modified by the Protocol 1978 relating thereto, which was adopted in 1978 and also includes the Protocol of 1997 (Annex VI) on Prevention of Air Pollution by Ships. The Protocol introduced stricter regulations for the survey and certification of ships. It has been updated by amendments through the years.

This IMO Convention is the most important global treaty for the prevention of pollution from the operation of ships; it governs the design and equipment of ships; establishes system of certificates and inspections; requires states to provide reception facilities for the disposal of oily waste and chemicals. It covers all the technical aspects of pollution from ships, except the disposal of waste into the sea by dumping, and applies to ships of all types, although it does not apply to pollution arising out of the exploration and exploitation of sea-bed mineral resources.

As of 31 December 2005, 136 countries, representing 98% of the world's shipping tonnage, are parties to the Convention. All ships flagged under countries that are signatories to MARPOL are subject to its requirements, regardless of where they sail, and member nations are responsible for vessels registered under their respective nationalities

Regulations covering the various sources of ship-generated pollution are contained in the six Annexes of the London Convention and are updated regularly. Annexes I and II, governing oil and chemicals are compulsory but annexes III, IV, V and VI on packaged materials, sewage, garbage and air pollution are optional. A State that becomes party to MARPOL must accept Annex I and II. Annexes III-VI are voluntary annexes. The annexes as follows;

Annex I: Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil

(Entry into force: 2 October 1983)

The discharge criteria and requirements for the prevention of pollution by oil and oily substances as well as from accidental discharges. It maintains predominantly the oil discharge criteria prescribed in the 1969 amendments to the 1954 Oil Pollution Convention. Beside technical guidelines it contains the concept of "special areas" which are considered to be vulnerable to pollution by oil. Discharges of oil within them have been completely prohibited, with minor well-defined exceptions.

In 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.

The Annex may, for practical reasons, be split up into the two groups: oily waste from machinery spaces including oil contaminated bilge water (operational waste) and ballast and tank-cleaning water from cargo tanks and pump rooms of oil tankers (cargo related waste).

Annex II: Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk

(Entry into force: 6 April 1987)

The discharge criteria and measures for the control of pollution by noxious liquid substances carried in bulk. It subdivides substances into and contains detailed operational standards and procedures. Some 250 substances were evaluated and included in the list appended to the London 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 compiled with.

Discharges after the subsequent cleaning of the tanks, that is done to remove the last deposits to prevent contamination of the cargo, presumes that certain concentration limits and discharge conditions are fulfilled (different for different substances). In such case, no discharge of residues containing noxious