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What is MARPOL

The full form of MARPOL is “International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships”. It was adopted by IMO to prevent and keep the oceans clean from marine pollution such as oil spills, disposals, and harmful emissions. MARPOL is made up of 6 different annexes, and regulations to keep a close watch on the substance and operations that can cause huge pollution in the seawater and harm marine life.

History of MARPOL

Some people joined the link of MARPOL to the OILPOL of 1954 which was used to check the oil discharge by ship. However, incidents like the Torrey Canyon Oil Spill in 1967 sparked the need to more stricter regulation in the marine industry. So, the International Maritime Organization developed MARPOL 1973 to keep discharges from ships in check. A significant turning point came with the 1978 MARPOL Protocol, introduced after several tanker accidents, which merged with the 1973 convention to form the MARPOL 73/78 framework still in use today.

Why was MARPOL Introduced?

Efforts were made to create regulations to prevent pollution from ships but some incidents fueled the need for specific regulations for the prevention of pollution at sea. Hence MARPOL was created. Some big incidents of 1967 and 1978 sparked strict requirements for a regulation like MARPOL. These are the famous incidents that took place before MARPOL. 

  • Torrey Canyon Oil Spill (1967)
  • Amoco Cadiz Oil Spill (1978)
  • Increasing Routine Discharges

Importance of MARPOL

  1. Protects the Ocean: MARPOL helps keep the oceans clean by stopping pollution from ships, like oil spills, sewage, and garbage.
  2. Sets Global Rules for Ship Pollution: It creates international rules for all ships to follow, ensuring the same standards worldwide.
  3. Reduce Pollution Risk: MARPOL reduces the risk of pollution from ship accidents by enforcing strict safety measures.
  4. Protects Marine Life: It protects marine life and supports healthier oceans for future generations.

6 Annexes of MARPOL 73/78

marpol

MARPOL Annex 1:

Marpol Annex 1 is Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by OIL. It covers the prevention of pollution of seawater by the oil discharge from day-to-day marine operations. MARPOL Annex 1 declared it mandatory for all oil tankers to have a double hull.

MARPOL Annex 2:

Marpol Annex 2 is Regulations for Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk. This annex regulates the pollution by the noxious liquid carried in bulk. In any case, no residue discharge of noxious liquids is permitted within the 12 miles of the nearest land.

MARPOL Annex 3:

Marpol Annex 3 is Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form. This annex gives general requirements about the detailed standards on packing, marking, labeling, documentation, stowage, quantity limitations, exceptions, and notifications.

MARPOL Annex 4:

Marpol Annex 4 is Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships. It gives requirements to minimize the pollution by the sewage from ships. It also gives regulations and guidelines for the discharge of sewage and sewage treatment plants. A new amendment has been added where Marpol Annex 4 introduces the Baltic Sea as a special area under Annex 4 for passenger ships. 

MARPOL Annex 5:

Marpol Annex 5 is Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships. Annex 5 deals with different types of garbage disposal from ship and garbage disposal plan. It is because of Annex 5 of MARPOL that any kind of plastic disposal is completely banned in the ocean. 

MARPOL Annex 6:

Marpol Annex 6 is Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships. This annex of Marpol sets limits on the emission of SOx and NOx from the ship exhaust and operations and also prohibits other ozone-depleting substances from being released into the air. 

Related Read: Steps taken by IMO to prevent the pollution.

MARPOL Annex 1

MARPOL Annex 1

Ships generate oily waste from various operations every day. This waste can end up in the sea through both legal and illegal discharges. Ships have several options for handling this waste, such as delivering it to shore facilities, incinerating it onboard, or discharging it into the sea under regulated conditions.

Requirements for Machinery Spaces of All Ships

  • Discharge Outside Special Area

Discharging oil or oily mixtures into the sea from ships of 400 gross tonnage or more is strictly prohibited unless all of the following conditions are met:

  1. The ship is underway on its intended route.
  2. The oily mixture is treated using oil filtering equipment that complies with the requirements of this Annex.
  3. The oil content of the discharged effluent, without dilution, does not exceed 15 parts per million (ppm).
  4. The oily mixture does not originate from the bilges of cargo pump-rooms on oil tankers.
  5. For oil tankers, the oily mixture is not mixed with oil cargo residues.


  • Discharges in special areas

The discharge of oil or oily mixtures into the sea from ships of 400 gross tonnage or more is not allowed unless all of the following conditions are met:

  1. The ship is traveling along its planned route.
  2. The oily mixture is treated using approved oil filtering equipment as specified in this Annex.
  3. The oil content of the discharged effluent, without dilution, does not exceed 15 parts per million (ppm).
  4. The discharge does not originate from the bilges of cargo pump-rooms on oil tankers.
  5. For oil tankers, the discharge is not mixed with residues from oil cargo.

Additionally, in the Antarctic area, the discharge of oil or oily mixtures from any ship is completely prohibited.

  • Oil Filtering Equipment

Ships of 400 gross tonnage or more must have approved oil filtering systems to ensure discharged water has no more than 15 parts per million of oil. The system must have an alarm and automatically stop the discharge if this limit is exceeded.

  • Oil Record Book Part 1

All tankers above 150 GRT and all ships above 400 GRT should have Oil Record Book Part 1 for machinery space. Entry should be made in ORB when:

  • Ballasting or Cleaning of Oil Fuel Tanks
  • Discharging of dirty ballast or cleaning water from oil fuel tanks. 
  • Collection & disposal of oil residue (sludge)
  • Discharging or disposal of bilge water that has accumulated in machinery space. 
  • Bunkering of fuel or bulk lubricating oil. 



Requirements For The Cargo Area of Oil Tankers

  • Discharges outside special areas

Oil or oily mixtures from the cargo area of an oil tanker can only be discharged into the sea if all the following conditions are met:

  1. The tanker is outside a special area.
  2. The tanker is at least 50 nautical miles away from the nearest land.
  3. The tanker is traveling on its intended route.
  4. The discharge rate does not exceed 30 liters of oil per nautical mile.
  5. The total oil discharged does not exceed 1/15,000 of the cargo for tankers built on or before December 31, 1979, or 1/30,000 for tankers built after this date.
  6. The tanker has an operational oil discharge monitoring and control system along with a slop tank arrangement, as required by this Annex.
  • Discharge In Special Areas

Any discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixture from the cargo area of an oil tanker shall be prohibited while in a special area.

  • Oil Record Book Part 2 

Oil tankers of 150 gross tonnage or more must have an Oil Record Book Part II (Cargo/Ballast Operations) to record the following activities:

  1. Loading of oil cargo.
  2. Internal transfer of oil cargo during the voyage.
  3. Unloading of oil cargo.
  4. Ballasting of cargo tanks and dedicated clean ballast tanks.
  5. Cleaning of cargo tanks, including crude oil washing.
  6. Discharge of ballast water, except from segregated ballast tanks.
  7. Discharge of water from slop tanks.
  8. Closing all applicable valves after slop tank discharge operations.
  9. Closing valves to isolate dedicated clean ballast tanks from cargo and stripping lines after slop tank operations.
  10. Disposal of residues.

Each completed operation should be signed by the officer in charge of the operations.

MARPOL Annex 2

MARPOL Annex 2

Marpol Annex 2 gives guidelines to prevent pollution of seawater by noxious liquids. Annex 2 divides the noxious liquids into 3 categories, i.e.  X, Y, and Z groups. 

Categories of Noxious Liquid Substances. 

Category X: Substances that pose a major threat to marine resources or human health if discharged during tank cleaning or deballasting operations, making their discharge completely prohibited.

Category Y: Substances that present a hazard to marine resources, human health, or amenities if discharged. Their discharge is restricted by limits on quantity and quality.

Category Z: Substances with a minor hazard to marine resources or human health. Discharge restrictions for these substances are less strict.

Other Substances (OS): Substances classified as “Other Substances” in Chapter 18 of the International Bulk Chemical Code. These are deemed to have no significant harm to marine resources, human health, or amenities when discharged during tank cleaning or deballasting.

Cargo Record Book

Every ship on which Marpol Annex 2 applies has to have a Cargo Record Book. Every operation related to cargo operation should be entered in the Cargo Record Book. The cargo record book should be signed by the officer in charge of the operations. 

The cargo record book shall be kept in such a place so that it is readily available for inspection. 

Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan for Noxious Liquid Substances (SOPEP)

Every ship of 150 GRT carrying noxious liquid substances in bulk needs to carry a Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan for Noxious Liquid Substances. The plan should inform about:

  • Procedure to be followed to report the noxious substance leak incident. 
  • List of authorities to be contacted in case of noxious liquid leak incident. 
  • Detailed descriptions of the action to be taken by a person onboard to control the pollution or damage by the noxious liquid substances. 
  • The procedures and point of contact on the ship for co-ordinating shipboard action

with national and local authorities in combating the pollution.

 

MARPOL Annex 3

Requirements for Marking and Labelling Packages, freight containers

Packages containing harmful substances shall be:

  • Durably marked with the correct technical name. 
  • Trade names alone shall not be used. 
  • Properly marked and secured to indicate that the package is a marine pollutant. 
  • Such identification shall be supplemented wherever is possible with the relevant UN number. 

 

The method of marking the correct technical name of the affiliated labels on packages containing harmful substances shall be such that:

  • The information on the labeling will still be identifiable after surviving at least 3 months of immersing in the sea. 

 

International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG Code)

The International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code is a global standard for safely transporting dangerous goods by sea. It provides guidelines on packaging, container handling, and storage, with a focus on keeping incompatible substances separate.

IMDG Code is divided into 2 Volumes:

  • Volume 1
  • Volume 2

Each volume deals with different subjects such as definitions, classifications, consignment procedures, and transport operations.

MARPOL Annex 4

Marpol Annex 4

The discharge of sewage into the seawater can create a health hazard. Sewage disposal can also lead to the depletion of oxygen in the ecosystem. Sewage disposal in seawater is a major pollutant, especially in the coastal areas with tourists. Sources of sewage from ships can be:

  • Drainage and other waste from urinals. 
  • Drainage from medical premises
  • Drainage from spaces containing living animals. 
  • Grey water and Black Water. 

 

Criteria for Discharging of Sewage in the Sea

The discharge of sewage is prohibited except when:

  • The ship is discharging comminuted & disinfected sewage using a system approved by the administration. 
  • The ship is discharging at least 5 Nautical miles from the nearest land(for comminuted & at least 12 nautical miles for non-comminuted.  
  • The sewage in the tank should be discharged at a moderate rate when the ship is en route and proceeding not less than 4 knots. 
  • The ship has an operational sewage treatment plant which has been certified by the administration to meet the requirement. 
  • The unit should not produce and discharge visible floating solids. 
  • When sewage is mixed with waste covered by other annexes of marpol, then requirements of those annexes shall also be compiled with the addition of Annex 4. 

Which Ships Come Under Marpol Annex 4

  • Ships equal to or greater than 400 GRT. 
  • Ships that are less than 400 GRT but certified to carry over 15 people. 

Sewage Treatment Plant on Ship

Every ship that comes under Annex 4 of marpol has to have a Sewage Treatment Plant. It should be approved by the government of the state under whose authority the ship is operating. 

Sewage Discharge Criteria for Passenger Ships in Baltic Region

  • The discharging of sewage from existing ships is banned within the Baltic Sea special region. 
  • New passenger ships have also been banned from discharging the sewage within the Baltic region since January 2016. 

MARPOL Annex 5

Marpol Annex 5 works for the Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships. Garbage from ships can harm marine life as much as oil or chemicals. Plastic is especially dangerous because it can stay in the ocean for years. Marine animals may mistake it for food or become tangled in plastic items like ropes, nets, bags, or drink can holders.

Which Ships Comes Under MARPOL Annex 5

  • All ships above 400 GRT. 
  • Every ship certified to carry over 15 people must follow Marpol Annex 5.
  • All fixed platforms certified to carry over 15 people also need to follow Annex 5. 
  • All ships above 100 GRT and ships certified to carry over 15 people also need to carry a Garbage Management Plan onboard. 

 

Garbage Management Plan

Every ship above 100 GRT and certified to carry 15 people needs to have a garbage management plan onboard. It should contain:

  • Garbage Minimization. 
  • Garbage Collection
  • Garbage Storage
  • Garbage Processing 
  • Garbage Disposal
  • Equipment used onboard for handling the cargo.
  • Designation of the person in charge of the garbage management plant. 

 

Categories of Garbage According to Annex 5

Type of GarbageShips Outside Special AreasShips Within Special AreasOffshore Platforms (more than 12 nm from land) and Ships Within 500 m of Such Platforms
Food waste comminuted or groundDischarge permitted >3 nm from the nearest land, en route and as far as practicableDischarge permitted >12 nm from the nearest land, en route and as far as practicableDischarge prohibited
Food waste not comminuted or groundDischarge permitted >12 nm from the nearest land, en route and as far as practicableDischarge prohibitedDischarge prohibited
Cargo residues1 not contained in wash waterDischarge permitted >12 nm from the nearest land, en route and as far as practicableDischarge prohibitedDischarge prohibited
Cargo residues1 contained in wash waterDischarge permitted >12 nm from the nearest land, en route and as far as practicable and subject to additional conditionsDischarge permitted >12 nm from the nearest land, en route and as far as practicable and subject to additional conditionsDischarge prohibited
Cleaning agents and additives1 contained in cargo hold wash waterDischarge permittedDischarge permittedDischarge prohibited
Cleaning agents and additives1 in deck and external surfaces wash waterDischarge permittedDischarge permittedDischarge prohibited
Carcasses of animals carried on board as cargo and which died during the voyageDischarge permitted as far from the nearest land as possible and en routeDischarge prohibitedDischarge prohibited
All other garbage including plastics, synthetic ropes, fishing gear, plastic garbage bags, incinerator ashes, cooking oil, floating dunnage, lining, packing materials, paper, rags, glass, metal, bottles, crockery, etc.Discharge prohibitedDischarge prohibitedDischarge prohibited

Garbage Record Book

When Should you make entries in the garbage record book?

  • When garbage is discharged to the shore authorities:

      • Date and time of discharge
      • Port or facility, or name of ship
      • Categories of garbage discharged
      • Estimated amount discharged for each category in cubic meters
      • Signature of an officer in charge of the operation.
  • When garbage is incinerated:

      • Date and time of start and stop of incineration
      • Position of the ship (latitude and longitude) at the start and stop of incineration
      • Categories of garbage incinerated
      • Estimated amount incinerated in cubic metres
      • Signature of the officer in charge of the operation.
  • When garbage is discharged into the sea:

      • Date and time of discharge
      • Position of the ship (latitude and longitude). Note: for cargo residue discharges, include
      • discharge start and stop positions.
      • Category of garbage discharged
      • Estimated amount discharged for each category in cubic meters
      • Signature of the officer in charge of the operation
  • Accidental or other exceptional discharges or loss of garbage into the sea:

    • Date and time of occurrence
    • Port or position of the ship at the time of occurrence (latitude, longitude, and water depth if
    • known)
    • Categories of garbage discharged or lost
    • Estimated amount for each category in cubic meters
    • The reason for the discharge or loss and general remarks.

MARPOL Annex 6

Marpol Annex 6 is Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships. This annex of Marpol sets limits on the emission of SOx and NOx from the ship exhaust and operations. 

All ships of 400 GRT and above have to carry an International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate (IAPP Certificate) to comply with Marpol Annex 6. Ships less than 400 GRT still have to comply with Annex 6 where applicable by the administration. 

Pollutants from Ship Exhaust

 

Exhaust Gas Component

Why is It Bad?

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)

  • Ground Ozone Formation
  • Acid Rain
  • Breathing Problem

Sulfur Oxides (SOx)

  • Respiratory Issues
  • Acid Rain

Particulate Matter (PM)

  • Air Pollution
  • Respiratory Issues
  • Heart Issues. 

Hydrocarbons (HC)

  • Volatile Organic Compounds

Carbon Monoxide(CO)

  • Toxic
  • Ground Ozone Formation

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

  • Green House gas
  • Global Warming

MARPOL Special Areas

Marpol Annex 1 Special Areas

  • Mediterranean Sea
  • Baltic Sea
  • Black Sea
  • Red Sea
  • “Gulfs” Area
  • Gulf of Aden
  • Antarctic Sea
  • North West European Waters
  • Oman Area of Arabian Sea
  • Southern South African Waters

Marpol Annex 2 Special Areas

  • Antarctic Region

Marpol Annex 4 Special Areas

  • Baltic Sea

Marpol Annex 5 Special Areas

  • Mediterranean Sea
  • Baltic Sea
  • Black Sea
  • Red Sea
  • “Gulfs Area”
  • North Sea
  • Antarctic region
  • Wider Caribbean region including the
  • Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea

Marpol Annex 6 Special Areas

  • Baltic Sea (SOx)
  • North Sea (SOx)
  • North American
  • (SOx, and NOx, and PM)
  • United States Caribbean Sea ECA (SOx, NOx and PM)

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