International 
                Convention for the 
                        Prevention of 
             Pollution from Ships  
             
                   (MARPOL 73/78) 
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                               PRACTICAL GUIDE 
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                          2015 
                                               
                                               
       MARPOL 73/78 Practical Guide                                                                                           Page 2 of 57 
        
        
       Contents: 
        
       1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................  3 
        
       2. Annex I - Oil ......................................................................................................................  5 
        
       3. Annex II - Noxious Liquid Substances carried in Bulk ...................................................... 11 
        
       4. Annex III - Harmful Substances carried in Packaged Form .............................................. 17 
        
       5. Annex IV - Sewage ........................................................................................................... 19 
        
       6. Annex V - Garbage ........................................................................................................... 25 
        
       7. Annex VI - Air Pollution ..................................................................................................... 35 
        
       8. Summary of discharge standards ..................................................................................... 49 
        
       9. Special areas .................................................................................................................... 56 
        
       10. References ..................................................................................................................... 57 
        
        
         
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
       Copyright © TOCPRO 2015. All Rights Reserved. 
       MARPOL 73/78 Practical Guide                                                                                           Page 3 of 57 
        
        
       International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the 
       Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78) 
        
       Introduction  
        
       The MARPOL Convention is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of 
       the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. It is a combination of two 
       treaties adopted in 1973 and 1978 respectively and updated by amendments through the years. 
        
       The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) was adopted on 
       2 November 1973 at IMO and covered pollution by oil, chemicals and harmful substances in 
       packaged form, sewage and garbage. The Protocol of 1978 relating to the 1973 International 
       Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (1978 MARPOL Protocol) was adopted at a 
       Conference on Tanker Safety and Pollution Prevention in February 1978 held in response to a 
       spate of tanker accidents in 1976-1977. (Measures relating to tanker design and operation were 
       also incorporated into a Protocol of 1978 relating to the 1974 Convention on the Safety of Life at 
       Sea, 1974). 
       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) 
       (Revised Annex I entered into force 1 January 2007).  
       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)  
        
       (Revised Annex II enters into force 1 January 2007) 
        
       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. 
        
        
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       MARPOL 73/78 Practical Guide                                                                                           Page 4 of 57 
        
        
       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.In July 2011, IMO adopted the most recent amendments to MARPOL Annex IV which entered 
       into force on 1 January 2013. The amendments introduce the Baltic Sea as a special area under 
       Annex IV and add new discharge requirements for passenger ships while in a special area. 
       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.  
       In July 2011, IMO adopted extensive amendments to Annex V which entered into force on  
       1 January 2013. The revised Annex V prohibits the discharge of all garbage into the sea, except as 
       provided otherwise, under specific circumstances. 
       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. 
       In 2011, after extensive work and debate, IMO adopted ground breaking mandatory technical and 
       operational energy efficiency measures which will significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse 
       gas emissions from ships; these measures were included in Annex VI and entered into force on  
       1 January 2013. 
        
       Enforcement 
       Any violation of the MARPOL 73/78 Convention within the jurisdiction of any Party to the 
       Convention is punishable either under the law of that Party or under the law of the flag State.  In this 
       respect, the term "jurisdiction" in the Convention should be construed in the light of international law 
       in force at the time the Convention is applied or interpreted. 
        
       With the exception of very small vessels, ships engaged on international voyages must carry on 
       board valid international certificates which may be accepted at foreign ports as prima facie evidence 
       that the ship complies with the requirements of the Convention. 
        
       If, however, there are clear grounds for believing that the condition of the ship or its equipment does 
       not correspond substantially with the particulars of the certificate, or if the ship does not carry a valid 
       certificate, the authority carrying out the inspection may detain the ship until it is satisfied that the 
       ship can proceed to sea without presenting unreasonable threat of harm to the marine environment. 
        
       Amendment Procedure 
        
       Amendments to the technical Annexes of MARPOL 73/78 can be adopted using the "tacit 
       acceptance" procedure, whereby the amendments enter into force on a specified date unless an 
       agreed number of States Parties object by an agreed date. 
       In practice, amendments are usually adopted either by IMO's Marine Environment Protection 
       Committee (MEPC) or by a Conference of Parties to MARPOL. 
        
       Copyright © TOCPRO 2015. All Rights Reserved.