MARPOL
MARPOL
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL, short for Marine Pollution) was adopted in 1973 and entered into force ten years later.
It contains regulations designed to prevent pollution of the sea, land and air, either accidentally or during routine operations, by ships transporting oil (including fuel), noxious or harmful cargoes, by sewage, garbage, and emissions.
The convention includes six annexes:
I. Prevention of Pollution by Oil
II. Prevention of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk (e.g. chemicals)
III. Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried in Packages (e.g. containers, tanks)
IV. Prevention of Pollution by Sewage
V. Prevention of Pollution by Garbage
VI. Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships
The original MARPOL Convention 73 together with the 78 Protocol is collectively known as MARPOL 73/78.
All yachts, whether commercial or private, must comply with the applicable Annexes of MARPOL.
ANNEX I
This Annex provides the requirements, both physical and operational, for the prevention of pollution by oil. Requirements for equipment and machinery spaces, onboard retention and storage, treatment and discharges, reception facilities, and emergency or accidental spill reporting, are all included.
A key requirement of Annex I is that ships of over 400 gross tonnes (GT) must carry a Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan, known as a SOPEP.
SOPEP
Regulation 37 of Annex I of MARPOL requires that oil tankers of 150 gross tonnes or more, and all ships of 400 gross tonnes or more carry an approved SOPEP.
The SOPEP is a guide for the response of the vessel’s crew in case of oil pollution. It provides detail on how to report, who will be reporting and what should be reported. It also gives a guidance on the steps to control accidental discharges and the onboard response actions in the event of a spill.
PANAMA CANAL SOPEP
All toll paying vessels in passage through the Panama Canal that carry in excess of 400 Metric Ton (MT) of fuel, are required to have a specific Panama Canal SOPEP, which must be approved by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP).
ANNEX II & ANNEX III
These Annexes apply to cargo carrying ships and are not usually applicable to yachts.
ANNEX IV
This Annex provides requirements, similar to those for oil in Annex I, for the control of sewage generated onboard ships.
As with the requirements for the prevention of pollution by oil, the sewage pollution prevention requirements cover equipment and machinery spaces, onboard retention and storage, treatment and discharges, and reception facilities.
ANNEX V
This Annex provides the requirements for the discharge of garbage generated onboard ships.
The key point is that the discharge of all garbage into the sea is prohibited, except where expressly provided otherwise.
Description of the garbage types are contained in the Annex:
- Plastics
- Food Waste
- Domestic Waste
- Cooking Oil
- Incinerator Ashes
- Operational Waste
- Cargo Residue
- Animal Carcasses
- Fishing Gear
Vessels Over 100GT
All vessels over 100 gross tonnes (GT) are required to carry Garbage Management Plans. The Garbage Management Plan must be based on the guidelines developed by the IMO.
Vessels over 400GT
All vessels of 400 gross tonnes and above and every vessel certified to carry 15 persons or more, (plus every fixed or floating platform engaged in exploration and exploitation of the seabed), must maintain a Garbage Record Book (GRB), to record all disposal and incineration operations. The date, time, position of ship, description of the garbage and the quantities incinerated or discharged must be itemised in the GRB to provide an evidentiary record of legal and appropriate disposal.
ANNEX VI
This Annex provides the requirements for the prevention of air pollution from ships. It limits the main air pollutants contained in ships exhaust gas, including sulphur oxides (SOx) and nitrous oxides (NOx). It prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances (ODS), and also regulates shipboard incineration.
Read More
Garbage Management Checklist (52kb PDF)
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