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MARPOL for the Sea Environment

Sandy Naufal H - 4215101004

Double Degree in Marine Engineering Program

Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Kampus ITS Keputih, Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111

MARPOL 73/78

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships or commonly called as
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.

The MARPOL Convention addresses pollution from ships by oil, by noxious liquid substances carried
in bulk, harmful substances carried by sea in packaged form, sewage, garbage, and the prevention of
air pollution from ships. MARPOL has greatly contributed to a significant decrease in pollution from
international shipping and applies to 99% of the worlds merchant tonnage.

There are several Annexes by the MARPOL which regulate different aspect in maritime pollution:

a. Annex I Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil

It 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.
The convention was designed to minimize pollution of the seas, from ships. The objective of
the convention is to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of
pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of
such substances. The MARPOL Annex I began to be enforced on October 2, 1983, and it details
the prevention of pollution by oil and oily water.
b. Annex II Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk
Details the discharge criteria and measures for the control of pollution by noxious liquid
substances carried in bulk. 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.
c. Annex III Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form
 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.
d. Annex IV Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships
Contains requirements to control pollution of the sea by sewage. 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.
e. Annex V Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships
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.
f. Annex VI Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships
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.

Other treaties address anti-fouling systems used on ships, the transfer of alien species by ships ballast
water and the environmentally sound recycling of ships. Reductions of pollution generated by ships
have been achieved by addressing technical, operational and human element issues and are all the more
noteworthy when compared with the significant growth in the worlds shipping industry both in the
size of the world fleet and the distances that it travels.

There are kind of pollution materials caused by ship and sea platform which regulate by MARPOL to
prevent pollution:

1. Oil : Oil prevention are regulated by IMO in MARPOL Annex I. IMO are concern to ensure that
the majority of oil tankers are safely built and operated and are constructed to reduce the
amount of oil spilled in the event of an accident. Operational pollution, such as from routine
tank cleaning operations, has also been cut. In MARPOL Annex I also, regulation of double
hulled tanker is written and must be implemented by the tankers with the dwt above 600 ton.
It regulates to strengthen the structure of the vessel and also prevent direct leakage if tanker is
grounded.
 Tanker carried oil being leaked
Source: http://www.marineinsight.com
2. Chemical : MARPOL regulated the carriage of chemicals in bulk is covered by regulations in
SOLAS Chapter VII - Carriage of dangerous goods and MARPOL Annex II - Regulations for
the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk. Both Conventions require
chemical tankers built after 1 July 1986 to comply with the International Bulk Chemical Code
(IBC Code), which sets out the international standards for the safe carriage, in bulk by sea, of
dangerous chemicals and noxious liquid substances. The Code prescribes the design and a
construction standard of ships involved in the transport of bulk liquid chemicals and identifies
the equipment to be carried to minimize the risks to the ship, its crew and to the environment.

Chemical cargoes which will be delivered by ship

Source: http://www.adl-log.com
3. Sewage : IMO regulate about prevention of pollution by sewage in Annex IV of MARPOL. The
discharge of raw sewage into the sea can create a health hazard. Sewage can also lead to oxygen
depletion and can be an obvious visual pollution in coastal areas - a major problem for countries
with tourist industries. Annex IV contains a set of regulations regarding the discharge of
sewage into the sea from ships, including regulations regarding the ships' equipment and
systems for the control of sewage discharge, the provision of port reception facilities for
sewage, and requirements for survey and certification. The Annex requires ships to be
equipped with either an approved sewage treatment plant or an approved sewage
comminuting and disinfecting system or a sewage holding tank. 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 may be discharged at a distance of more than 12 nautical miles
from the nearest land, and the rate of discharge of untreated sewage shall be approved by the
Administration.
 Passenger ship discharge it sewage on sea
Source: http://www.cruiselawnews.com
4. Garbage : The greatest danger comes from plastic, which can float for years. Fish and marine
mammals can in some cases mistake plastics for food and they can also become trapped in
plastic ropes, nets, bags and other. Regulation about garbage are written in MARPOL Annex
V. Annex V applies to all ships, which means all vessels of any type whatsoever operating in
the marine environment, from merchant ships to fixed or floating platforms to non-commercial
ships like pleasure crafts and yachts. The revised Annex V now generally prohibits the
discharge of all garbage into the sea, except as provided otherwise in regulations 4, 5, and 6 of
the Annex, which are related to food waste, cargo residues, cleaning agents and additives and
animal carcasses.

Garbage on Indonesian sea.

Source: http://i.dailymail.co.uk
This is simplified overview of the discharge provisions of the revised MARPOL Annex V which
entered into force on 1 January 2013

Offshore platforms
Ships outside Ships within and all ships
Type of garbage
special areas special areas within 500 m of
such platform
Discharge Discharge
permitted Discharge
Food waste permitted permitted
comminuted or 3 nm from the 12 nm from the
12 nm from the
ground nearest land and en nearest land and en
route nearest land
route
Discharge
Food waste not permitted
12 nm from the Discharge Discharge
comminuted or
ground nearest land and en prohibited prohibited
route
 Cargo residues1 not
Discharge Discharge
contained in wash
prohibited prohibited
water
Discharge
Discharge only
permitted
12 nm from the permitted in
Cargo residues1 specific
nearest land and en Discharge
contained in wash circumstances2
route prohibited
water and 12 nm from the
nearest land and en
route
Discharge only
permitted in
Cleaning agents
specific
and additives1 Discharge
circumstances2
contained in cargo prohibited
and 12 nm from the
hold wash water Discharge
nearest land and en
permitted
route
Cleaning agents
and additives1 Discharge
Discharge
contained in deck permitted
prohibited
and external
surfaces wash water
Discharge
Carcasses of
permitted
animals carried on
As far from the Discharge Discharge
board as cargo and
nearest land as prohibited prohibited
which died during
possible and en
the voyage
route
All other garbage
including plastics,
domestic wastes,
Discharge Discharge Discharge
cooking oil,
prohibited prohibited prohibited
incinerator ashes,
operational wastes
and fishing gear
When garbage is mixed with or contaminated by other substances
Mixed garbage prohibited from discharge or having different discharge
requirements, the more stringent requirements shall apply
1 These substances must not be harmful to the marine environment.
2 According to regulation 6.1.2 of MARPOL Annex V, the discharge shall only be allowed if:
(a) both the port of departure and the next port of destination are within the special area and
the ship will not transit outside the special area between these ports (regulation 6.1.2.2); and
(b) if no adequate reception facilities are available at those ports (regulation 6.1.2.3).
5. Air pollution : The regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships seek to minimize
airborne emissions from ships (SOx, NOx, ODS, VOC shipboard incineration) and their
contribution to local and global air pollution and environmental problems. Air pollution are
regulated by IMO in the MARPOL Annex VI. As already acknowledged by the Kyoto Protocol,
CO2 emissions from international shipping cannot be attributed to any particular national
economy due to its global nature and complex operation. Therefore, IMO has been
energetically pursuing the limitation and reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from
international shipping, in recognition of the magnitude of the climate change challenge and the
intense focus on this topic.
 Smoke from the ships exhaust contain NOx and Sox which can pollute the air
Source: http://worldmaritimenews.com

Conclusion

MARPOL is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine
environment by ships from operational or accidental causes.
The purpose of MARPOL Convention is to prevent the accident on sea which can harm the sea and
shore environment and to minimize the outcome of the shipping and maritime industry for
environment and human living.
There are six annexes which regulate different aspect of pollution in maritime ecology, such as:
a. Annex I about Prevention of Oil Pollution
b. Annex II about Pollution by noxious liquid substance in bulk
c. Annex III about Prevention of pollution by harmful substance carried by package
d. Annex IV about prevention of pollution by Sewage from ships
e. Annex V about prevention of pollution by Garbage from ships
f. Annex VI about prevention of Air pollution from ships
There are some aspect of pollution which the concern of MARPOL to be solved,
a. Oil pollution
b. Chemical pollution
c. Sewage
d. Garbage
e. Air pollution and Green House Gasses emission