MARPOL Consolidated Edition, 2022 (KF520E)

The 2022 consolidated edition aims to provide an easy and comprehensive reference to the up-to-date provisions and unified interpretations of the articles, protocols and Annexes of the MARPOL Convention, including the incorporation of all of the amendments that have been adopted by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (MARPOL Convention), was adopted by the International Conference on Marine Pollution convened by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) from 8 October to 2 November 1973. Protocol I (Provisions concerning reports on incidents involving Harmful Substances) and Protocol II (Arbitration) were adopted at the same Conference. This Convention was subsequently modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, which was adopted by the International Conference on Tanker Safety and Pollution Prevention (TSPP Conference) convened by IMO from 6 to 17 February 1978. The Convention, as modified by the 1978 Protocol, is known as the ?International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto?, or, in short form, ?MARPOL 73/78?. Regulations covering the various sources of ship-generated pollution are contained in the five Annexes of the Convention. The Convention has also been modified by the Protocol of 1997, whereby a sixth Annex was added. It may be noted that the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), at its fifty-sixth session, decided that, when referring to the Convention and its six Annexes as a whole, the term ?MARPOL? should be preferred to ?MARPOL 73/78?, as the latter would leave Annex VI on Prevention of air pollution from ships, which had been adopted by the 1997 Protocol, outside its scope.

The MEPC, since its inception in 1974, has reviewed various provisions of the MARPOL Convention that have been found to require clarification or have given rise to difficulties in implementation. In order to resolve such ambiguities and difficulties in a uniform manner, the MEPC agreed that it was desirable to develop unified interpretations. In certain cases, the MEPC recognized that there was a need to amend existing regulations or to introduce new regulations with the aim of reducing even further operational and accidental pollution from ships. These activities by the MEPC have resulted in a number of unified interpretations and amendments to the Convention.

The purpose of this publication is to provide an easy reference to the up-to-date provisions and unified interpretations of the articles, Protocols and Annexes of the MARPOL Convention, including the incorporation of all amendments in force on 1 November 2022. The footnotes contained in this publication are not part of the authentic text of the MARPOL Convention. They were agreed by the MEPC when the various amendments to the Convention were adopted, and inserted in the publication by the Secretariat, taking into account the provisions of the uniform wording for referencing IMO instruments adopted by resolution A.911(22). Footnotes inserted or updated refer to codes, guidelines, manuals or decisions of the MEPC and, in some cases, a specific edition of the industry guide or standards relating to a particular text. The reader should make use of the latest versions of the referenced texts, bearing in mind that such texts may have been revised or superseded since the publication of this Consolidated Edition of MARPOL

Introduction

MARPOL Convention and Protocols

Annex I

Prevention of pollution by oil

Annex II

Control of pollution by noxious liquid substances in bulk

Annex III

Prevention of pollution by harmful substances carried by sea in packaged form

Annex IV

Prevention of pollution by sewage from ships

Annex V

Prevention of pollution by garbage from ships

Annex VI

Prevention of air pollution from ships

Additional information

As a specialised agency of the United Nations, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the global standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping. Its main role is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented.

In other words, its role is to create a level playing field so that ship operators cannot address their financial issues by simply cutting corners and compromising on safety, security and environmental performance. This approach also encourages innovation and efficiency.

Shipping is a truly international industry, and it can only operate effectively if the regulations and standards are themselves agreed, adopted and implemented on an international basis. And IMO is the forum at which this process takes place.