MARPOL Convention: Pollution Prevention from Ships PDF

LECTURE 5 POLLUTION PREVENTION FROM SHIP (MARPOL, 1973);  BACKGROUND The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/78, MARPOL is short for maritime pollution and 73/78 short...

LECTURE 5 POLLUTION PREVENTION FROM SHIP (MARPOL, 1973);  BACKGROUND The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/78, MARPOL is short for maritime pollution and 73/78 short for the years 1973 and 1978) is one of the most important international marine environmental conventions. It was developed by the IMO in an effort to minimize pollution of the oceans and seas, including dumping, oil and air pollution. The objective of this convention is to preserve the marine environment to completely eliminate pollution by oil and other harmful substances and to minimize accidental spillage of such substances. The original MARPOL was signed on 17 February 1973, but did not come into force at the signing date. The current convention is a combination of 1973 Convention and the 1978 Protocol, which EIF (Enter Into Force) on 2 October 1983. As of January 2018, 156 states are parties to the convention, being flag states of 99.42% of the world's shipping tonnage. All ships flagged under countries that are signatories to MARPOL are subject to its requirements, regardless of where they travel and member nations are responsible for vessels registered on their national ship registry.  It 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 EIF on 2 October 1983. In 1997, a Protocol was adopted to amend the Convention and a new Annex VI was added which EIF 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 Currently six technical Annexes are included. Special Areas with strict controls on operational discharges are included in  THE MARPOL 73/78 CONVENTION REGULATES DISCHARGES FROM SHIPS AT SEA AND COMPRISES, 6 ANNEXES: Annex I: Prevention of pollution by oil (11 chapters, 47 Regulations) Annex II: Control of pollution by noxious liquid substances (10 Chapters, 22 Regulations) Annex III: Prevention of pollution by harmful substances carried by sea in packaged form ( 2 Chapters,11 Regulations) Annex IV: Prevention of pollution by sewage from ships. (7 Chapters,18 Regulations) Annex V: Prevention of pollution by garbage from ships (3 Chapters,14 Regulations) Annex VI: Prevention of air pollution from ships. (5 chapters, 25 Regulations)  SOME DETAIL OF THE ANNEXES Annex 1 Annex 2 Covers prevention of pollution by oil Details the discharge criteria and measures from operational measures as well for the control of pollution by noxious liquid as from accidental discharges; substances carried in bulk; 1992 amendments to Annex I made  Some 250 substances were evaluated and it mandatory for new oil tankers to included in the list appended to the have double hulls and brought in a Convention; phase-in schedule for existing the discharge of their residues is allowed tankers to fit double hulls, only to reception facilities until certain concentrations and conditions. In any case, no discharge of residues containing noxious substances is permitted within 12 miles of the nearest land.  SOME DETAIL OF THE ANNEXES Annex 4 Annex 3  Contains requirements to control pollution of Contains general requirements for the sea by sewage; the discharge of sewage the issuing of detailed standards on into the sea is prohibited. packing, marking, labelling,  Except when the ship has in operation an documentation, stowage, quantity approved sewage treatment plant or when the limitations, exceptions and ship is discharging comminuted (after notifications. treatment into smaller particles) and “Harmful substances” are those disinfected sewage using an approved system substances which are identified as at a distance of more than three nautical miles marine pollutants in the International from the nearest land; Maritime Dangerous Goods Code  Sewage which is not comminuted or (IMDG Code) or which meet the disinfected has to be discharged at a distance criteria in the Appendix of Annex III. of more than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land. STP – System Treatment Plant  SOME DETAIL OF THE ANNEXES Annex 5 Annex 6 .Deals with different types of Sets limits on sulphur oxide (SOx) and garbage and specifies the distances nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate from land and the manner in which matters emissions from ship exhausts and they may be disposed of. prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances.  Most important feature of the Annex is the complete ban imposed on the It covers mandatory technical and disposal into the sea of all forms of operational energy efficiency measures plastics. aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships.  SPECIAL AREAS IN MARPOL 73/78/PSSA/ECA Defined as certain sea areas in which, for technical reasons relating to their oceanographical and ecological condition and to their sea traffic, the adoption of special mandatory methods for the prevention of sea pollution is required. Under the Convention, these special areas are provided with a higher level of protection than other areas of the sea. Under MEPC.1/Circ.778, there are 778 List of special areas under MARPOL and particularly sensitive sea areas (PSSAs) defined by the Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) resolutions. PSSAs are defined as areas that need special protection through action by the IMO because of their significance for recognized ecological, socio-economic, or scientific attributes, where such attributes may be vulnerable to damage by international shipping activities. Under Annex VI of the MARPOL 73/78 Emission Control Areas (ECAs) are also defined. (OIL) (NL) (HS) (SEW) (GAR (AP) )  REASONS FOR SOME SPECIAL The Baltic and the Red Seas AREAS) are enclosed bodies of maritime space, which are exposed to high risks of pollution; Some of the areas listed as Special Areas, such as the Baltic Sea, experience cold temperatures all year long. This may slow down the chemical and biological degradation process of certain pollutants; The Baltic region, for example, has many complex archipelagos and deeply cut and indented coastlines, such as areas around the Finnish Aaland Islands and the Ostrobothnia region. May result in difficulties in carrying out clean-up operations should an oil or other chemical spill take place in that area; These areas have a high concentration of certain pollutants. For example, there are large oil slicks in the Gulfs Areas; Some of the designated areas are important chokepoints for oil transportation and possess high navigational traffic, such as the Red Sea and the Gulfs Areas; The areas need to be protected as they are scientifically and socio-economically important for the coastal population. For instance, the Red Sea and the Gulf Areas are rich in marine