MARPOL: Preventing Pollution from Ships
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, known as MARPOL, is the principal International Maritime Organization (IMO) instrument governing the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships. It combines the 1973 convention with the 1978 protocol and is administered through the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee, which amends it by resolution.
MARPOL is divided into six technical annexes, each covering a distinct pollution source. Annex I covers oil, Annex II noxious liquid substances carried in bulk, Annex III harmful substances carried in packaged form, Annex IV sewage, Annex V garbage, and Annex VI air pollution and ship energy efficiency. Each annex sets discharge limits, equipment requirements, certification, and the record-keeping obligations that demonstrate compliance to flag-State surveyors and Port State Control officers.
For machinery-space operations and oil tankers, the operational record required by the convention is the Oil Record Book under Annex I. The cluster below covers Annex I and the Oil Record Book Part I in full. The remaining MARPOL annexes are documented in their own clusters.
MARPOL annexes
| Annex | Subject | Status in this knowledge base |
|---|---|---|
| Annex I | Prevention of pollution by oil | Published |
| Annex II | Control of pollution by noxious liquid substances in bulk | Planned |
| Annexes III, IV, V | Packaged harmful substances, sewage, and garbage | Planned |
| Annex VI | Prevention of air pollution and ship energy efficiency | Planned |