MARPOL
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, or MARPOL, is a crucial instrument in protecting the marine environment from pollution caused by ships. Adopted in 1973, the convention has undergone several amendments through the years to strengthen its regulations and address new challenges in marine pollution.
The MARPOL Convention includes six technical annexes that provide specific regulations for preventing and minimizing pollution from ships. These annexes cover various areas such as oil pollution, noxious liquid substances, harmful substances in packaged form, sewage, garbage, and air pollution. Each annex details the specific requirements and measures for controlling pollution in its respective area.
Annex I of MARPOL addresses the prevention of pollution by oil. The regulations cover both accidental spills and pollution caused by routine operations. The 1992 amendments to Annex I introduced the requirement for new oil tankers to have double hulls and a phase-in schedule for existing tankers to fit double hulls. This requirement was subsequently revised in 2001 and 2003.
Annex II addresses the control of pollution by noxious liquid substances in bulk. The regulations specify discharge criteria and measures to control pollution caused by these substances. The discharge of residues containing noxious substances is not permitted within 12 miles of the nearest land.
Annex III deals with the prevention of pollution by harmful substances carried in packaged form. It contains requirements for issuing detailed standards on packing, marking, labelling, documentation, stowage, quantity limitations, exceptions, and notifications. Harmful substances are defined as those substances that are identified as marine pollutants in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code or meet the criteria in the Appendix of Annex III.
Annex IV contains requirements for controlling pollution caused by sewage from ships. The discharge of sewage into the sea is prohibited unless the ship has an approved sewage treatment plant in operation or is discharging comminuted and disinfected sewage using an approved system at a distance of more than three nautical miles from the nearest land. Sewage that is not comminuted or disinfected must be discharged at a distance of more than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land.
Annex V addresses the prevention of pollution caused by garbage from ships. It prohibits the disposal of all forms of plastics into the sea and specifies the distances from land and the manner in which garbage may be disposed of.
Annex VI sets limits on sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from ship exhausts and prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone-depleting substances. The annex also establishes more stringent standards for SOx, NOx, and particulate matter in designated emission control areas. In 2011, a chapter was adopted that covers mandatory technical and operational energy efficiency measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships.
The MARPOL Convention, along with its annexes and amendments, has been instrumental in protecting the marine environment from pollution caused by ships. It has set standards and regulations for the shipping industry to follow, promoting sustainable practices and reducing the impact of human activity on the ocean. The convention has been adopted by over 150 countries, demonstrating the global commitment to protecting the health and integrity of the marine environment.
Each Annex will be discussed in greater detail, highlighting the vast array of regulations. Managing the ship effectively is of utmost importance to avoid violations of the convention, which could affect the crew, the ship, and yourself. This was a hard lesson for Carnival’s cruise brand Princess, who were found to be in violation of regulations set out in MARPOL.
A brief summery of events: Carnival’s Princess Cruise Lines Ltd. has been fined $1 million for violating probation for environmental-related crimes for the second time. Princess Cruise Lines failed to establish an independent internal investigative office, a condition of its probation. In 2017, Princess was convicted of intentionally dumping oil-contaminated waste from one of its ships off the coast of England and falsifying logs to cover it up, resulting in a $40 million fine. The company was on five-year probation and had to come up with an environmental compliance plan that included independent audits and oversight from a court-appointed monitor. In October 2021, a third-party auditor and the court-appointed monitor sent a letter to a federal judge saying that Carnival’s repeated failure to abide by the rules of its probation, “reflects a deeper barrier: a culture that seeks to minimize or avoid information that is negative, uncomfortable, or threatening to the company, including to top leadership.” Carnival and Princess were convicted of six violations of their probation in 2019, resulting in an additional $20 million fine.
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Further reading: IMO Environment, MARPOL, Miami Herald
Image Credit: Photo by 7inchs: https://www.pexels.com/photo/rubbish-floating-in-blue-water-of-sea-6702766/