Please keep a copy in MARPOL book and Oil Record Book

Southern South African waters become Special Area

The Southern South African waters Special Area under MARPOL
Annex I was adopted as an amendment to MARPOL in 2006, and an
MEPC resolution was adopted in 2007 establishing 1 August 2008 as
the date on which the discharge requirements take effect. This
followed information provided by South Africa that adequate
reception facilities for oily wastes from ships were provided in all
major ports within the Special Area.

The Southern South African waters Special Area incorporates

the continental shelf from the mouth of the Spoeg River in the west
to immediately east of the Great Fish river mouth in the east
extending out to the continental shelf break at the 500 m isobath.
The area encompasses the whole of the continental shelf region
known as the Agulhas Bank as well as the southern and central
portion of the southern Benguela upwelling ecosystem.

The Southern South African waters mean the sea area enclosed by
the following co-ordinates:

31 14° S; 017 50° E

31 30° S; 017 12° E
32 00° S; 017 06° E
32 32° S; 016 52° E
34 06° S; 017 24° E
36 58° S; 020 54° E
36 00° S; 022 30° E
35 14° S; 022 54° E
34 30° S; 026 00° E
33 48° S; 027 25° E
33 27° S; 027 12° E

Please note that on Non Tanker vessels:

In special area only “machinery space bilge water” can be

pumped through 15 ppm separator. Oily water from other
sources can be pumped thro 15 ppm separator only when out
side special area.