PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF OIL

POLLUTION FROM SHIPS

MARPOL -73/78 ANNEX -I
 MARPOL 73/78 History
The MARPOL Convention is the main international convention covering prevention
of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental
causes. It is a combination of two treaties adopted in 1973 and 1978 respectively and
updated by amendments through the years.
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)
was adopted on 2 November 1973 at IMO and covered pollution by oil, chemicals,
harmful substances in packaged form, sewage and garbage.
The Protocol of 1978 relating to the 1973 International Convention for the Prevention
of Pollution from Ships (1978 MARPOL Protocol) was adopted at a Conference on
Tanker Safety and Pollution Prevention in February 1978 held in response to a spate
of tanker accidents in 1976-1977. (Measures relating to tanker design and operation
were also incorporated into a Protocol of 1978 relating to the 1974 Convention on the
Safety of Life at Sea, 1974).
As the 1973 MARPOL Convention had not yet entered into force, the 1978 MARPOL
Protocol absorbed the parent Convention. The combined instrument is referred to as
the International Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Ships,
1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78), and it
entered into force on 2 October 1983 (Annexes I and II).
 Main Shipboard Oil Pollution Sources

• engine room bilges and fuel tanks ballast

• bunker operations
• tankers cargo operations
• tank washing and ballasting operations on tankers
• other operations
• tankers accidents

Accidental oil spills contribute to less than 5 - 10% of all oil

pollution.
 MARPOL 73/78 Contd.
Annex I: Prevention of pollution by oil (entered into force 2
October 1983)
Annex II: Control of pollution by noxious liquid substances
(entered into force on 2 October 1983)
Annex III: Prevention of pollution by harmful substances in
packaged form (entered into force on 1 July 1992)
Annex IV: Prevention of pollution by sewage from ships 
(entered into force on 27 September 2003)
Annex V: Prevention of pollution by garbage from ships
(entered into force 31 December 1988)
Annex VI: Prevention of  Air Pollution from Ships (entered into
force on 19 May 2005)
The history of main tanker accidents:

1967 March 18,

Torrey Canyon ran aground, spilling
her entire cargo of 120,000 tons of crude
oil off the Scilly Islands while entering
the English Channel.
This resulted in the biggest
oil pollution incident ever recorded up to
that time and was a result of poor
navigational practices.
 HISTORY OF MARPOL

The accident of Torrey Canyon forced the IMO to convene a

meeting of all members and in 1973 MARPOL convention
was adopted. Thereafter, a series of tanker accidents occurred
between 1976-78 and as the 73 convention was still not in
force, a protocol was adopted by IMO in 1978. This protocol
absorbed the parent convention and they together came into
force as MARPOL 73/78 convention on 2-10-1983 (for
Annexes I and II).
Any violation of the MARPOL 73/78 Convention within the
jurisdiction of any Party to the Convention is punishable
either under the law of that Party or under the law of the flag
State.
 Surveys and Inspection
As per the regulation 4, “every oil tanker of 150 tons gross tonnage and above
and every other ship of 400 tons gross tonnage and above shall be subject to
the surveys specified below:
• An Initial Survey before the ship is put in service.
• Periodical surveys at intervals specified by the Administration
but not exceeding 5 years.
• An annual survey within 3 months before or after each anniversary date of
the Certificate
• A minimum of one intermediate survey during the validity of the
certificate. It shall be held within 3 months before or after the second
anniversary date of the Certificate.
• The Admn. may also arrange additional survey if required during the
validity of the certificate.
The survey shall be carried out by the officers of Admn. or by Ros.
After the survey of the ship, no change shall be made in the structure,
equipment, systems, fittings, arrangements or material covered by the
survey without the sanction of the Admn.
 Issue of certificate and its validity

After the initial survey, an International Oil Pollution

Prevention Certificate shall be issued to all oil tankers of
150GT and above and all other ships of 400Gt and above.
Such certificates shall be issued by the Admn. Or ROs.
Issue of Certificate by another Government.
No IOPP certificate shall be issued to a ship carrying the flag
of a country who is not a party to the convention.
The validity of the certificate is for a period not more than 5
years.
The ship may be inspected by the inspectors of the Port State
Control of other countries.
 MARPOL ANNEX –I- Regulations and Chapters

There are 39 regulations in 7 chapters to regulate oil pollution

from ships (not just tankers):

Ship/Tanker operation
Ship/Tanker design (construction)
Regulations and Chapters- Contd.
 Annex-I Fundamentals- operation

Discharge of oil at sea :

All discharges of oil are prohibited unless certain criteria are satisfied

Oil discharge monitoring and control systems (tankers)

Regulations 31 & 32

Oil filter equipment (all ship types)

Regulation 14

Oil Discharge Monitoring Equipment (ODME)

Oily Water Separators (OWS)

Extensive review of requirements underway at IMO

 Annex –I - Operation

For ships ≥ 4,00 GT and oil tankers ≥ 150 GT (delivered after

31 December 1979) no ballast water shall be carried in any
oil fuel tank

Carrying large quantities of oil fuel and consequently ballast

water, requires discharge to reception facilities or into the sea
following procedures specified as per rules(Alarm and auto
stop device for oil filtering unit).

In a ship ≥ 400 GT constructed after 1 July 1982,

oil shall not be carried in a forepeak tank or a tank forward
of the collision bulkhead.
 For all ships Machinery space- Requirements
• sludge tanks of adequate capacity with regard to the type of
machinery and length of voyage

• standard discharge connection fitted to the ship’s discharge

pipeline for residues from bilges and sludge tanks to enable
connection to reception facilities

• oil fuel tanks protection against collision/grounding (i.e.

double hull) for ships with an aggregate oil fuel capacity of
600 m³, delivered on or after 1 August 2010. A max. capacity
limit of m³ per oil fuel tank is 2,500³
 Control of discharge of oil –from machinery space bilges

From a ship of 400 Gt and above other than an oil tanker and
from machinery space bilges excluding cargo pump room
bilges of an oil tanker unless mixed with oil cargo residue:
• The ship is not within a special area
• The ship is proceeding en route
• The oil content of the effluent without dilution does not
exceed 15 ppm. and
• The ship has in operation equipment as required by the
regulation.
In case of a ship of less than 400 Gt other than oil tanker
whilst outside special areas, the Admn. shall ensure the
storage of residues on board and their discharge to reception
facilities on shore
 Control of Discharge of Oil from ships
Outside “Special Area” for an oil tanker discharge may take place if:
• the instantaneous rate of discharge of oil content does note exceed
30 litres per nautical mile
• proceeding on voyage
• more than 50 nautical miles from land
• discharge monitoring and control system is used to discharge residue
• the total quantity of oil discharged into the sea does not exceed
1/15,000 or 1/30,000* of the total quantity of the particular cargo of
which the residue formed a part ( * for tankers delivered after 31
December 1979 )
• the tanker is equipped with Oil Discharge Monitoring and Control
System and a Slop Tank arrangement
 For all ships Machinery space- Requirements – Contd.
• All ships ≥400 GT must be fitted with oil filtering equipment
(Oily Water Separator) producing an effluent with oil content
<15ppm

• Ships ≥ 10000 GT shall be fitted with oil filtering equipment

(15ppm) with alarm and automatic stopping device

• Oily Water Separators (OWS) and Oil Content Meters (OCM)

(bilge alarms) shall be approved as per IMO resolutions:
A.393(X), MEPC.60 (33) or since 01.012005 MEPC.107(49)
which states that:
- OWS to be tested also with a stable emulsion
- OCM to include a recording function for date, time,
alarm and operating status. All records to be stored for
18 months
 Special areas
“Special Areas” according to Marpol:
Mediterranean sea, Baltic sea area, Black Sea areas, Red Sea
areas, Gulfs area, Gulf of Aden area, Oman Area of the Arabian
Sea, NW European waters, Southern South Africa waters.
Any discharge into the sea of oil or oily mix. from any oil tanker
and any ship of 400 tons Gt and above other than oil tanker
shall be prohibited while in spl. area.

Any discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixtures into the
Antarctic Area (south of latitude 60°S) is prohibited.
The discharge of oily mixtures can be sent to shore reception
facilities.
 Exceptions

The discharge regulations shall not apply to:

a) Discharge into the sea of oil or oily mix. necessary for the
purpose of securing the safety of the ship or saving life at sea or
b) The discharge into sea of oil or oily mix. resulting from
damage to a ship or its equipment.
Provided that (i)all reasonable precautions have been taken after
the occurrence of the damage or discovery of the damage for the
purpose of preventing or minimising the discharge (ii) except that
the owner or master has wilfully done.
c) Discharge into sea of substances containing oil, when doing
actions for combating pollution incidents in order to minimise
the damage from pollution.
 Reception Facilities

All ports and terminals in which crude oil is loaded into oil
tankers.

All ports and terminals in which oil other than crude oil in
bulk is loaded at an average quantity of more than 1000
metric tons per day.

All ports having ship repair yards or tank cleaning facilities.

All ports to receive oily water and other residues from all
ships.
 Construction requirements for oil tankers cargo area

Every crude oil tanker of 20,000 dwt and above and every product carrier
of 30,000 dwt and above delivered after 1 June 1982, shall be provided
with segregated ballast tanks (SBT)

In no case shall ballast water be carried in cargo tanks, except

- weather conditions so severe that it is necessary to carry additional
ballast water for the safety of the ship
- in exceptional cases where the particular character of the operation
of an oil tanker renders it necessary to carry ballast water

In case of crude oil tanker, such cargo tanks have been crude oil washed
(COW)
Additional ballast water shall be processed and discharged in compliance
with regulations and an entry shall be made in the Oil Record Book Part II
Construction requirements for oil tankers cargo area –contd.
Crude oil tankers ≥ 40,000 dwt and above delivered on or before 1 June
1982, shall comply with the requirements of SBT or may in lieu SBT, operate
with a cargo tank cleaning procedure using crude oil washing (COW)

Product carriers ≥ 40,000 dwt and above delivered on or before 1 June 1982
shall comply with the requirements of SBT or may in lieu SBT, operate with
dedicated clean ballast tanks (CBT). The product carrier shall be equipped
with an oil content meter, approved by the Administration to enable
supervision of the oil content in ballast water being discharged.

Crude Oil tankers ≥ 70,000 dwt delivered after 31 December 1979 shall
comply with the requirements of dedicated clean ballast tanks until 2 years
after the date of entry into force of the present convention.
Crude Oil tankers of 40000Dwt and above but less than 70,000 dwt delivered
after 31 December 1979 shall comply with the requirements of dedicated
clean ballast tanks until 4 years after the date of entry into force of the
present convention.
 COW requirements

All vessels having approved COW arrangements will also be

fitted with Inert gas arrangement systems with connections to
all cargo tanks and slop tanks.
Every oil tanker operating with COW system shall be
provided with an “Operations and Equipment
Manual” satisfying the requirements of the Admn.
 Construction Requirements

Tank (ship) construction:

Exxon Valdez 1989- OPA 90

U.S phase-out from 1995 to 2010 (except for tankers with
double bottoms (db) or double sides (ds), tankers less than
5,000 gross tons .
IMO amendments to MARPOL 73/78 (adopted 3/1992, entry
into force 7/1993)
New buildings to be double-hulls
Single-hulls to be sbt/pl or hbl from 25 years with phase-out
at 30 years old or by 2015
 Construction Requirements- Contd.

Tank (ship) construction:

Erika 1999
IMO amendments to MARPOL 73/78 (adopted 4/2001, entry into
force 9/2002)
Category 1 phase-out up to 2007
Categories 2&3 phase-out at 26 years up to 2015
BUT
Flag state may allow newer single-hulls to continue to 25 years
(subject to CAS)
HOWEVER
Port state can deny such extended single-hull tankers from
entering its ports
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

The full timetable for the phasing out of single-hull tankers

Category Date or year

of oil tanker
Category 1 5 April 2005 for ships delivered on 5 April 1982 or earlier
2005 for ships delivered after 5 April 1982

Category 2 and 5 April 2005 for ships delivered on 5 April 1977 or earlier
Category 3 2005 for ships delivered after 5 April 1977 but before
1 January 1978
2006 for ships delivered in 1978 and 1979
2007 for ships delivered in 1980 and 1981
2008 for ships delivered in 1982
2009 for ships delivered in 1983
2010 for ships delivered in 1984 or later
 Construction – Contd.

Tank (ship) construction:

Oil Tanker Categorization

Category 1 pre-MARPOL (pre-1982)
Category 2 MARPOL (post-1982)
Category 3 smaller tankers
(5,000-20,000/30,000dwt)
 Construction – Contd.
Tank (ship) construction:

Prestige 2001
EU Regulation 1726/2003 (entry into force 21/10/2003)
Category 1 phase-out up to 2005
Categories 2&3 phase-out up to 2010
No Heavy Grade Oils (HGO) in single-hulls from 21/10/2003
CAS from 2005 for all Categories 2&3 over 15 years old

IMO amendments to MARPOL 73/78 (adopted 12/2003, entry into force

5/4/2005)
13G
Category 1 phase-out up to 2005
Categories 2&3 phase-out up to 2010
CAS required for Categories 2&3 over 15 years old
 Annex – I - Miscellaneous
Other key elements to MARPOL Annex I:
SOPEP
Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan

Certification
International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate (IOPPC)

Surveys
Special Surveys (Enhanced Special Survey)
Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS)
CAS (Applies to oil tankers of 5,000 dwt and above)

CAS will be performed at intervals of up to 5 years and 6 months

First CAS to be undertaken at first renewal (ie special) survey or intermediate
survey after 5/4/05 of every tanker which has reached its fifteenth year

CAS is to be harmonised with ESP

 Miscellaneous – Contd.

Other key elements to MARPOL Annex I:

Oil Record Book (ORB)

Regulation 17 and Appendix III
Part 1: Machinery space operations
Part 2: Cargo space operations
Crude Oil Washing (COW)
Fuel tank protection – all ships 2010
Pump room protection – double bottom in tankers after
1/1/2007
Oil outflow performance in case of accident – collision or
grounding
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

On oil tankers ≥ 5000 dwt constructed on or after

01.01.2007 the pump- room shall be provided with double
bottom.

Tankers delivered on or after 01.01.2010 have to be

constructed providing adequate protection against oil
pollution in the event of stranding or collision. (Oil outflow
performance in case of accident – collision or grounding)

Oil tankers ≥ 150 GT shall be provided with slop tank

arrangements of total capacity not less then 3% of total
carrying capacity. Oil tankers ≥ 70,000 delivered after
31.12.1979, shall be provided with at least two slop tanks.
 Equipment requirements for oil tankers cargo area

. Oil tankers ≥ 150 GT shall be equipped with Oil Discharge Monitoring

Equipment (ODME) approved by the Administration, which includes:
- a recording device to provide continuous record of the discharge in litres
per nautical mile and total quantity discharged, or the oil content and
rate of discharge.
Record shall be identifiable as to time and date and shall be kept for
at least three years; any discharge of oily mixture is automatically
stopped when exceeding the permitted instantaneous rate of
discharge of oil;
Design of the oil content meter to be incorporated in the system shall
comply with IMO requirements.
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

Oil tankers ≥ 150 GT

shall be provided with effective

oil/water interface detectors
approved by the Administration
for a rapid and accurate determination
of the oil/water interface
in slop tanks and shall be available
for use in other tanks where the
separation of oil and water is effected
and from which it is discharged
directly to the sea.
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

Oil Record Book requirements

• Part I - Machinery space Operations for tankers ≥ 150 GT

and for non tankers ≥ 400 GT
• Part II - Cargo/ballast operations for oil tanker ≥ 150 GT

• When making entries, the date, operational letter code

and item number must be inserted
and the required details recorded
in the record of operations

• Each completed operation

to be signed and dated by
officer in charge as soon
as the operation is over.
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

Entries in the Oil Record Book must be:

• accurate
• signed by person in charge
of operation.
• entered without delay
• signed by Master on each page
• available for inspection
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

Oil record book (cont.)

• Mistakes to be struck through with a single line, the wrong

entry signed and followed by the correct entry.

• No full empty lines between each recorded entry are permitted ,

• ORB is to remain onboard for min. three years from the date
of last entry

• Only an official ORB is to be kept. A rough or working copy is not

permitted.

• All entries recorded in ink.

• ORB can be inspected by authorized authorities that may make copy

of entries and require the Master to certify them as “true copy”
Proper record keeping is to be verified at each superintendent’s visit to the ship
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

Approved Shipboard Oil Pollution Plan (SOPEP)

required for oil tankers ≥ 150 GT and non-tankers ≥ 400 GT
SOPEP - based on IMO guidelines* is written in the
working language of the master and officers.

The plan shall consist of:

- the procedure to be followed by the master or other
persons having charge of the ship to report an oil
pollution incident,
- the list of authorities or persons to be
contacted in the event of an oil pollution incident;

For ships fulfilling reg. 17 of Marpol Annex II, SOPEP may be combined
with the shipboard marine pollution emergency plan for noxious liquid
substances and the title is changed to “Shipboard marine pollution
emergency plan”. SMPEP

* MEPC.54(32) as amended by resolution MEPC.86(44)

*
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

The plan SOPEP shall consist of :

- a detailed description of the action to be taken immediately by

persons on board following the incident
- the procedures and point of contact on the ship for co-ordinating
shipboard action with national and local authorities.

Computerised, shore-based damage stability and residual

structural strength calculation programs shall be accessible
on board all oil tankers ≥ 5,000 dwt .
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

Onboard Oil Spill Equipment

should comprise:

- protective clothing
- emulsifiers for deck cleaning
- sorbents
- scupper plugs
- non-sparking hand scoops, shovels and buckets
- a minimum of one non-sparking pump with hoses
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

Onboard Oil Spill Equipment (continued)

• The full list of equipment and supplies is to be listed in the

vessel's SOPEP Manual.
• Oil Spill Removal Equipment is to be marked with two red
bands and kept in a marked storeroom
• During cargo operations and bunkering, the equipment
and supplies should be ready for immediate use.
 Miscellaneous – Contd.
Other key elements to MARPOL\Annex I:

FPSOs/FSUs
FPSOs and FSUs are not oil tankers and are not to be used for the transport of
oil except that, with the specific agreement by the flag and relevant coastal
States on a voyage basis,
Conversion of an oil tanker to an FPSO or FSU or vice versa should not be
construed as a major conversion as defined in regulation 1(8)
There are five categories of discharges that may be associated with the
operation of an FPSO or FSU:
machinery space drainage;
offshore processing drainage;
production water discharge;
displacement water discharge; and
contaminated seawater from operational purposes such as produced oil tank
cleaning water, produced oil tank hydrostatic testing water, water from
ballasting of produced oil tank to carry out inspection by rafting.
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

Certificates and documents to be carried onboard:

• Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate (including the Record of

Construction and Equipment (Form A or B)
• Statement of compliance for Condition Assessment Scheme
(Tankers only)

Type of Approval Certificates:

• Oily Water Separator

• 15 PPM Alarm
• Oil Discharge Monitoring and Control System
(Tankers Only)
• Oil/Water Interface Detector (Tanker Only)
 OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION

Documents

All ships:
• Oil Record Book (Part 1)
• SOPEP *
Tanker specific (Marpol Annex I):
• Oil Discharge Monitoring and Control System*– ODME Manual
(recordings from ODME equipment to be kept onboard for at least 3 years)
• Crude oil Washing Manual*, if applicable
• Oil Record Book (part 2)
• Access to shore based damage stability and residual strength
Calculations
• Dedicated Clean Ballast Tank Operation Manual*
• Damage Stability Approval*
• Vapour Emission Control System Procedure (Manual) *
* Should be approved by or on behalf of the Flag Administration