View source for MARPOL 73/78

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2013}}
[[File:MARPOL 73-78 signatories.png|thumb|MARPOL 73/78 ratifying states]]
'''MARPOL''' '''73/78''' is the '''International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978'''. ("MARPOL" is short for [[marine pollution]] and 73/78 short for the years 1973 and 1978.)

MARPOL 73/78 is one of the most important international marine [[international environmental law|environmental conventions]].  It was developed by the [[International Maritime Organization]] in an effort to minimize pollution of the oceans and seas, including [[marine debris|dumping]], oil and air pollution.  The objective of this convention is to preserve the marine environment in an attempt 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.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Chronology & Search|url = http://www.martinottaway.com/technical-documents/MAX1-Studies/chronology|website = MAX1 Studies|accessdate = 2015-07-15}}</ref> It entered into force on 2 October 1983. As of April 2016, 154 states, representing 98.7 per cent of the world's shipping tonnage, are state parties to the convention.<ref>http://www.imo.org/About/Conventions/StatusOfConventions/Documents/status-x.xls</ref>

All ships flagged under countries that are signatories to '''MARPOL''' are subject to its requirements, regardless of where they sail and member nations are responsible for vessels registered under their respective nationalities.<ref name=crs>Copeland, Claudia. [http://www.earth-forum.com/NLE/CRSreports/08Jun/RL32450.pdf "Cruise Ship Pollution: Background, Laws and Regulations, and Key Issues"] (Order Code RL32450). [[Congressional Research Service]] (Updated 6 February 2008). ''This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.''</ref>

==Annexes==
MARPOL is divided into Annexes according to various categories of pollutants, each of which deals with the regulation of a particular group of ship emissions.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|+ List of the MARPOL 73/78 Annexes
! Annex !! Title !! Entry into force<ref name="IMO">[http://www.imo.org/About/Conventions/StatusOfConventions/Documents/Summary%20of%20Status%20of%20Conventions.xls Summary of Status of Conventions], www.imo.org</ref><ref name=":0" />!! No. of Contracting Parties/States<ref name="IMO"/>{{ref|Alpha|α}} !! % of the World Tonnage<ref name="IMO"/>{{ref|Beta|β}}

|-
| [[Marpol Annex I|Annex I]] ||prevention of pollution by oil & oily water || 2 October 1983 ||

|-
| Annex II ||control of pollution by noxious liquid substances in bulk || 6 April 1987


|-
| Annex III ||prevention of pollution by harmful substances carried by sea in packaged form || 1 July 1992 || 138 || 97.59

|-
| Annex IV || pollution by sewage from ships || 27 September 2003

|-
| Annex V || pollution by garbage from ships || 31 December 1988

|-
| Annex VI||Prevention of air pollution from ships || 19 May 2005 || 72 || 94.70

|-
| colspan="5" align="left" |

'''Notes'''

{| border="0"

|+

|
:{{note|Alpha|α}} As of 31 July 2013

:{{note|Beta|β}} Based on World Fleet Statistics as of 31 December 2012
|}
|}

=== Annex I ===
[[Marpol Annex I|MARPOL Annex I]] came into force on 2 October 1983 and deals with discharge of oil into the ocean environment.  It incorporates the oil discharge criteria prescribed in the 1969 amendments to the 1954 [[International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil]] (OILPOL). It specifies tanker design features that are intended to minimize oil discharge into the ocean during ship operations and in case of accidents. It provides regulations with regard to treatment of engine room bilge water ([[Oily Water Separator (marine)|OWS]]) for all large commercial vessels and ballast and tank cleaning waste ([[Oil Discharge Monitoring Equipment|ODME]]). It also introduces the concept of "special sea areas (PPSE)" which are considered to be at risk to pollution by oil.  Discharge of oil within them has been completely outlawed, with a few minimal exceptions.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url = http://www.imo.org/KnowledgeCentre/ReferencesAndArchives/HistoryofMARPOL/Documents/MARPOL%2073-78%20Brief%20History%20-%20List%20of%20amendments%20and%20how%20to%20find%20them.htm|title = MARPOL73-78:  Brief history - list of amendments to date and where to find them|date = 2012|accessdate = 3 June 2015|website = MARPOL73-78:  Brief history - list of amendments to date and where to find them|publisher = IMO|last = |first = }}</ref>

The first half of [[Marpol Annex I|MARPOL Annex I]] deals with engine room waste. There are various generations of technologies and equipment that have been developed to prevent waste such as: [[Oily Water Separators|Oily water separators]] (OWS), [[Oil content meter|Oil Content meters]] (OCM), and [[Port Reception Facilities]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title = International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)|url = http://www.imo.org/en/About/Conventions/ListOfConventions/Pages/International-Convention-for-the-Prevention-of-Pollution-from-Ships-(MARPOL).aspx|website = www.imo.org|accessdate = 2015-07-23}}</ref>

The second part of the [[Marpol Annex I|MARPOL Annex I]] has more to do with cleaning the cargo areas and tanks. [[Oil Discharge Monitoring Equipment]] (ODME) is a very important technology mentioned in [[Marpol Annex I|MARPOL Annex I]] that has greatly helped improve sanitation in these areas.<ref name=":1" />

The [[Oil record book|Oil Record Book]] is another integral part of [[Marpol Annex I|MARPOL Annex I]].  The [[Oil record book|Oil Record Book]] helps crew members log and keep track of oily waste water discharges among other things.

=== Annex II === 
MARPOL Annex II came into force on 6 April 1987. It details the discharge criteria for the elimination of pollution by noxious liquid substances carried in large quantities. It divides substances into and introduces detailed operational standards and measures. The discharge of pollutants is allowed only to reception facilities with certain concentrations and conditions. No matter what, no discharge of residues containing pollutants is permitted within 12 miles of the nearest land. Stricter restrictions apply to "special areas".<ref name=":0" />

=== Annex III ===
MARPOL Annex III came into force on 7 July 1992.  It contains general requirements for the standards on packing, marking, labeling, documentation, stowage, quantity limitations, exceptions and notifications for preventing pollution by noxious substances. The Annex is in line with the procedures detailed in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, which has been expanded to include marine pollutants. The amendments entered into force on 1 January 1991.<ref name=":0" />

=== Annex IV ===
Marpol Annex IV came into force on 22 September 2003.  It introduces requirements to control pollution of the sea by sewage from ships.<ref name=":0" />

=== Annex V ===
MARPOL Annex V came into force on 31 December 1988.  It specifies the distances from land in which materials may be disposed of and subdivides different types of garbage and marine debris. The requirements are much stricter in a number of "special areas" but perhaps the most prominent part of the Annex is the complete ban of [[Ocean dumping|dumping]] plastic into the ocean.<ref name=":0" />

=== Annex VI ===
MARPOL Annex VI came into force on 19 May 2005.  It introduces requirements to regulate the air pollution being emitted by ships, including the emission of ozone-depleting substances, [[NOx|Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)]], [[Sulfur_oxide|Sulphur Oxides (SOx)]], [[Volatile_organic_compound|Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)]] and shipboard incineration. It also establishes requirements for reception facilities for wastes from exhaust gas cleaning systems, incinerators, fuel oil quality, for off-shore platforms and drilling rigs and for the establishment of [[Sulphur_Emission_Control_Area|SOx Emission Control Areas (SECAs)]].<ref name=":0" />

==Amendments==

MARPOL Annex VI amendments according with [http://www.imo.org/includes/blastDataOnly.asp/data_id%3D23760/176%2858%29.pdf MEPC 176(58)] came into force 1 July 2010.

Amended [http://www.ancomaritime.com/files/Ozone_Depleting_Substances_Marpol_Regulation_12.html Regulations 12] concerns control and record keeping of Ozone Depleting Substances.

Amended [http://www.ancomaritime.com/files/Fuel_Oil_Change_over_procedures%20.html Regulation 14] concerns mandatory fuel oil change over procedures for vessels entering or leaving [[Sulphur Emission Control Area|SECA]] areas and FO sulphur limits.

==Implementation and enforcement==
In order for [[International Maritime Organization|IMO]] standards to be binding, they must first be ratified by a total number of member countries whose combined [[gross tonnage]] represents at least 50% of the world's gross tonnage, a process that can be lengthy.  A system of tacit acceptance has therefore been put into place, whereby if no objections are heard from a member state after a certain period has elapsed, it is assumed they have assented to the treaty.

All six Annexes have been ratified by the requisite number of nations; the most recent is Annex VI, which took effect in May 2005. The country where a ship is registered ([[Flag State]]) is responsible for certifying the ship's compliance with MARPOL's [[pollution prevention]] standards. Each signatory nation is responsible for enacting [[municipal law|domestic laws]] to implement the convention and effectively pledges to comply with the convention, annexes, and related laws of other nations.  In the United States, for example, the relevant implementation legislation is the [[Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships]].

One of the difficulties in implementing MARPOL arises from the very international nature of maritime shipping. The country that the ship visits can conduct its own examination to verify a ship's compliance with [[international standard]]s and can detain the ship if it finds significant [[regulatory compliance|noncompliance]]. When incidents occur outside such country's jurisdiction or jurisdiction cannot be determined, the country refers cases to flag states, in accordance with MARPOL. A 2000 US [[Government Accountability Office|GAO]] report documented that even when referrals have been made, the response rate from flag states has been poor<ref name="U.S. GAO, 2000 Report">{{cite journal|last1=Office|first1=U. S. Government Accountability|title=Marine Pollution: Progress Made to Reduce Marine Pollution by Cruise Ships, but Important Issues Remain|date=March 7, 2000|issue=RCED-00-48|page=20|url=http://www.gao.gov/new.items/rc00048.pdf}}</ref>.

On January 1, 2015, maritime shipping levels became legally subject to new MARPOL directives because the SECA (Sulphur Emission Controlled Areas) zone increased in size. This larger SECA zone will include the North Sea, Scandinavia, and parts of the English Channel. This area is set to include all of the Republic of Ireland's international waters in 2020 culminating in all of Western Europe's subjection to the MARPOL directive. This has proven controversial for shipping and ferry operators across Europe.

Concerns have been raised about the environmental damage moving back to the roads by some of the larger ferry operators that ship substantial amounts of freight and passenger traffic via these routes affected by IMO standards. They claim that MARPOL will drive up ferry costs for the consumer and freight forwarding companies pushing them back onto the European roadways as a financially more cost effective measure compared to increased ferry costs, thereby defeating the object of reducing water pollution.<ref name="Freightlink">[https://www.freightlink.co.uk/knowledge/articles/what-marpol-and-its-impact-freight-market What is MARPOL and its impact to the freight market?], www.freightlink.co.uk</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Crude oil washing]]
* [[International Maritime Organization]]
* [[Marine energy management]]
* [[Marine fuel management]]
* [[Merchant Shipping (Pollution) Act 2006]]
* [[Ship pollution]]
* [[Oil Pollution Act of 1990]]
* [[Marpol Annex I|MARPOL Annex I]]
* [[Oily Water Separator (marine)|Oily water separator (marine)]]
* [[Oil Content Meter|Oil content meter]]
* [[Port Reception Facilities]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|MARPOL}}
* [http://www.imo.org/about/conventions/listofconventions/pages/international-convention-for-the-prevention-of-pollution-from-ships-(marpol).aspx International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78)]
* [http://www.ecolex.org/ecolex/ledge/view/RecordDetails;DIDPFDSIjsessionid=D9BB277000DBC9205BB8C72E4AB059F6?id=TRE-000841&index=treaties Amendments to the Annex of the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships], Treaty available in ECOLEX-the gateway to environmental law (English)
* [https://yify.co/ YIFY Overview of Emission Control Areas]
* [http://www.imo.org/OurWork/Environment/PollutionPrevention/SpecialAreasUnderMARPOL/Pages/Default.aspx IMO Overview of Emission Control Areas]

{{Pollution}}
{{Ports and harbors}}

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