INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PREVENTION OF POLLUTION FROM SHIPS (MARPOL)

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is a convention developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to prevent pollution from ships. The convention was first adopted in 1973 and has been amended several times since then.

It was adopted at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1973. The Protocol of 1978 was adopted in response to a number of tanker accidents in 1976–1977. The 1978 Protocol was absorbed into the parent Convention and the combined instrument entered into force in 1983. In 1997, a Protocol was adopted to amend the Convention and a new Annex VI was added, which came into force in May 2005.

Main OBJECTIVES:-

MARPOL is the main international convention aimed at the prevention of pollution from ships caused by operational or accidental causes.

MARPOL sets out requirements:

for the prevention of pollution from ships, including regulations related to the discharge of pollutants into the sea;
air emissions from ships;

the management of ship-generated waste.

Aplicabilities:

The convention applies to all types of ships engaged in international voyages, as well as to fixed or floating platforms engaged in exploration, exploitation, or production of the seabed.

There are total six annexes:

MARPOL is divided into six annexes, each addressing a specific type of pollution from ships:

Annex I: Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil

Annex II: Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk

Annex III: Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form

Annex IV: Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships

Annex V: Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships

Annex VI: Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships

The provisions of MARPOL are enforced by the flag state of the ship, as well as by port state authorities in countries where the ship calls. MARPOL has played a crucial role in reducing the impact of shipping on the marine environment, and is one of the key international treaties regulating shipping.