International Convention for

the Prevention of Pollution

from Ships (MARPOL 73)

MARPOL 73, short for the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, is the primary
international agreement governing the mitigation of maritime pollution. Widely adopted by countries worldwide,
this comprehensive convention aims to minimize the discharge of harmful substances from ships into the marine
environment, thereby protecting the ecological health of our oceans.

The convention covers a broad range of pollutants, including oil, noxious liquid substances, harmful packaged
materials, sewage, and more. Through a set of detailed regulations and enforcement mechanisms, MARPOL 73
provides a framework for ships to operate in an environmentally responsible manner, reducing the impact of
maritime activities on the delicate marine ecosystems.

by dimitar dimitrov
Objectives and Scope of MARPOL 73

Objectives Scope Annexes

Prevent and minimize pollution
from ships, including oil,
chemicals, sewage, and garbage.
Covers all kinds of ships,
including merchant ships,
tankers, and cruise liners,
operating in the marine
environment.
Outlines specific requirements
for different types of pollutants
through 6 technical annexes.
Key Regulations under MARPOL 73

1 Discharge Restrictions 2 Equipment Requirements

Prohibits the discharge of oil, chemicals, Mandates the installation of pollution

sewage, and garbage from ships into the sea, prevention equipment on ships, such as oil-
with some exceptions. water separators and sewage treatment plants.

3 Reporting Requirements 4 Port Reception Facilities

Requires ships to report pollution incidents and Obligates ports to provide adequate facilities
maintain detailed records of operations. for the reception of ship-generated waste.
Oil Pollution Prevention (Annex I)

1 Oil Record Book

Mandatory record of all oil-related operations on board.

2 Oily Water Separators

Required equipment to treat oily bilge water before discharge.

3 Restricted Discharge Zones

Prohibition of oil discharge within 50 nautical miles from land.
Noxious Liquid Substances (Annex II)

Categorization Discharge Limits Cargo Residue Disposal

Noxious liquid substances are Strict limits on the quantity and

classified into 4 categories based concentration of noxious liquid Requires proper disposal of
on their environmental and substances that can be cargo residues and tank
health hazards. discharged from ships. washings at reception facilities
in ports.
Harmful Substances in Packaged Form
(Annex III)

Packaging Standards Documentation

Requires ships to maintain a detailed manifest and
Mandates specific packaging, labeling, and stowage plan for all hazardous cargo.
stowage requirements for harmful substances
carried in packaged form.

Reporting Port Reception

Outlines procedures for reporting incidents Ensures the availability of adequate port reception
involving the loss or discharge of harmful facilities for the disposal of hazardous waste.
substances.
Sewage Pollution Prevention (Annex
IV)
Sewage Treatment
Requires ships to install approved sewage treatment plants or hold sewage for port
discharge.

Discharge Restrictions
Prohibits the discharge of sewage within 4 nautical miles of land, unless treated to a
certain standard.

Record Keeping
Mandates the maintenance of a Sewage Record Book to document all sewage-related
operations.
Enforcement and Compliance Mechanisms

Ship Inspections Sanctions Reporting Port Reception

Facilities
Penalties for violations, Mandatory reporting of
including fines, pollution incidents and
Port State Control detention, and even maintenance of detailed Ports are required to
inspections to verify criminal prosecution. records. provide adequate waste
compliance with reception facilities for
MARPOL requirements. ships.