An Idiot's Guide to MARPOL ANNEX II (revised)

MARPOL ANNEX II

International Regulation for the control of pollution by NOXIOUS LIQUID SUBSTANCES

Total Regulations : 18 (All summarised and simplified for you :) )

Regulation 1:Definitions

• Liquid Substances: Those liquids having a vapour pressure not exceeding 2.8 kg/cm3 @ 37 deg C
• Noxious Liquid Substances (NLS): A liquid falling into category A,B,C,D of this Annex.
• Special Areas: Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Antarctic Sea
• IBC Code (International Bulk Chemical Code): International code for construction and Equipment handling NLS
• BC Code (Bulk Chemical Code): For carriage and handling of Dangerous Chemicals in bulk

Regulation 2: Application

• It is applicable to all the ships carrying NLS. Exceptions can be there.

Regulation 3: Exceptions

• The discharge requirements of this Annex shall not apply to the discharge into the sea of NLS when:

1. It is necessary for the purpose of securing the safety of a ship or saving life at sea.
2. Results from damage to a ship or its equipment provided that all precautions taken after occurrence of damage or discovery of discharge for the purpose of preventing,minimizing the discharge except if the owner or the master acted either with intent to cause damage or is approved by the Administration, when being used for the purpose of combating specific pollution incidents in order to minimize the damage from pollution.
3. Any such discharge shall be subject to the approval of any Government in whose jurisdiction it is contemplated the discharge will occur.

Regulation 4: Exemptions

• With respect to amendments to carriage requirements due to the upgrading of the categorization of a substance.
• Need not apply to a ship constructed before 1 July 1986 which is engaged in restricted voyages by Administration between ports or terminals within/of a State Party.
• For a ship whose constructional and operational features are such that ballasting of cargo tanks is not required and cargo tank washing is only required for repair or dry-docking.

Regulation 5: Equivalents

• The Administration may allow any fitting, material, appliance or apparatus to be fitted in a ship as an alternative to that required by this Annex if such fitting, material, appliance or apparatus is at least as effective as that required by this Annex. This authority of the Administration shall not extend to the substitution of operational methods to effect the control of discharge of Noxious Liquid Substances as equivalent to those design and construction features which are prescribed by regulations in this Annex.

Regulation 6: Categorization of NLS

[These categories were amended on 1 Jan 07.Previously, there were 5 categories and now 3+1.Vegetable oils are now promoted to Category Y from Appendix III of IBC Code]

Category X, Y, Z & OS are to be considered for the scope of this Annex.

• Cat X: These are the NLS which possess a major hazard to the marine resources and aquatic world and humans. They cannot be discharged to sea.They and their tank washings can be handed over to the Shore Facility Only.Washing of tanks is done until the ppm level falls below a certain decided value as per the IBC Code.
• Cat Y: NLS which if discharged to sea from tank cleaning or de-ballasting ops, then they will present Acute Hazard for the above said resources (as in Cat X).Stringent anti-pollution measures are to be taken for their handling.
• Cat Z: This category talks about those substances which possess a minor hazard to the marine resources when their tank cleaning or de-ballast ops are discharged to sea.
• Cat OS: This category includes the substances that do not posses any sort of acute hazard on the maritime resources in any way.Minor precautions to be taken for their handling.It includes apple juice, clay/coal slurry, glucose soln, molasses and water.

Regulation 7: Survey and certification of Chem Tankers

• Chemical tankers which have been surveyed and certified by States Parties to the present Convention in accordance with the provisions of the IBC/BC Code, as applicable, shall be deemed to have complied with the provisions of the said regulations, and the certificate issued under that Code shall have the same force and receive the same recognition as the certificate issued under regulation 9 of this Annex.

Regulation 8: Surveys

• Ships carrying NLS in Bulk shall be surveyed as below:

1. An initial survey before the ship is put in service or before the Certificate is issued for first time. A complete survey of its structure, equipment, systems, fittings, arrangements and material.
2. A renewal survey at intervals specified by Admin <= 5 years.
3. Intermediate survey within 3 months before/after 2nd or 3rd anniversary date of the Certificate.
4. Annual survey within 3 months before/after each anniversary date of Certificate.
5. A special survey shall be done after certain circumstances or repairs on major parts.
6. Whenever an accident occurs to a ship or a defect is discovered which affects the integrity of the ship or the efficiency of its equipment, the master/owner of the ship shall report at the earliest opportunity to Admin, Recognized organization or the nominated surveyor responsible for issuing the relevant Certificate, who shall cause investigations to be initiated to determine whether a survey is necessary.

Regulation 9: Issue/Endorsement of Certificate

• An International Pollution Prevention Certificate for the Carriage of Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk shall be issued, after an initial or renewal survey.
• Such Certificate shall be issued or endorsed either by the Administration or by any person or organization duly authorized by it.
• The Government of a Party (another govt to the govt where ship is located) may, at the request of the Admin, cause a ship to be surveyed and copy of the Certificate and the survey report to be sent to the requesting admin.
• Language of Certificate shall be at least in English, French or Spanish.

Regulation 10: Duration and validity of Certificate

• An International Pollution Prevention Certificate for the Carriage of NLS in Bulk shall be issued for a period not exceeding 5 years.
• When the renewal survey is completed within 3 months before the expiry date of the existing Certificate, the new Certificate shall be valid from the date of completion of the renewal survey.
• When the renewal survey is completed after the expiry date of the existing Certificate, the new Certificate shall be valid from the date of completion of the renewal survey.
• If renewal survey is done and new cert is not issued then the old cert can be considered valid for upto 5 months upon Admin order.
• If a ship at the time when a Certificate expires is not in a port in which it is to be surveyed, Admin may extend period of validity of the Certificate for less than 3 months but this extension shall be granted only for the purpose of allowing the ship to complete its voyage to the port.

Regulation 11: Design, construction, equipment and operations

[Follow BC/IBC Code blah blah, not Imp]

Regulation 12: Pumping, piping, unloading arrangements and slop tanks

• Ship (constructed before 1 Jul 86) be provided with pumping/piping arrangement to ensure that each tank certified for the carriage of substances in Category X or Y does not retain a quantity of residue in excess of 300 litres and in Category Z 900 litres in tanks and its associated piping.
• Ship constructed between 1 July 1986-1 January 2007, in Category X or Y does not retain a quantity of residue in excess of 100 litres and for Cat Z, 300 litres.
• Ship constructed on or after 1 January 2007, Category X, Y or Z does not retain a quantity of residue in excess of 75 litres in tank and its associated piping.
• The underwater discharge outlet (or outlets) shall be located within the cargo area in the vicinity of the turn of the bilge and shall be so arranged as to avoid the re-intake of residue/water mixtures by the ship’s seawater intakes.
• Slop Tanks not required by Regulation but shall be fitted if necessary.

Regulation 13: Control of Discharges of residues of NLS

[Thumb rule: Can discharge Cat OS in all areas and Cat X,Y,Z never in Special Areas]

After unloading, and, if required, after a prewash, a cargo tank may be ballasted.

Discharge for Cat X: 

• No Sea discharge is permitted.
• Any water is added to the tank then it shall be considered for discharge to sea under following conditions:

1. Ship Enroute @ 7 knots.
2. Distance of vessel >= 12 nm from nearest land @ depth of water >= 25 m.
3. Discharge to be done below the Waterline.

• A tank from which a substance in Category X has been unloaded, shall be prewashed before the ship leaves the port of unloading. The resulting residues shall be discharged to a reception facility until the concentration of the substance in the effluent to such facility, as indicated by analyses of samples of the effluent taken by the surveyor, is at or below 0.1% by weight. When the required concentration level has been achieved, remaining tank washings shall continue to be discharged to the reception facility until the tank is empty. Appropriate entries of these operations shall be made in the Cargo Record Book and endorsed by the surveyor.
• The tank is pre-washed in accordance with a procedure approved by the Administration.
• Appropriate entries shall be made in the Cargo Record Book and endorsed by the surveyor.

Discharge for Cat Y:

• Discharge prohibited unless following conditions meet:

1. Ship Enroute @ 7 knots.
2. Distance of vessel >= 12 nm from nearest land @ depth of water >= 25 m.
3. Discharge made below waterline, far from sea chest inlets.
4. Method of discharge approved by administration.
5. Discharge rate such that conc. of effluent <= 1 ppm at wake astern of vessel.
6. Max discharge from each tank <= 1 m3 or 1/30,000 of tank capacity in m3.

• If the unloading of a substance of Category Y or Z is not carried out in accordance with the Manual, a prewash shall be carried out before the ship leaves the port of unloading, unless alternative measures are taken to the satisfaction of the surveyor.

Discharge of Cat Z: 

• Discharge prohibited unless following conditions meet:

1. Ship Enroute @ 7 knots.
2. Distance of vessel >= 12 nm from nearest land @ depth of water >= 25 m.
3. Discharge made below waterline, far from sea chest inlets.
4. Discharge rate such that conc. of effluent <= 10 ppm at wake astern of vessel.
5. Max discharge from each tank <= 3 m3 or 1/1,000 of tank capacity in m3.

• If the unloading of a substance of Category Y or Z is not carried out in accordance with the Manual, a prewash shall be carried out before the ship leaves the port of unloading, unless alternative measures are taken to the satisfaction of the surveyor.

Discharge of Cat OS: 

• Discharge prohibited unless following conditions meet:

1. Ship Enroute @ 7 knots.
2. Distance of vessel >= 12 nm from nearest land.
3. Discharge Mixture Conc. = 1/10:: substance/water.

Ballast introduced into a cargo tank which has been washed to such an extent that the ballast contains less than 1 ppm of the substance previously carried, may be discharged into the sea without regard to the discharge rate, ship’s speed and discharge outlet location, provided that the ship is not less than 12 miles from the nearest land and in water that is not less than 25 metres deep.

Regulation 14: Procedures and Arrangements Manual (P&A Manual)

• Resolution MEPC.18(22) gives standards for procedures and arrangements for the discharge of noxious liquid substances.
• The language used is not English, French or Spanish, the text shall include a translation into one of these languages.

Regulation 15: Cargo record book

• Every ship to which this Annex applies shall be provided with a Cargo Record Book.
• After completion of any operation, the operation shall be promptly recorded in the Cargo Record Book.
• In the event of an accidental discharge of a noxious liquid substance or a mixture containing such a substance or a discharge under the provisions of regulation 3 of this Annex, an entry shall be made in the Cargo Record Book stating the circumstances of, and the reason for,the discharge.
• Each entry shall be signed by the officer or officers in charge of the operation concerned and each page shall be signed by the master of the ship.

• The Cargo Record Book shall be kept in such a place as to be readily available for inspection.
• The competent authority of the Government of a Party may inspect the Cargo Record Book on board any ship to which this Annex applies while the ship is in its port, and may make a copy of any entry in that book and may require the master of the ship to certify that the copy is a true copy of such entry.

Regulation 16: Port State control on operational requirements

• A ship when in a port of another Party is subject to inspection by officers duly authorized by such Party concerning operational requirements under this Annex, where there are clear grounds for believing that the master or crew are not familiar with essential shipboard procedures relating to the prevention of pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances.
• In the circumstances given in above paragraph, the Party shall take such steps as will ensure that the ship shall not sail until the situation has been brought to order in accordance with the requirements of this Annex.

Regulation 17: Shipboard marine pollution emergency plan for Noxious Liquid Substances

• Every ship of 150 gross tonnage and above certified to carry NLS in bulk shall carry on board a shipboard marine pollution emergency plan for NLS approved by the Administration.
• Such a plan shall be based on the Guidelines developed by the Organization and written in a working language or languages understood by the master and officers.
• The plan shall consist at least of: 

1. The procedure to be followed to report a NLS pollution incident.
2. The list of authorities or persons to be contacted in the event of a NLS pollution incident.
3. Detailed description of the action to be taken immediately by persons on board to reduce or control the discharge of NLS following the incident.
4. The procedures and point of contact on the ship for co-ordinating shipboard action with national and local authorities in combating the pollution.
5. “Shipboard marine pollution emergency plan”: Its a combination of SOPEP and NLS Pollution plan.

Regulation 18: Reception facilities and cargo unloading terminal arrangements

• The Government of each Party to the Convention undertakes to ensure the provision of reception facilities according to the needs of ships using its ports, terminals or repair ports.

Thats all Folks :)

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