CHIEF ENGINEER Unit 4 MARPOL – Oil Q2

MARPOL Convention Annex I is the first and arguably most significant annex of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). It specifically addresses the prevention of pollution by oil and oily mixtures from ships.  

1. MARPOL 73/78 – Wikipedia

2. MARPOL Annex I – Prevention of Pollution by Oil – International Maritime Organization

Key Objectives:

• Minimize operational pollution: It establishes strict regulations on the discharge of oil and oily waste from ships during normal operations, such as tank cleaning or deballasting.   1. International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) www.imo.org
• Prevent accidental pollution: It mandates measures to prevent and respond to accidental oil spills, including requirements for ship design, equipment, and emergency preparedness.   1. MARPOL Annex I – Prevention of Pollution by Oil – International Maritime Organization www.imo.org
• Protect sensitive marine areas: It designates certain regions as “special areas” where even stricter discharge controls apply due to their ecological importance.   1. Area based management tools: Special Areas | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration www.noaa.gov

Key Provisions:

• Discharge criteria: It sets limits on the permissible oil content in discharges from machinery spaces, cargo areas, and ballast tanks.   1. Marpol Annex I Part A – The Master Mariner www.themastermariner.com
• Equipment requirements: It mandates the installation of equipment like oily-water separators and oil discharge monitoring systems to ensure compliance with discharge limits.   1. Marpol Annex I Part A – The Master Mariner www.themastermariner.com
• Operational procedures: It outlines specific procedures for handling oily waste, such as proper tank cleaning and disposal methods.   1. International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) www.imo.org
• Ship design: It requires new oil tankers to have double hulls or equivalent arrangements to reduce the risk of oil spills in case of an accident.   1. Construction Requirements for Oil Tankers – Double Hulls www.imo.org
• Emergency preparedness: It mandates that ships have a Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP) outlining procedures to follow in case of an oil spill.   1. Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plans – International Maritime Organization www.imo.org

Significance:

• Environmental protection: Annex I has been instrumental in significantly reducing oil pollution from ships, safeguarding marine ecosystems, and protecting coastal areas from the devastating effects of oil spills.
• Maritime safety: By promoting safe practices and requiring specific equipment, it also contributes to overall maritime safety and reduces the risk of accidents that could lead to oil pollution.
• International cooperation: Annex I fosters global cooperation in combating marine pollution by establishing uniform standards and procedures that apply to ships of all flag states.

Overall, MARPOL Annex I represents a vital step towards protecting the marine environment from the harmful effects of oil pollution. Its strict regulations and focus on prevention and response have made a substantial positive impact on the health of our oceans.

According to MARPOL Annex I, an entry must be made in the Oil Record Book under the following circumstances:

Part I – Machinery Space Operations

• Ballasting or cleaning of fuel oil tanks: Any operation involving the ballasting or cleaning of fuel oil tanks.
• Discharge of dirty ballast or cleaning water from fuel oil tanks: Any discharge of dirty ballast or cleaning water from fuel oil tanks.
• Collection and disposal of oil residues (sludge): Any collection and disposal of oil residues (sludge) from machinery spaces.
• Bunkering of fuel or bulk lubricating oil: Every bunkering operation involving fuel or bulk lubricating oil.
• Transfer of fuel oil or bulk lubricating oil: Any internal transfer of fuel oil or bulk lubricating oil.
• Accidental or other exceptional discharges of oil: Any accidental or other exceptional discharges of oil or oily mixtures from machinery spaces.

Part II – Cargo/Ballast Operations

• Loading of oil cargo: Each loading of oil cargo.
• Internal transfer of oil cargo during the voyage: Any internal transfer of oil cargo during the voyage.
• Unloading of oil cargo: Each unloading of oil cargo.
• Ballasting of cargo tanks and dedicated clean ballast tanks: Any ballasting of cargo tanks and dedicated clean ballast tanks.
• Cleaning of cargo tanks: Any cleaning of cargo tanks.
• Discharge of ballast except from segregated ballast tanks: Any discharge of ballast except from segregated ballast tanks.
• Discharge of water from slop tanks: Any discharge of water from slop tanks.
• Disposal of residues: Any disposal of residues.
• Accidental or other exceptional discharges of oil: Any accidental or other exceptional discharges of oil.

General

• Each operation: In general, an entry should be made for each operation mentioned above, even if no discharge of oil or oily mixture took place.
• Date and time: The entries must be made in the Oil Record Book without delay and include the date and time of the operation.
• Signed: Each completed page of the Oil Record Book must be signed by the officer or officers in charge of the operations concerned and by the Master.

Remember that the Oil Record Book is a crucial document for demonstrating compliance with MARPOL Annex I regulations and can be inspected by port state control authorities. It’s vital to maintain accurate and up-to-date records to avoid penalties or detentions.

According to MARPOL Annex I, the specific entry that must be made in the Oil Record Book following a routine overboard discharge of machinery space bilge water is:

• Code E: Automatic discharge overboard or disposal otherwise of bilge water which has accumulated in machinery spaces.

This entry is made in Part I – Machinery Space Operations of the Oil Record Book.

Additional details to be included in the entry:

• Date and time of the discharge.
• Position of the ship at the time of the discharge (latitude and longitude).
• Quantity of bilge water discharged.
• Oil content of the bilge water before and after passing through the oil filtering equipment.
• Condition of the oil filtering equipment.

Important points to note:

• Even if no discharge actually occurs (e.g., due to the bilge water being below the permissible oil content limit), an entry must still be made in the Oil Record Book to record the fact that the system was operational and checked.
• The Oil Record Book must be readily available for inspection by authorities at all times.
• Proper record-keeping is essential for demonstrating compliance with MARPOL Annex I and avoiding potential penalties or detentions.

It’s also important to highlight that the specific format and layout of the Oil Record Book may vary slightly depending on the flag state and the specific edition of the ORB being used. However, the essential information required for each entry remains the same as outlined above.