International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 1973) as modified by the Protocol 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78)^[*]

Date enacted: 1973-11-02

In force: 1983-10-12

Content

Protocol I - Provisions concerning reports on incidents involving harmful substances
Protocol II - Arbitration

The Parties to the Convention

Being conscious of the need to preserve the human environment in general and the marine environment in particular,

Recognizing that deliberate, negligent or accidental release of oil and other harmful substances from ships constitutes a serious source of pollution,

Recognizing also the importance of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil 1954, as being the first multilateral instrument to be concluded with the prime objective of protecting the environment, and appreciating the significant contribution which that Convention has made in preserving the seas and coastal environment from pollution,

Desiring to achieve the complete elimination of intentional pollution of the marine environment by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances,

Considering that this object may best be achieved by establishing rules not limited to oil pollution having a universal purport,

The Parties to the Present Protocol,

Recognizing the significant contribution which can be made by the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, to the protection of the marine environment from pollution from ships,

Recognizing also the need to improve further the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships, particularly oil tankers,

Recognizing further the need for implementing the Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil contained in Annex I of that Convention as early and as widely as possible,

Acknowledging however the need to defer the application of Annex II of that Convention until certain technical problems have been satisfactorily resolved,

Considering that these objectives may best be achieved by the conclusion of a Protocol relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

General obligations under the Convention

1.	The Parties to the Convention undertake to give effect to the provisions of the present Convention and those Annexes thereto by which they are bound, in order to prevent the pollution of the marine environment by the discharge of harmful substances or effluents containing such substances in contravention of the present Convention.
2.	Unless expressly provided otherwise, a reference to the present Convention constitutes at the same time a reference to its Protocols and to the Annexes.

Article I (Protocol)

General obligations

The Parties to the present Protocol undertake to give effect to the provisions of:

(a)	the present Protocol and the Annex hereto which shall constitute an integral part of the present Protocol; and
(b)	the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention"), subject to the modifications and additions set out in the present Protocol.

The provisions of the Convention and the present Protocol shall be read and interpreted together as one single instrument.

Every reference to the present Protocol constitutes at the same time a reference to the Annex hereto.

Article 2

Definitions

For the purposes of the present Convention, unless expressly provided otherwise:

"Regulations" means the Regulations contained in the Annexes to the present Convention.

"Harmful substance" means any substance which, if introduced into the sea, is liable to create hazards to human health, to harm living resources and marine life, to damage amenities or to interfere with other legitimate uses of the sea, and includes any substance subject to control by the present Convention.

(a)

"Discharge", in relation to harmful substances or effluents containing such substances, means any release howsoever caused from a ship and includes any escape, disposal, spilling, leaking, pumping, emitting or emptying;

(b)

"Discharge" does not include:

(i)	dumping within the meaning of the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, done at London on 13 November 1972; or
(ii)	release of harmful substances directly arising from the exploration, exploitation and associated off-shore processing of sea-bed mineral resources; or
(iii)	release of harmful substances for purposes of legitimate scientific research into pollution abatement or control.

"Ship" means a vessel of any type whatsoever operating in the marine environment and includes hydrofoil boats, air-cushion vehicles, submersibles, floating craft and fixed or floating platforms.

"Administration" means the Government of the State under whose authority the ship is operating. With respect to a ship entitled to fly a flag of any State, the Administration is the Government of that State. With respect to fixed or floating platforms engaged in exploration and exploitation of the sea-bed and subsoil thereof adjacent to the coast over which the coastal State exercises sovereign rights for the purposes of exploration and exploitation of their natural resources, the Administration is the Government of the coastal State concerned.

"Incident" means an event involving the actual or probably discharge into the sea of a harmful substance, or effluents containing such a substance.

"Organization" means the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization.

Article 3

Application

The present Convention shall apply to:

(a)	ships entitled to fly the flag of a Party to the Convention; and
(b)	ships not entitled to fly the flag of a party but which operate under the authority of a Party.

Nothing in the present Article shall be construed as derogating from or extending the sovereign rights of the Parties under international law over the sea-bed and subsoil thereof adjacent to their coasts for the purposes of exploration and exploitation of their natural resources.

The present Convention shall not apply to any warship, naval auxiliary or other ship owned or operated by a State and used, for the time being, only on government non-commercial service. However, each Party shall ensure by the adoption of appropriate measures not impairing the operations or operational capabilities of such ships owned or operated by it, that such ships act in a manner consistent, so far as is reasonable and practicable, with the present Convention.

Article 4

Violation

Any violation of the requirements of the present Convention shall be prohibited and sanctions shall be established therefor under the law of the Administration of the ship concerned wherever the violation occurs. If the Administration is informed of such a violation and is satisfied that sufficient evidence is available to enable proceedings to be brought in respect of the alleged violation, it shall cause such proceedings to be taken as soon as possible, in accordance with its law.

Any violation of the requirements of the present Convention within the jurisdiction of any Party to the Convention shall be prohibited and sanctions shall be established therefor under the law of that Party. Whenever such a violation occurs, that Party shall either:

(a)	cause proceedings to be taken in accordance with its law; or
(b)	furnish to the Administration of the ship such information and evidence as may be in its possession that a violation has occurred.

Where information or evidence with respect to any violation of the present Convention by a ship is furnished to the Administration of that ship, the Administration shall promptly inform the Party which has furnished the information or evidence, and the Organization, of the action taken.

The penalties specified under the law of a Party pursuant to the present Article shall be adequate in severity to discourage violations of the present Convention and shall be equally severe irrespective of where the violations occur.

Article 5

Certificates and special rules on inspection of ships

1.	Subject to the provisions of paragraph (2) of the present Article a certificate issued under the authority of a Party to the Convention in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations shall be accepted by the other Parties and regarded for all purposes covered by the present Convention as having the same validity as a certificate issued by them.
2.	A ship required to hold a certificate in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations is subject, while in the ports or off-shore terminals under the jurisdiction of a Party, to inspection by officers duly authorized by that Party. Any such inspection shall be limited to verifying that there is on board a valid certificate, unless there are clear grounds for believing that the condition of the ship or its equipment does not correspond substantially with the particulars of that certificate. In that case, or if the ship does not carry a valid certificate, the Party carrying out the inspection shall take such steps as will ensure that the ship shall not sail until it can proceed to sea without presenting an unreasonable threat of harm to the marine environment. That Party may, however, grant such a ship permission to leave the port or off-shore terminal for the purpose of proceeding to the nearest appropriate repair yard available.
3.	If a Party denies a foreign ship entry to the ports or off-shore terminals under its jurisdiction or takes any action against such a ship for the reasons that the ship does not comply with the provisions of the present Convention, the Party shall immediately inform the consul or diplomatic representative of the Party whose flag the ship is entitled to fly, or if this is not possible, the Administration of the ship concerned. Before denying entry or taking such action the Party may request consultation with the Administration of the ship concerned. Information shall also be given to the Administration when a ship does not carry a valid certificate in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations.
4.	With respect to the ships of non-Parties to the Convention, Parties shall apply the requirements of the present Convention as may be necessary to ensure that no more favourable treatment is given to such ships.

Article 6

Detection of violations and enforcement of the Convention

1.	Parties to the Convention shall co-operate in the detection of violations and the enforcement of the provisions of the present Convention, using all appropriate and practicable measures of detection and environmental monitoring, adequate procedures for reporting and accumulation of evidence.
2.	A ship to which the present Convention applies may, in any port or off-shore terminal of a Party, be subject to inspection by officers appointed or authorized by that Party for the purpose of verifying whether the ship has discharged any harmful substances in violation of the provisions of the Regulations. If an inspection indicates a violation of the Convention, a report shall be forwarded to the Administration for any appropriate action.
3.	Any Party shall furnish to the Administration evidence, if any, that the ship has discharged harmful substances or effluents containing such substances in violation of the provisions of the Regulations. If it is practicable to do so, the competent authority of the former Party shall notify the Master of the ship of the alleged violation.
4.	Upon receiving such evidence, the Administration so informed shall investigate the matter, and may request the other Party to furnish further or better evidence of the alleged contravention. If the Administration is satisfied that sufficient evidence is available to enable proceedings to be brought in respect of the alleged violation, it shall cause such proceedings to be taken in accordance with its law as soon as possible. The Administration shall promptly inform the Party which has reported the alleged violation, as well as the Organization, of the action taken.
5.	A Party may also inspect a ship to which the present Convention applies when it enters the ports or off-shore terminals under its jurisdiction, if a request for an investigation is received from any Party together with sufficient evidence that the ship has discharged harmful substances or effluents containing such substances in any place. The report of such investigation shall be sent to the Party requesting it and to the Administration so that the appropriate action may be taken under the present Convention.

Article 7

Undue delay to ships

1.	All possible efforts shall be made to avoid a ship being unduly detained or delayed under Article 4, 5 or 6 of the present Convention.
2.	When a ship is unduly detained or delayed under Article 4, 5 or 6 of the present Convention, it shall be entitled to compensation for any loss or damage suffered.

Article 8

Reports on incidents involving harmful substances

A report of an incident shall be made without delay to the fullest extent possible in accordance with the provisions of Protocol I to the present Convention.

Each Party to the Convention shall:

(a)	make all arrangements necessary for an appropriate officer or agency to receive and process all reports on incidents; and
(b)	notify the Organization with complete details of such arrangements for circulation to other Parties and Member States of the Organization.

Whenever a Party receives a report under the provisions of the present Article, that Party shall relay the report without delay to:

(a)	the Administration of the ship involved; and
(b)	any other State which may be affected.

Each Party to the Convention undertakes to issue instructions to its maritime inspection vessels and aircraft and to other appropriate services, to report to its authorities any incident referred to in Protocol I to the present Convention. That Party shall, if it considers it appropriate, report accordingly to the Organization and to any other party concerned.

Article 9

Other treaties and interpretation

1.	Upon its entry into force, the present Convention supersedes the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil, 1954, as amended, as between Parties to that Convention.
2.	Nothing in the present Convention shall prejudice the codification and development of the law of the sea by the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea convened pursuant to Resolution 2750C(XXV) of the General Assembly of the United Nations nor the present or future claims and legal views of any State concerning the law of the sea and the nature and extent of coastal and flag State jurisdiction.
3.	The term "jurisdiction" in the present Convention shall be construed in the light of international law in force at the time of application or interpretation of the present Convention.

Article 10

Settlement of disputes

Any dispute between two or more Parties to the Convention concerning the interpretation or application of the present Convention shall, if settlement by negotiation between the Parties involved has not been possible, and if these Parties do not otherwise agree, be submitted upon request of any of them to arbitration as set out in Protocol II to the present Convention.

Article 11

Communication of information

The Parties to the Convention undertake to communicate to the Organization:

(a)	the text of laws, orders, decrees and regulations and other instruments which have been promulgated on the various matters within the scope of the present Convention;
(b)	"a list of nominated surveyors or recognized organizations which are authorized to act on their behalf in the administration of matters relating to the design, construction, equipment and operation of ships carrying harmful substances in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations for circulation to the Parties for information of their officers. The Administration shall therefore notify the Organization of the specific responsibilities and conditions of the authority delegated to nominated surveyors or recognized organizations." (Protocol)
(c)	a sufficient number of specimens of their certificates issued under the provisions of the Regulations;
(d)	a list of reception facilities including their location, capacity and available facilities and other characteristics;
(e)	official reports or summaries of official reports in so far as they show the results of the application of the present Convention; and
(f)	an annual statistical report, in a form standardized by the Organization, of penalties actually imposed for infringement of the present Convention.

The Organization shall notify Parties of the receipt of any communications under the present Article and circulate to all Parties any information communicated to it under sub-paragraphs (1)(b) to (f) of the present Article.

Article 12

Casualties to ships

1.	Each Administration undertakes to conduct an investigation of any casualty occurring to any of its ships subject to the provisions of the Regulations if such casualty has produced a major deleterious effect upon the marine environment.
2.	Each Party to the Convention undertakes to supply the Organization with information concerning the findings of such investigation, when it judges that such information may assist in determining what changes in the present Convention might be desirable.

Article 13

Signature, ratification, acceptance, approval and accession

The present Convention shall remain open for signature at the Headquarters of the Organization from 15 January 1974 until 31 December 1974 and shall thereafter remain open for accession. States may become Parties to the present Convention by:

(a)	signature without reservation as to ratification, acceptance or approval; or
(b)	signature subject to ratification, acceptance or approval, followed by ratification, acceptance or approval; or
(c)	accession.

Ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument to that effect with the Secretary-General of the Organization.

The Secretary-General of the Organization shall inform all States which have signed the present Convention or acceded to it of any signature or of the deposit of any new instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession and the date of its deposit.

Article IV (Protocol)

Signature, ratification, acceptance, approval and accession

The present Protocol shall be open for signature at the Headquarters of the Organization from 1 June 1978 to 31 May 1979 and shall thereafter remain open for accession. States may become Parties to the present Protocol by:

(a)	signature without reservation as to ratification, acceptance or approval; or
(b)	signature, subject to ratification, acceptance or approval, followed by ratification, acceptance or approval; or
(c)	accession.

Ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument to that effect with the Secretary-General of the Organization.

Article 14

Optional Annexes

1.	A State may at the time of signing, ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to the present Convention declare that it does not accept any one or all of Annexes III, IV and V (hereinafter referred to as "Optional Annexes") to the present Convention. Subject to the above, Parties to the Convention shall be bound by any Annex in its entirety.
2.	A State which has declared that it is not bound by an Optional Annex may at any time accept such Annex by depositing with the Organization an instrument of the kind referred to in Article 13(2) of the present Convention.
3.	A State which makes a declaration under paragraph (1) of the present Article in respect of an Optional Annex and which has not subsequently accepted that Annex in accordance with paragraph (2) of the present Article shall not be under any obligation nor entitled to claim any privileges under the present Convention in respect of matters related to such Annex and all references to Parties in the present Convention shall not include that State in so far as matters related to such Annex are concerned.
4.	The Organization shall inform the States which have signed or acceded to the present Convention of any declaration under the present Article as well as the receipt of any instrument deposited in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (2) of the present Article.

Article II (Protocol)

Implementation of annex II of the Convention

Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 14(1) of the Convention, the Parties to the present Protocol agree that they shall not be bound by the provisions of Annex II of the Convention for a period of three years from the date of entry into force of the present Protocol or for such longer period as may be decided by a two-thirds majority of the Parties to the present Protocol in the Marine Environment Protection Committee (hereinafter referred to as "the Committee") of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (hereinafter referred to as "the Organization").

During the period specified in paragraph 1 of this Article, the Parties to the present Protocol shall not be under any obligations nor entitled to claim any privileges under the Convention in respect of matters relating to Annex II of the Convention and all reference to Parties in the Convention shall not include the Parties to the present Protocol in so far as matters relating to that Annex are concerned.

Article 15

Entry into force

1.	The present Convention shall enter into force twelve months after the date on which not less than fifteen States, the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than fifty per cent of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant shipping, have become parties to it in accordance with Article 13 of the present Convention.
2.	An Optional Annex shall enter into force twelve months after the date on which the conditions stipulated in paragraph (1) of the present Article have been satisfied in relation to that Annex.
3.	The Organization shall inform the States which have signed the present Convention or acceded to it of the date on which it enters into force and of the date on which an Optional Annex enters into force in accordance with paragraph (2) of the present Article.
4.	For States which have deposited an instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession in respect of the present Convention or any Optional Annex after the requirements for entry into force thereof have been met but prior to the date of entry into force, the ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall take effect on the date of entry into force of the Convention or such Annex or three months after the date of deposit of the instrument whichever is the later date.
5.	For States which have deposited an instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession after the date on which the Convention or an Optional Annex entered into force, the Convention or the Optional Annex shall become effective three months after the date of deposit of the instrument.
6.	After the date on which all the conditions required under Article 16 to bring an amendment to the present Convention or an Optional Annex into force have been fulfilled, any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession deposited shall apply to the Convention or Annex as amended.

Article V (Protocol)

Entry into force

1.	The present Protocol shall enter into force twelve months after the date on which not less than fifteen States, the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than fifty per cent of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant shipping, have become Parties to it in accordance with Article IV of the present Protocol.
2.	Any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession deposited after the date on which the present Protocol enters into force shall take effect three months after the date of deposit.
3.	After the date on which an amendment to the present Protocol is deemed to have been accepted in accordance with Article 16 of the Convention, any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession deposited shall apply to the present Protocol as amended.

Article 16

Amendments

The present Convention may be amended by any of the procedures specified in the following paragraphs.

Amendments after consideration by the Organization:

(a)

any amendment proposed by a Party to the Convention shall be submitted to the Organization and circulated by its Secretary-General to all Members of the Organization and all Parties at least six months prior to its consideration;

(b)

any amendment proposed and circulated as above shall be submitted to an appropriate body by the Organization for consideration;

(c)

Parties to the Convention, whether or not Members of the Organization, shall be entitled to participate in the proceedings of the appropriate body;

(d)

amendments shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of only the Parties to the Convention present and voting;

(e)

if adopted in accordance with sub-paragraph (d) of this paragraph, amendments shall be communicated by the Secretary-General of the Organization to all the Parties to the Convention for acceptance;

(f)

an amendment shall be deemed to have been accepted in the following circumstances:

(i)	an amendment to an Article of the Convention shall be deemed to have been accepted on the date on which it is accepted by two-thirds of the Parties, the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than fifty per cent of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant fleet;
(ii)	an amendment to an Annex to the Convention shall be deemed to have been accepted in accordance with the procedures specified in sub-paragraph (f)(iii) of this paragraph unless the appropriate body, at the time of its adoption, determines that the amendment shall be deemed to have been accepted on the date on which it is accepted by two-thirds of the Parties, the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than fifty per cent of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant fleet. Nevertheless, at any time before the entry into force of an amendment to an Annex to the Convention, a Party may notify the Secretary-General of the Organization that its express approval will be necessary before the amendment enters into force for it. The latter shall bring such notification and the date of its receipt to the notice of Parties;
(iii)	an amendment to an Appendix to an Annex to the Convention shall be deemed to have been accepted at the end of a period to be determined by the appropriate body at the time of its adoption, which period shall not be less than ten months, unless within that period an objection is communicated to the Organization by not less than one-third of the Parties or by Parties the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than fifty per cent of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant fleet whichever condition is fulfilled;
(iv)	an amendment to Protocol I to the Convention shall be subject to the same procedures as for the amendments to the Annexes to the Convention, as provided for in sub-paragraphs (f)(ii) or (f)(iii) of this paragraph;
(v)	an amendment to Protocol II to the Convention shall be subject to the same procedures as for the amendments to an Article of the Convention, as provided for in sub-paragraph (f)(i) of this paragraph;

(g)

the amendment shall enter into force under the following conditions:

(i)

in the case of an amendment to an Article of the Convention, to Protocol II, or to Protocol I or to an Annex to the Convention not under the procedure specified in sub-paragraph (f)(iii) of this paragraph, the amendment accepted in conformity with the foregoing provisions shall enter into force six months after the date of its acceptance with respect to the Parties which have declared that they have accepted it;

(ii)

in the case of an amendment to Protocol I, to an Appendix to an Annex or to an Annex to the Convention under the procedure specified in sub-paragraph (f)(iii) of this paragraph, the amendment deemed to have been accepted in accordance with the foregoing conditions shall enter into force six months after its acceptance for all the Parties with the exception of those which, before that date, have made a declaration that they do not accept it, or a declaration under sub-paragraph (f)(ii) of this paragraph, that their express approval is necessary.

Amendment by a Conference:

(a)	Upon the request of a Party, concurred in by at least one-third of the Parties, the Organization shall convene a Conference of Parties to the Convention to consider amendments to the present Convention.
(b)	Every amendment adopted by such a Conference by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting of the Parties shall be communicated by the Secretary-General of the Organization to all Contracting Parties for their acceptance.
(c)	Unless the Conference decides otherwise, the amendment shall be deemed to have been accepted and to have entered into force in accordance with the procedures specified for that purpose in sub-paragraphs (2)(f) and (g) of the present Article.

(a)	In the case of an amendment to an Optional Annex, a reference in the present Article to a "Party to the Convention" shall be deemed to mean a reference to a Party bound by that Annex.
(b)	Any Party which has declined to accept an amendment to an Annex shall be treated as a non-Party only for the purpose of application of that Amendment.

The adoption and entry into force of a new Annex shall be subject to the same procedures as for the adoption and entry into force of an amendment to an Article of the Convention.

Unless expressly provided otherwise, any amendment to the present Convention made under this Article, which relates to the structure of a ship, shall apply only to ships for which the building contract is placed, or in the absence of a building contract, the keel of which is laid, on or after the date on which the amendment comes into force.

Any amendment to a Protocol or to an Annex shall relate to the substance of that Protocol or Annex and shall be consistent with the Articles of the present Convention.

The Secretary-General of the Organization shall inform all Parties of any amendments which enter into force under the present Article, together with the date on which each such amendment enters into force.

Any declaration of acceptance or of objection to an amendment under the present Article shall be notified in writing to the Secretary-General of the Organization. The latter shall bring such notification and the date of its receipt to the notice of the Parties to the Convention.

Article VI (Protocol)

Amendments

The procedures set out in Article 16 of the Convention in respect of amendments to the Articles, an Annex and an Appendix to an Annex of the Convention shall apply respectively to amendments to the Articles, the Annex and an Appendix to the Annex of the present Protocol.

Article 17

Promotion of technical co-operation

The Parties to the Convention shall promote, in consultation with the Organization and other international bodies, with assistance and co-ordination by the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, support for those Parties which request technical assistance for:

a.	the training of scientific and technical personnel;
b.	the supply of necessary equipment and facilities for reception and monitoring;
c.	the facilitation of other measures and arrangements to prevent or mitigate pollution of the marine environment by ships; and
d.	the encouragement of research;

preferably within the countries concerned, so furthering the aims and purposes of the present Convention.

Article 18

Denunciation

1.	The present convention or any Optional Annex may be denounced by any Parties to the Convention at any time after the expiry of five years from the date on which the Convention or such Annex enters into force for that Party.
2.	Denunciation shall be effected by notification in writing to the Secretary-General of the Organization who shall inform all the other Parties of any such notification received and of the date of its receipt as well as the date on which such denunciation takes effect.
3.	A denunciation shall take effect twelve months after receipt of the notification of denunciation by the Secretary-General of the Organization or after the expiry of any other longer period which may be indicated in the notification.

Article VII (PROTOCOL)

Denunciation

1.	The present Protocol may be denounced by any Party to the present Protocol at any time after the expiry of five years from the date on which the Protocol enters into force for that Party.
2.	Denunciation shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of denunciation with the Secretary-General of the Organization.
3.	A denunciation shall take effect twelve months after receipt of the notification by the Secretary-General of the Organization or after the expiry of any other longer period which may be indicated in the notification.

Article 19

Deposit and registration

1.	The present Convention shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Organization who shall transmit certified true copies thereof to all States which have signed the present Convention or acceded to it.
2.	As soon as the present Convention enters into force, the text shall be transmitted by the Secretary-General of the Organization to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for registration and publication, in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Article VIII (Protocol)

Depositary

The present Protocol shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Organization (hereinafter referred to as "the Depositary").

The Depositary shall:

(a)

inform all States which have signed the present Protocol or acceded thereto of:

(i)	each new signature or deposit of an instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, together with the date thereof;
(ii)	the date of entry into force of the present Protocol;
(iii)	the deposit of any instrument of denunciation of the present Protocol together with the date on which it was received and the date on which the denunciation takes effect;
(iv)	any decision made in accordance with Article II(i) of the present Protocol;

(b)

transmit certified true copies of the present Protocol to all States which have signed the present Protocol or acceded thereto.

As soon as the present Protocol enters into force, a certified true copy thereof shall be transmitted by the Depositary to the Secretariat of the United Nations for registration and publication in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Article 20

Languages

The present Convention is established in a single copy in the English, French, Russian and Spanish languages, each text being equally authentic. Official translations in the Arabic, German, Italian and Japanese languages shall be prepared and deposited with the signed original.

In witness whereof the undersigned being duly authorized by their respective Governments for that purpose have signed the present Convention.

Done at London this second day of November, one thousand nine hundred and seventy-three.

Article IX (Protocol)

Languages

The present Protocol is established in a single original in the English, French, Russian and Spanish languages, each text being equally authentic. Official translations in the Arabic, German, Italian and Japanese languages shall be prepared and deposited with the signed original.

In witness whereof the undersigned being duly authorized by their respective Governments for that purpose have signed the present Protocol.

Done at London this seventeenth day of February one thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight.

Protocol I - Provisions concerning reports on incidents involving harmful substances

(in accordance with Article 8 of the Convention)

Article I

Duty to report

1.	The Master or other person having charge of any ship involved in an incident referred to in Article II of this Protocol shall report the particulars of such incident without delay and to the fullest extent possible in accordance with the provisions of this Protocol.
2.	In the event of the ship referred to in paragraph (1) of this Article being abandoned, or in the event of a report from such a ship being incomplete or unobtainable, the owner, charterer, manager or operator of the ship, or their agent shall, to the fullest extent possible, assume the obligations placed upon the Master under the provisions of this Protocol.

Article II

When to make reports

The report shall be made when an incident involves:

(a)	a discharge or probable discharge of oil, or noxious liquid substances carried in bulk, resulting from damage to the ship or its equipment, or for the purpose of securing the safety of a ship or saving life at sea; or
(b)	a discharge or probable discharge of harmful substances in packaged form, including those in freight containers, portable tanks, road and rail vehicles and shipborne barges; or
(c)	a discharge during the operation of the ship of oil or noxious liquid substances in excess of the quantity or instantaneous rate permitted under the present Convention.

For the purposes of this Protocol:

(a)	"Oil" referred to in sub-paragraph 1(a) of this Article means oil as defined in Regulation 1(1) of Annex I of the Convention.
(b)	"Noxious liquid substances" referred to in sub-paragraph 1(a) of this Article means noxious liquid substances as defined in Regulation 1(6) of Annex II of the Convention.
(c)	"Harmful substances" in packaged form referred to in sub-paragraph 1(b) of this Article means substances which are identified as marine pollutants in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.

Article III

Contents of report

Reports shall in any case include:

a.	identity of ships involved;
b.	time, type and location of incident;
c.	quantity and type of harmful substance involved;
d.	assistance and salvage measures.

Article IV

Supplementary report

Any person who is obliged under the provisions of this Protocol to send a report shall, when possible:

a.	supplement the initial report, as necessary, and provide information concerning further developments; and
b.	comply as fully as possible with requests from affected States for additional information.

Article V

Reporting procedures

1.	Reports shall be made by the fastest telecommunications channels available with the highest possible priority to the nearest coastal State.
2.	In order to implement the provisions of this Protocol, Parties to the present Convention shall issue, or cause to be issued, regulations or instructions on the procedures to be followed in reporting incidents involving harmful substances, based on guidelines developed by the Organization.

Protocol II - Arbitration

(in accordance with Article 10 of the Convention)

Article I

Arbitration procedure, unless the Parties to the dispute decide otherwise, shall be in accordance with the rules set out in this Protocol.

Article II

An Arbitration Tribunal shall be established upon the request of one Party to the Convention addressed to another in application of Article 10 of the present Convention. The request for arbitration shall consist of a statement of the case together with any supporting documents.

The requesting Party shall inform the Secretary-General of the Organization of the fact that it has applied for the establishment of a Tribunal, of the names of the Parties to the dispute, and of the Articles of the Convention or Regulations over which there is in its opinion disagreement concerning their interpretation or application. The Secretary-General shall transmit this information to all Parties.

Article III

The Tribunal shall consist of three members: one Arbitrator nominated by each Party to the dispute and a third Arbitrator who shall be nominated by agreement between the two first named, and shall act as its Chairman.

Article IV

1.	If, at the end of a period of sixty days from the nomination of the second Arbitrator, the Chairman of the Tribunal shall not have been nominated, the Secretary-General of the Organization upon request of either Party shall within a further period of sixty days proceed to such nomination, selecting him from a list of qualified persons previously drawn up by the Council of the Organization.
2.	If, within a period of sixty days from the date of receipt of the request, one of the Parties shall not have nominated the member of the Tribunal for whose designation it is responsible, the other party may directly inform the Secretary-General of the Organization who shall nominate the Chairman of the Tribunal within a period of sixty days, selecting him from the list prescribed in paragraph (1) of the present Article.
3.	The Chairman of the Tribunal shall, upon nomination, request the Party which has not provided an Arbitrator, to do so in the same manner and under the same conditions. If the Party does not make the required nomination, the Chairman of the Tribunal shall request the Secretary-General of the Organization to make the nomination in the form and conditions prescribed in the preceding paragraph.
4.	The Chairman of the Tribunal, if nominated under the provisions of the present Article, shall not be or have been a national of one of the Parties concerned, except with the consent of the other Party.
5.	In the case of the decease or default of an Arbitrator for whose nomination one of the Parties is responsible, the said Party shall nominate a replacement within a period of sixty days from the date of decease or default. Should the said Party not make the nomination, the arbitration shall proceed under the remaining Arbitrators. In case of the decease or default of the Chairman of the Tribunal, a replacement shall be nominated in accordance with the provisions of Article III above, or in the absence of agreement between the members of the Tribunal within a period of sixty days of the decease or default, according to the provisions of the present Article.

Article V

The Tribunal may hear and determine counter-claims arising directly out of the subject matter of the dispute.

Article VI

Each Party shall be responsible for the remuneration of its Arbitrator and connected costs and for the costs entailed by the preparation of its own case. The remuneration of the Chairman of the Tribunal and of all general expenses incurred by the Arbitration shall be borne equally by the Parties. The Tribunal shall keep a record of all its expenses and shall furnish a final statement thereof.

Article VII

Any Party to the Convention which has an interest of a legal nature and which may be affected by the decision in the case may, after giving written notice to the Parties which have originally initiated the procedure, join in the arbitration procedure with the consent of the Tribunal.

Article VIII

Any Arbitration Tribunal established under the provisions of the present Protocol shall decide its own rules of procedure.

Article IX

Decisions of the Tribunal both as to its procedure and its place of meeting and as to any question laid before it, shall be taken by majority votes of its members; the absence or abstention of one of the members of the Tribunal for whose nomination the Parties were responsible, shall not constitute an impediment to the Tribunal reaching a decision. In cases of equal voting, the vote of the Chairman shall be decisive.

The Parties shall facilitate the work of the Tribunal and in particular, in accordance with their legislation, and using all means at their disposal:

(a)	provide the Tribunal with the necessary documents and information;
(b)	enable the Tribunal to enter their territory, to hear witnesses or experts, and to visit the scene.

Absence or default of one Party shall not constitute an impediment to the procedure.

Article X

The Tribunal shall render its award within a period of five months from the time it is established unless it decides, in the case of necessity, to extend the time limit for a further period not exceeding three months. The award of the Tribunal shall be accompanied by a statement of reasons. It shall be final and without appeal and shall be communicated to the Secretary-General of the Organization. The Parties shall immediately comply with the award.

Any controversy which may arise between the Parties as regards interpretation or execution of the award may be submitted by either Party for judgment to the Tribunal which made the award, or, if it is not available to another Tribunal constituted for this purpose, in the same manner as the original Tribunal.

Annex I

Regulations for the prevention of pollution by oil

[Omitted]

Appendix I

List of oils

[omitted]

Appendix II

Form of certificate

[omitted]

Appendix III

Form of oil record book

[omitted]

Annex II

Regulation for the control of pollution by noxious liquid substances in bulk

[Omitted]

Appendix I

Guidelines for the categorization of noxious liquid substances

[omitted]

Appendix II

List of noxious liquid substances carried in bulk

[omitted]

Appendix III

List of other liquid substances carried in bulk

[omitted]

Appendix IV

Cargo Record Book for ships carrying noxious liquid substances in bulk

[omitted]

Appendix V

Form of certificate

International pollution prevention certificate for the carriage of noxious liquid substances in bulk (1973)

[omitted]

Annex III

Prevention of pollution by harmful substances carried by sea in packaged form

[omitted]

Annex IV

Prevention of pollution by sewage from ships

[omitted]

Annex V

Prevention of pollution by garbage from ships

[omitted]

Annex VI

Prevention of air pollution from ships

[omitted]

Ratifications as of May 2016

Number of ratifications: 153

Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea (Democratic People's Republic), Korea (Republic of), Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam

^[*]

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (MARPOL 1973) did not enter into force. The International Conference on Tanker Safety and Pollution Prevention negotiated the Protocol of 1978 relating to MARPOL. Article 1(b) of the Protocol incorporates the terms of the Convention subject to the modifications and additions made by the Protocol. The present text is a consolidation of the Convention and the Protocol 1978-02-17, in force 1983-10-02. The 1978 Protocol also supersedes the International Convention for the prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil 1954-05-12 as between the Contracting Parties to the 1978 Protocol.

Marpol contains six annexes, concerned with preventing different forms of marine pollution from ships. A State that becomes party to Marpol must accept Annex I and II. Annexes III to VI are voluntary. Annex I in force 1983-10-02, Annex II in force 1987-04-06, Annex III in force 1992-07-01, Annex IV in force 2003-09-27, Annex V in force 1988-12-31, Annex VI in force 2005-05-19.

The Annexes to the Convention have been frequently amended.

International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 1973) as modified by the Protocol 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78) [*]

Content

Article 1

General obligations under the Convention

Article I (Protocol)

General obligations

Article 2

Definitions

Article 3

Application

Article 4

Violation

Article 5

Certificates and special rules on inspection of ships

Article 6

Detection of violations and enforcement of the Convention

Article 7

Undue delay to ships

Article 8

Reports on incidents involving harmful substances

Article 9

Other treaties and interpretation

Article 10

Settlement of disputes

Article 11

Communication of information

Article 12

Article 13

Signature, ratification, acceptance, approval and accession

Article IV (Protocol)

Signature, ratification, acceptance, approval and accession

Article 14

Optional Annexes

Article II (Protocol)

Implementation of annex II of the Convention

Article 15

Entry into force

Article V (Protocol)

Entry into force

Article 16

Amendments

Article VI (Protocol)

Amendments

Article 17

Promotion of technical co-operation

Article 18

Denunciation

Article VII (PROTOCOL)

Denunciation

Article 19

Deposit and registration

Article VIII (Protocol)

Depositary

Article 20

Languages

Article IX (Protocol)

Languages

Protocol I - Provisions concerning reports on incidents involving harmful substances

Article I

Duty to report

Article II

When to make reports

Article III

Contents of report

Article IV

Supplementary report

Article V

Reporting procedures

Protocol II - Arbitration

Article I

Article II

Article III

Article IV

Article V

Article VI

Article VII

Article VIII

Article IX

Article X

Annex I

International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 1973) as modified by the Protocol 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78)^[*]