50 years of international commitment to the protection of the marine environment

Just 50 years ago, on the 2nd of November 1973, the member states of the International Marine Organisation (IMO) adopted the Marpol Convention, an international agreement aimed at preventing pollution from ships.

These rules have become the most important international instrument on the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships, whether from operational or accidental causes.

Throughout 2023, the IMO has commemorated this anniversary under the slogan "50 years of Marpol: our commitment continues". In this sense, the IMO's secretary general, Kitack Lim, has assured that "this 2 November marks a historic milestone. We can look back and congratulate ourselves on the measures taken in 1973 to tackle pollution from oil and chemical products carried on ships, but also to mitigate pollution from bulk cargoes, dirty water and rubbish".  

Thanks to the signing of this convention, ships are now required to take measures on board to prevent foul water, rubbish and operational waste from ending up in the sea without restrictions. In addition, the construction of these vessels must also be carried out in such a way as to prevent and limit accidental spills of oil and chemicals.

In his work to continue to help the marine environment Lim has stressed that "now is not the time to fold our arms. Shipping must embrace decarbonisation, digitalisation and innovative technology. MARPOL has been a game changer for shipping and the health of our oceans and will continue to be a game changer for the next 50 years.

Over the years, MARPOL has been refined in its mission to protect the marine environment. This has been made possible by the inclusion of six annexes regulating different types of marine pollution from ships.    

ANNEX I: Prevention of Oil Pollution (2nd of October 1983) which established the requirement for tankers to have double hulls, creating a protective space in the event of an accident.

ANNEX II: Prevention of pollution by noxious liquid substances carried in bulk (2nd of October 1983), through the establishment of discharge and tank cleaning standards for the carriage of vegetable oils and chemicals.

ANEXO III: Prevention of pollution by harmful substances carried by sea in packaged form (1st of July 1992) through regulations for the packaging, labeling and storage of such cargoes in order to minimize damage to the marine environment in the event of an accident or emergency.

ANNEX IV: Prevention of pollution by sewage from ships (27th of September 2003) which prohibits the disposal of sewage at sea when the ship is within 3 nautical miles of the coast or within special areas.

ANNEX V: Prevention of pollution by rubbish from ships (31st of December 1988) through the prohibition of dumping at sea. Therefore, ships must have a rubbish management plan and must store and dispose of garbage at port reception facilities.

ANNEX VI: Prevention of air pollution from ships (19th of May 2005). Carbon intensity regulations promoting the design and operation of energy efficient ships and the switch to cleaner fuels and technologies.