Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, known as MARPOL 73/78, is currently in force in 104 countries (including Australia) representing almost 94% of world merchant shipping tonnage. The Convention is the most important international convention concerned with controlling pollution of the seas from ships, and deals with the various types of pollution in five technical Annexes attached to the Convention - these are respectively oil, chemicals, harmful packaged substances, sewage and garbage. In September 1997, after six years of deliberations, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the text of a new MARPOL 73/78 Annex dealing with air pollution from ships in the form of a Protocol to the Convention. This new technical Annex will be known as Annex VI, and will enter into force twelve months after the date on which not less than fifteen States, with a combined tonnage of not less than 50% of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant shipping fleet, have become parties to the Protocol. Although it is likely to be several years before the Protocol achieves the required level of acceptance to enter into force internationally, the administrations of many Governments are currently considering whether or not to sign, and, if so, how it will be given effect in domestic legislation. This paper summarises the development of the Protocol and some of its key provisions, as well as highlighting some of the implementation issues that will need to be addressed.