2024 MARPOL Amendments Entry into Force 01- May-2024. Resolutions adopted by the 79th Session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 79) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Applicable to Ship-owners, ship managers, operators, agents and masters of Indian registered ships Recognized Organization
- The Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, as amended incorporates the Convention and is defined in Section 356 B 9 (e) as “International Convention for the prevention of pollution from ships, 1973, including its Protocol of 1978 as amended from time to time”, making the Convention and its amendments from time to time, applicable to all Indian vessels and other vessels while operating in Indian waters.
- This Merchant Shipping Notice, thus, informs the shipping community of the resolutions adopted by MEPC-79 which shall come into force with effect from 1st May 2024 and urges the shipping community to prepare for the implementation of these resolutions.
- The mandatory resolutions adopted by MEPC 79 proposing Amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, shall remain applicable to all Indian vessels and other vessels while operating in Indian waters, to the extent expressly provided therein, as below:-
I. Resolution MEPC.361(79)– Mediterranean Sea Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides and particular matter – designation of Mediterranean Sea, as a whole, as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides and Particular Matter, under MARPOL Annex VI. In such an Emission Control Area, the limit for sulphur in fuel oil used on board ships is 0.10% mass by mass (m/m), while outside these areas the limit is 0.50% m/m.
II. Resolution MEPC.360(79)– Mandatory garbage record books for smaller ships amendments to MARPOL Annex V to make the Garbage Record Book mandatory also for ships of 100 gross tonnage and above and less than 400 gross tonnage. This extends the requirements for mandatory garbage record books to smaller ships, which will be required to keep records of their garbage handling garbage, incineration, permitted discharge of garbage into the sea, and accidental or other exceptional discharged or loss of garbage into the sea
III. ResolutionMEPC.359(79),ResolutionMEPC.360(79)- Protecting seas in the Arctic – regional arrangements for port reception facilities – amendments to the MARPOL annexes to allow States with ports in the Arctic region to enter into regional arrangements for port reception facilities. The amendments relate to MARPOL Annexes I (oil), II (noxious liquid substances), IV (sewage), V (garbage) and VI (air pollution).
IV. Resolution MEPC.365(79), Resolution MEPC.364(79)- EEXI, CII and rating values – amendments to appendix IX of MARPOL Annex VI on the reporting of mandatory values related to the implementation of the IMO short-term GHG reduction measure, including attained EEXI, CII and rating values to the IMO Ship Fuel Oil Consumption Database (IMO DCS).
V. Resolution MEPC.362(79)- Fuel flashpoint in bunker delivery note – amendments to appendix V of MARPOL Annex VI, to include flashpoint of fuel oil or a statement that the flashpoint has been measured at or above 70ºC as mandatory information in the bunker delivery note (BDN).
