Pollution Prevention, Response and Compensation - Prevention of Pollution of the Marine Environment from Vessels - page 46

Table 3.1 Revised timetable for the phasing out of single-hull tankers
Category of oil tanker Date or year
Category 1 5 April 2005 for ships delivered on 5 April 1982 or earlier

2005 for ships delivered after 5 April 1982

5 April 2005 for ships delivered on 5 April 1977 or earlier
2005 for ships delivered after 5 April 1977 but before 1 January 1978
2006 for ships delivered in 1978 and 1979
2007 for ships delivered in 1980 and 1981
2008 for ships delivered in 1982
2009 for ships delivered in 1983
2010 for ships delivered in 1984 or late
Resolution MEPC.111 (50), IMO Doc. MEPC 50/3, ANNEX 1 (4 December 2003 )4

Category 2 and
Category 3

Annex-I dealing with reception facilities within special areas 30 removes any doubt
that States are obliged to provide reception facilities. 31
Annex-II 32 of the Convention deals with the chemical wastes generated from
noxious liquid substances (NLS) carried in bulk. These NLS, if accidentally or
intentionally discharged, will be seriously harmful for the marine environment. 33
The Annex elaborates on certain discharge standards and mechanisms for the
control of pollution by NLS. 34 Discharging NLS is permissible only in designated
reception facilities, and only if certain conditions are fulfilled. 35 This Annex

30 Under Regulation 1(11) of this annex “where for recognized technical reasons in relation to its
oceanographical and ecological condition and to the particular character of its traffic the adoption
of special mandatory methods for the prevention of sea pollution by oil is required.” MARPOL73/
78, Annex I reg. 1(11).
31 “The Government of each Party to the present Convention the coastline of which borders on any
given special area shall ensure that all oil loading terminals and repair ports within the special area
are provided with facilities adequate for the reception and treatment of all the dirty ballast and tank
washing water from oil tankers. In addition all ports within the special area shall be provided with
adequate reception facilities for other residues and oily mixtures from all ships. Such facilities
shall have adequate capacity to meet the needs of the ships using them without causing undue
delay.” MARPOL73/78, Annex I regulation 38(4).
32 In 2004 the Annex-II was revised which entered into force on 1 January 2007. The revised
Annex introduced some significant changes including inter alia a new four-category categoriza-
tion system for NLS. Resolution MEPC.118(52), Report of the Marine Environment Protection
Committee on its Fifty-second Session, Annex 6, IMO Doc. MEPC 52/24/Add.1

(1 November 2004).
33

Kasoulides ( 1989 ).

34

SOLAS Chapter VII—Carriage of dangerous goods are also relevant for carriage of chemicals in
bulk. Both SOLAS and MARPOL 73/78 require the design, construction, equipment and operation
of chemical tankers built after 1 July 1986 must comply with International Code for the Construc-
tion and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code). International
Convention for Safety of Life at Sea , opened for signature 1 November 1974, 1184 UNTS
2 (entered into force 25 May 1976).
35 IMO, International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), http://
www.imo.org/About/Conventions/ListOfConventions/Pages/International-Convention-for-the-
Prevention-of-Pollution-from-Ships-%28MARPOL%29.aspx , last accessed on 22 June 2014.