Marine Environment Protection

Reporting Ship Sourced Pollution

National Plan

Place of Refuge Guidelines

Educational resources and information

Major Oil Spills in Australia

Prevention of Pollution from Ships

National Maritime Emergency Response Arrangements

AMSAs Role in Maritime Environmental Issues

Register of Local Fuel Oil Suppliers

Torres Strait PSSA

Summary of Discharge Standards – MARPOL

Notes:

The table below provides a summary only. The text of the Convention should be consulted in order to obtain full details of the discharge requirements before undertaking any waste discharge at sea.

Different discharge standards apply in designated “Special Areas”. The text of the Convention should be consulted if details are required. There are no “Special Areas” in Australian waters.

The term “from the Nearest Land” means from the baseline from which the territorial sea of the territory in question is established in accordance with international law, except off the east coast off the north-eastern coast of Australia where it is measured from a line drawn around the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef.

Pollution Type

Sub-Category

Where/When discharge permitted

Oil (Annex I)

Oily waste from cargo tanks of oil tankers

  • More than 50 nautical miles from the nearest land; and
  • Tanker is proceeding en route; and
  • Instantaneous rate of discharge < 30 litres per nautical mile; and
  • Total quantity discharge does not exceed 1/15,000 or 1/30,000 of the total cargo (depending on the age of the vessel); and
  • Oil discharge monitoring and control system and slop tank arrangement to be operating.

Machinery space bilges for vessels >= 400 gross tons

  • Oil and all oily mixtures retain obboard for on shore disposal

or

  • Proceeding en route; and
  • Oil content less than 15 parts per million; and
  • Oil discharge monitoring and control system and oil filtering equipment to be operating;
Machinery space bilges for vessels <400 gross tons
  • Proceeding en route; and
  • Has in operation equipment of a design approved by the administration that ensures oil content less than 15 parts per million.

Noxious Liquid Substances (Annex II)

Category X

Tanks to be prewashed before leaving unloading port, residues to be pumped ashore until the concentration of the substance in the effluent is 0.1% by weight or less, as indicated by analysis of samples of the effluent taken by an AMSA marine surveyor. When the required concentration level has been achieved, remaining tank washings to be discharged to the reception facility until the tank is empty. Appropriate entries to be made in the Cargo Record Book and endorsed by the AMSA marine surveyor. Any water subsequently added may be discharged if:

  • Ship is proceeding en route at a speed of at least 7 knots; and
  • Discharge below the waterline; and
  • Ship is > 12 nm from nearest land and depth of water is >25m.

High-viscosity or solidifying Category Y

Prewash in accordance with Convention, residues to be pumped ashore until tank is empty.  Any water subsequently added may be discharged if:

  • Ship is proceeding en route at a speed of at least 7 knots; and
  • Discharge below the waterline; and
  • Ship is > 12 nm from nearest land and depth of water is >25m.

Category Y

Category Z

  • Ship is proceeding en route at a speed of at least 7 knots; and
  • Concentration of substance in wake of ship < 1 part per million; and
  • Amount not to exceed 1m3 or 1/3,000 of tank capacity, whichever is greater; and
  • Discharge below the waterline; and
  • Ship is > 12 nm from nearest land and depth of water is >25m.

Harmful Packaged Substances (Annex III)

  • Jettisoning prohibited.

Sewage (Annex IV)

Comminuted and disinfected sewage using an approved system

  • > 3 nm from nearest land.

Untreated sewage stored in holding tank

  • > 12 nm from nearest land; and
  • discharged at a moderate rate*; and
  • ship proceeding en route at a speed of at least 4 knots.

Sewage from an IMO approved sewage treatment plant

  • Effluent not to produce visible floating solids nor cause discolouration of the surrounding water.

Garbage (Annex V)

Plastics, including synthetic ropes, synthetic fishing nets, plastic garbage bags and incinerator ashes from plastic products

  • Prohibited.

Dunnage, lining and packing materials which will float

  • > 25 nm from nearest land.

Food wastes and all other garbage including cargo residues and incinerator ashes (except from plastic products)

  • > 12 nm from nearest land.

Garbage that has been ground or comminuted to particles < 25mm

  • > 3 nm from nearest land.
Food waste through a grinder on a ship on an international voyage
  • >12 nm from nearest land (Australian Quarantine requirements)

Air Emissions

(Annex VI)

Ozone-depleting substances

  • Prohibited

Nitrogen Oxides

  • Operation of diesel engines >130kW prohibited unless engine is certified to meet prescribed emission standards.

Sulphur Oxides

  • Sulphur content of fuel oil not to exceed 4.5%. **

Incinerators

  • Incinerators installed after 1 January 2000 must be certified to meet prescribed emission standards.

* The rate of discharge must be approved by the Administration.

** Fuel oil to be purchased from a registered supplier.

 

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last updated: September 2008