Reporting under MARPOL
The requirements for reporting pollution or potential pollution incidents as contained in MARPOL and associated documents are described in detail below. Details of who to report such incidents to are provided in Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans. Relevant contact points in Australia are provided in the AMSA notice on reporting MARPOL incidents which should be retained with the Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan when in Australian waters:
http://www.amsa.gov.au/Marine_Environment_Protection/Reporting_Ship_Sourced_Pollution/documents/AMSA1522.pdf
A listing of global contact points or points responsible for the receipt, transmission and processing of urgent reports on pollution incidents from ships to coastal states is maintained by IMO as an MEPC.6 Circular which is available from the IMO website.
For ships in a port at the time of an incident, or probable/potential incident, notification should also be made to the local authorities in addition to AMSA/RCC as described in the links above. This will ensure compliance with Australian Commonwealth/State/Territory legislation obligations and that the relevant local contingency plan is activated in a timely manner, if necessary.
Purpose of Reporting
The purpose of the MARPOL reporting obligations is to enable the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and other responsible agencies to be informed quickly and accurately about actual or potential accidental spillages or cargo losses. This will enable any necessary response actions or assistance to be initiated promptly.
Format of MARPOL Incident reporting
These reports are to be submitted in the standard format adopted by IMO for this purpose in IMO Resolution A.851(20) as amended by Resolution MEPC.138(53). It should be noted that the reporting format for Oil or Noxious Liquid Substances (NLS) is different to that for packaged dangerous goods, however this is detailed in A.851(20).
For ease of reference these formats are also contained in Marine Orders Parts 91, Marine Orders Part 93, and Marine Orders Part 94.
When is MARPOL Incident reporting required?
Article 8 and Protocol I of MARPOL contain comprehensive requirements for a report in the required format to be made to the nearest coastal , without delay, when an incident involves:
- A discharge above the permitted level or probable discharge of oil or of noxious liquid substances for whatever reason including those for the purpose of securing the safety of the ship or for saving life at sea; or
- A discharge or probable discharge of harmful substances (see note) in packaged form, including those in freight containers, portable tanks, road and rail vehicles and shipborne barges; or
- Damage, failure or breakdown of a ship of 15 metres in length or above which:
- affects the safety of the ship; including but not limited to collision, grounding, fire, explosion, structural failure, flooding and cargo shifting; or
- results in impairment of the safety of navigation; including but not limited to, failure or breakdown of steering gear, propulsion plant, electrical generating system, and essential shipborne navigational aids; or
- A discharge during the operation of the ship of oil or noxious liquid substances in excess of the quantity or instantaneous rate permitted under the present Convention.
Note: For the purpose of Annex III of MARPOL a harmful substance is in packaged form is one identified as a marine pollutant in the IMDG code.