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Mandatory MARPOL pollution reporting

In some circumstances, it is mandatory to make a MARPOL report for certain pollution incidents.

You may need to submit a pollution report in accordance with Protocol I of MARPOL.

How to make a mandatory MARPOL report about a pollution incident

Notify us at AMSA without delay by any of the following means:

  1. Phone +61 02 6230 6811 or freecall within Australia 1800 641 792
  2. Fax +61 02 6230 6868
  3. Email rccaus@amsa.gov.au
  4. Inmarsat C using Special Access Code (SAC) 39 (note that Inmarsat-C Transceivers required to be logged in and reports sent via LES Codes 312 in IOR and 212 in POR)
  5. HF DSC MMSI 005030001.

Provide the following information

  • name of ship/s involved
  • time, type and location of incident
  • quantity and type of harmful substance
  • assistance and salvage measures
  • any other relevant information

You should also notify the local port or maritime authority if your ship is in port or in coastal waters at the time of an incident.

Submit a written MARPOL pollution report

When you report a MARPOL pollution incident to us, we may ask you to submit a written MARPOL pollution report. This report should be submitted in the standard format adopted by the IMO under Resolutions A.851(20) and MEPC.138(53) and must be provided within 24 hours after we ask for the report.

You can use the formats contained in:

Responsibility for mandatory MARPOL pollution reporting

The master of other person having charge of any ship involved in an incident is required to report the details of the incident and, if requested, submit a written MARPOL pollution report.

If this can't be done, the owner, charterer, manager, or operator of the vessel, or their agent is responsible for reporting the incident.

When mandatory MARPOL pollution reporting is required

A MARPOL pollution report must be made when an incident involves any of the following:

  • a discharge (or probable discharge) of oil or noxious liquid substances (NLS) in excess of permitted MARPOL discharge levels, quantities or rates, for whatever reason, including those for the purpose of securing the safety of the ship or for saving life at sea
  • a discharge (or probable discharge) of harmful substances in packaged form, including those in freight containers, portable tanks, road and rail vehicles and shipborne barges

Contacts for mandatory MARPOL pollution reporting

The shipboard oil pollution emergency plan (SOPEP) or shipboard marine pollution emergency plan (SMPEP) should detail contact points for reporting MARPOL pollution incidents. Our notice on reporting MARPOL incidents (PDF 197.67 KB) provides relevant contact points in Australia and should be retained with the SOPEP or SMPEP in Australian waters. 

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) maintains global contact points for reporting on MARPOL pollution incidents, under contact points in the global integrated shipping information system (GISIS).

Reporting other marine pollution incidents

If your ship is involved in a marine pollution incident involving pollutants other than oil, NLS or harmful substances in packaged form, or if you witness a seafarer or ship polluting, or observe pollution in the marine environment that may be ship sourced, you should report this to us by submitting an online marine pollution report or by calling our incident response telephone number.   

Related information

Last updated: 

Tuesday 9 May 2023