IMO Conventions

Annex I  Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil (entered into force 2 October 1983)

covers prevention of pollution by oil from operational measures as well as from accidental discharges. The 1992 amendments to Annex I made it mandatory for new oil tankers to have double hulls and brought in a phase-in schedule for existing tankers to fit double hulls, which was subsequently revised in 2001 and 2003.  
Annex II  Regulations for the Control of  Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk  (entered into force 2 October 1983)

     Annex II details the discharge criteria and measures for the control of pollution by noxious liquid substances carried in bulk.

     Some 250 substances were evaluated and included in the list appended to the Convention.  The discharge of their residues is allowed only to reception facilities until certain concentrations and conditions (which vary with the category of substances) are complied with.

     In any case, no discharge of residues containing noxious substances is permitted within 12 miles of the nearest land.  More stringent restrictions applied to the Baltic and Black Sea areas.   

Annex III Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form (entered into force 1 July 1992)

     Annex III contains general requirements for the issuing of detailed standards on packing, marking, labelling, documentation, stowage, quantity limitations, exceptions and notifications for preventing pollution by harmful substances. The International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code has, since 1991, included marine pollutants.

 Annex IV Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships  (entered into force 27 September 2003)

Annex IV contains requirements to control pollution of the sea by sewage.

Annex V Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships (entered into force 31 December 1988) 

     This deals with different types of garbage and specifies the distances from land and the manner in which they may be disposed of.  The requirements are much stricter in a number of "special areas" but perhaps the most important feature of the Annex is the complete ban imposed on the dumping into the sea of all forms of plastic.

Annex VI Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships (entered into force 19 May 2005)

     The regulations in this Annex set limits on sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from ship exhausts as well as particulate matter and prohibit deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances. Emission control areas set more stringent standards.

 

Vocabulary.

Spate – наводнение, распространение

To be referred to as – рассматриваться в качестве

Mandatory – обязательный

Double hull – двухкорпусная конструкция

To detail – регламентировать

Appended – включены

Discharge – сброс

Residues – остатки

Reception facilities – приемные сооружения

The issuing –  издание

Notification –  уведомление

The ban – запрещение

On the dumping –  при сбросе

Deliberate –  обдумывать

Depleting – истощенные

Stringent – строгий, обязательный

 

3. Answer the questions.

1. What subject does the MARPOL Convention cover?

2. Is it updated?

3. When was International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL adopted?

4. Why was the Conference on Tanker Safety and Pollution Prevention held in 1978?

5. What did the Conference include?

 

4. What regulations does every Annex include?

 

1. Annex 1.
2. Annex 2.
3. Annex 3.
4. Annex 4.
5. Annex 5.
6. Annex 6.

 

1. Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form.
2. Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships. 
3. Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil.
4. Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk. 
5. Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships
6. Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships

 

5. Finish the sentences.

1.      The MARPOL Convention is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships …..

2. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) covered pollution by …..

3.  The Convention includes regulations aimed at …..

4.  It is mandatory for new oil tankers …..

5.  No discharge of residues containing noxious substances is permitted …..

6.  Emission control areas set …..

 

1. ….. иметь двухкорпусную конструкцию.
2. …..  на расстоянии 12 миль от ближайшей земли.
3. ….. в рабочем порядке или при аварии.
4. ….. более строгие стандарты.
5. ….. маслом (нефтью), химическими веществами в упаковках, сточными водами и отбросами.
6. …. предотвращение и уменьшение загрязнения с судов.

 

6. Translate into English in written.

Хотя безопасность на море была и остается наиболее важной заботой ИМО, в середине 60-х годов XX столетия на первый план стала выходить новая проблема — загрязнение окружающей среды, в первую очередь морской. Рост количества нефтепродуктов, транспортируемых морским путем, а также размеров перевозящих эти нефтепродукты судов вызывал особое беспокойство. Масштаб проблемы продемонстрировало крушение танкера Torrey Canyon, произошедшее в 1967 году, когда в море попало 120,000 тонн нефти.

 

Home task.

 

1. Translate the text “International Convention for the prevention of pollution from ships.”

 

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PREVENTION OF POLLUTION PROM SHIPS

The international Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from ships was adopted by the International conference convened by IMO from 8 October to  
2 November 1973. This Convention was subsequently modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto adopted by the International Conference on Tanker Safety and Pollution Prevention.

The Marine Environment Protection Committee, since its inception in 1974 has reviewed various provisions which required clarification General obligation under the Convention. It is as follows: the Parties to the Convention accept the provisions of the present Convention and those Annexes thereto by which they are bound, in order to prevent the pollution of the marine environment by the discharge of harmful substances or effluents containing such substances in contravention of the Convention.

"Harmful substances" means any substance which, if introduced, into the sea, is liable to create hazards to human health, to harm living resources and marine life, to damage amenities or to interfere with other legitimate uses of the sea, and includes any substance subject to control by the present Convention.

"Discharge", in relation to harmful substances or effluents containing such substances means any release howsoever caused from a ship and includes any escape, disposal, spilling, leaking, pumping, emitting or emptying. The present Convention shall apply to:

a) ships entitled to fly flag of a Party to the Convention; and

b) ships not entitled to fly the flag of a Party but which operate under the authority of a Party.

Any violation of the requirements of the present Convention shall be prohibited and sanctions shall be established. A ship to which the present Convention applies may, in any port or offshore terminal of a Party, be subject to inspection by officers appointed or authorised by that Party for the purpose of verifying whether the ship has discharged any substances in violation of the provisions of the regulations. If an inspection indicates a violation of the Convention, a report shall be forwarded to the Administration for any appropriate action.

It is necessary to note that all possible efforts shall be made to avoid a ship being unduly detained or delayed since it may entail compensation for any loss or damage suffered.

 

Vocabulary.

convene   - созывать

inception    - начало

effluents     - сточные воды

contravention   - нарушение

hazards   - риск, опасность

amenities    - удобства

entitle   - давать право

 

2.  Answer the questions.

1. What modified the Convention of 1973?
2. What has the Marine Protection Committee reviewed since its inception?
3. What does “harmful substance” mean?
4. What may be done with the ship to which the present Convention applies?
5. What does “Discharge” mean?

 

3. Translate the following words and word combination into English.

Быть принятым, созывать, вносить поправки, положения, разъяснение (уточнение), предпринимать, отходы, разлив, утечка, нарушение требований, подвергаться, с целью, соответствующее действие, быть незаконно задержанным.

 

4. Compose the sentences with the following words.

 1. of the marine environment, of the present, the discharge, to prevent, by, of, The provisions, harmful, intended, substances, the pollution, Convention, from ships.

2. release, escape, disposal, means, spilling, leaking, any, pumping, "Discharge", emitting or emptying.

3. of the present Convention, be, of the requirements, shall, any, prohibited, violation.

 

5. Restore the sentences.

1._____, since its inception in 1974 has reviewed various provisions which required clarification General _____under the Convention.

2. "Harmful substances" means any substance which, if introduced, into the sea, is liable to _____to human health, to harm living resources and marine life.

3. The present Convention shall apply to: a) ships _____ to fly flag of a Party to the Convention; and b) ships _____ to fly the flag of a Party but which operate under the authority of a Party.

4. A ship to which the present Convention applies may be subject to _____ by officers appointed or authorised by that Party for the purpose of _____ whether the ship has discharged any substances in violation of the provisions of the regulations.

 

6. Translate into English.

1. Международная  конвенция MARPOL была принята на международной конференции 1973 года.

2. «Вредные вещества» это любое вещество, которое при попадании в море создаст опасность для здоровья людей, нанесет убыток морской фауне.

3. Не допускается  никакое нарушение требований  настоящей конвенции, иначе будут  применены санкции.

4. Судно,  выполняющее правила конвенции,  может быть задержано в любом  порту для проверки официальными  лицами, сбрасывало ли оно вредный  груз.

 

7. Retell this text.

Lesson 4

 

Homereading.

 

1. Переведите на русский язык следующие словосочетания.

      To implement, the shipping industry, short sea routes, in increasing numbers, the vast majority, voluntary, the achievement, an international level, the voluntary, wide acceptance, to be mandatory, financial savings, provisions, the improvement, oil spill, a steady decline, traffic separation scheme, implementation of legislation, the emphasis.

 

2. Прочитайте и переведите текст.

The value of the IMO

 

The IMO has successfully established and implemented international safety and pollution standards during the biggest period of change in shipping history.

Over the past 30 years the shipping industry has undergone enormous change. In 1959, when IMO met for the first time, the industry was still dominated by the fleets of the traditional maritime countries, and the ships themselves were generally similar in structure to those that had existed for many years before.

Today the world's largest fleets are registered in developing countries. Newly industrialised countries are now among the biggest shipbuilders in the world, while in some traditional maritime nations shipbuilding has ceased altogether.

The ships themselves have become bigger, faster and more specialised. Container ships are common place. Roll-on roll-off ships dominate short sea routes in many parts of the world; Liquefied gas carriers are being operated in increasing numbers. At the same time, the world fleet has grown. It now totals 403 million tons compared with only 118 million tons in 1959, when the IMO met for the first time.

The IMO's existence, therefore, has coincided with the most dynamic and revolutionary period in shipping history. The IMO's first achievement has been to provide a forum where these changes can be assessed and, where necessary, regulated, for shipping is perhaps the most international of all industries and many matters can only be handled at an international level. This applies especially to the subjects for which the IMO is responsible, notably the improvement of maritime safety and the prevention of pollution from ships.

In the 1950's, each shipping nation had its own maritime laws. The result was that standards and requirements varied considerably and were sometimes even contradictory.

The conventions and other standards developed by the IMO have transformed this position. The most important conventions have been ratified by the vast majority of maritime countries: the 1966 International Convention on Load Lines now covers 97 per cent of the world fleet and the 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea around 96 per cent. The application of IMO codes is in some cases even more universal, even though these instruments are voluntary.

There are several reasons for the wide acceptance of IMO measures. One is the measures themselves, which are recognised as being sensible and practical as well as of high standard. Another is the fact that they are mandatory in so many countries that it is commercially important for ships to conform to them; if ships are not built to IMO standards it may be impossible to operate them internationally. During the 1970s, for example, most tankers were constructed according to the standards laid down in MARPOL 73/78, even though the Convention was not in force.

One major, but often overlooked, advantage of standards that are so widely accepted is that safety has been largely removed from the commercial arena. It is impossible to make financial savings by skimping on safety when all ships engaged in international seaborne trade are required to be built, maintained and operated according to standards laid down by the IMO. Ships are subject to inspection by authorities of other contracting parties in foreign ports, and since those provisions are now being enforced more and more rigorously it is becoming increasingly difficult for substandard ships to escape detection.

Despite these measures, accidents still happen. When they do, the IMO is usually called upon to respond and its ability to act swiftly in the event of an emergency has been proved on several occasions.

A response of this nature has been made possible by the existence of the IMO as a permanent body.

In the 1950s, the maritime nations were, for the first time, becoming concerned about marine pollution, especially oil pollution from the growing tanker trade. The creation of the IMO provided a ready-made forum for tackling this problem and since 1959 the IMO has developed a range of conventions, codes and other measures that have certainly helped to reduce pollution from ships.

A survey carried out by the United States National Academy of Sciences indicated that even during the 1970s — before the most important IMO measures had entered into force — there was a reduction in pollution from ships. This was said to be partly because "positive steps have been taken to reduce operational and accidental release of petroleum into the sea".

There is evidence that this improvement has continued during the present decade. Figures issued by the International Tanker Owners' Pollution Federation (ITOPF) indicate that the number of oil spills since 1980 has been reduced by more than 70 per cent. From 1974 to 1979 there were roughly 25 spills a year of more than 5000 barrels of oil. From 1980 to 1986 the number dropped to around eight a year. The Advisory Committee on Pollution of the Sea (ACOPS) has also reported a steady decline in oil pollution from ships through the 1980s — from 487 cases in 1980 to 246 in 1987.

There is reason to believe that this trend will continue. The number of governments that have ratified MAR-POL 73/78 is increasing all the time and the convention deals with substances other than oil. Annex II of the convention which deals with pollution by chemicals, came into force in 1986. On 31 December 1988, Annex V came into force. This is designed to prevent pollution by garbage thrown into the sea from ships and it is to be hoped that this problem will also be eased in the years to come.

Because of the changes that have taken place in shipping over the past three decades, it is difficult to compare the safety position today with that in the 1950s. However, a study of the percentage of ships lost each year as a result of accidents indicates that the rate was less than 0.30 per cent in the 1950s and rose steadily during the 1960s. It then fell only to rise to a peak of 0.56 per cent in 1979. Since then the rate has again declined, to less than 0.30 per cent today.

There is evidence that this improvement has been influenced by the entry into force of IMO conventions and other instruments — for example, the introduction of traffic separation schemes and other measures. A study carried out by the International Association of Institutes of Navigation (IAIN) showed that where these existed, the number of collisions had fallen dramatically (by 90 per cent in North West Europe) while in other areas the number of collisions had gone up by a similar amount.