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Q9 (10 Marks) International Conventions
SSEP • Written Exam

Explain the following terms/statements: (20)

(a) Categories of Noxious liquid substance

(b) Special Areas as defined in MARPOL 73/78

(e) Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas

(d) Designated fuel oil sampling points

Appeared In: Feb 2024

✓ Verified Model Answer (Text Solution)

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Explain the following terms/statements:

Part (a)

Categories of Noxious Liquid Substance

Part (b)

Special Areas as defined in MARPOL 73/78

Part (c)

Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas

Part (d)

Designated fuel oil sampling points

Part (a)

Categories of Noxious Liquid Substance (MARPOL Annex II): Noxious liquid substances carried in bulk are categorised by their hazard to the marine environment. Under the revised Annex II (2007) and the IBC Code, substances are assigned to categories X, Y and Z (and OS - other substances):

  • Category X: substances which, if discharged into the sea from tank cleaning or deballasting, would present a major hazard to either marine resources or human health and therefore justify prohibition of discharge into the marine environment.
  • Category Y: substances which present a hazard to marine resources or human health, or cause harm to amenities or other legitimate uses of the sea, and therefore justify a limitation on the quantity and quality of their discharge.
  • Category Z: substances which present a minor hazard to marine resources or human health and therefore justify less stringent restrictions on the quality and quantity of their discharge.
  • OS (Other Substances): substances which have been evaluated and found to fall outside categories X, Y or Z because they present no hazard to marine resources, human health, amenities or other legitimate uses of the sea; their discharge is not subject to the Annex II restrictions (but still subject to the general discharge rules).

The category determines the tank cleaning, residue discharge and the NLS certificate requirements.

Part (b)

Special Areas as defined in MARPOL 73/78: A "special area" is a sea area where, for recognised 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, noxious liquid substances, garbage, sewage or air is required. Within a special area, the discharge of the relevant pollutant is prohibited or more strictly limited, and reception facilities must be provided at the ports. Examples: for Annex I (oil) - the Mediterranean, Baltic, Black Sea, Red Sea, Gulfs area, Gulf of Aden, Antarctic area, North West European waters, and the Southern South African waters; for Annex V (garbage) - the Mediterranean, Baltic, Black Sea, Red Sea, Gulfs, North Sea, Wider Caribbean, and Antarctic; for Annex IV (sewage) - the Baltic and the North Sea; for Annex VI (air) - the North American and US Caribbean ECAs and the Baltic/North Sea NECAs (emission control areas). The special-area status imposes stricter discharge/emission limits and requires reception facilities.

Part (c)

Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSA): (Refer to the detailed answer for 6927616a3a70877af355128e.) A PSSA is an area that needs special protection through action by IMO because of its significance for recognised ecological or socio-economic or scientific reasons and which may be vulnerable to damage by international shipping activities. It is designated by the MEPC after meeting the criteria (ecological, socio-economic/cultural, scientific/educational) and is protected by associated protective measures (routing, areas to be avoided, discharge restrictions, reporting). Examples: the Great Barrier Reef, Galapagos, the Wadden Sea, western European waters, the Baltic? (the Baltic is a special area; PSSAs include the Great Barrier Reef, Galapagos, the Wadden Sea, the Mediterranean cetacean region, etc.).

Part (d)

Designated fuel oil sampling points: Under MARPOL Annex VI (Regulation 18 and the guidelines), ships are required to have designated fuel oil sampling points (a sampling point in the fuel oil supply line to the main and auxiliary engines) so that the fuel oil being used can be sampled and tested to verify compliance with the sulphur content limit (and other fuel quality requirements). The sampling point is a fitting (a valve/connection) in the fuel line, located so that a representative sample can be taken during operation; the sample is sealed, labelled and retained (the "MARPOL sample") for analysis by the port State/flag to check the sulphur content (e.g. the 0.50% global cap or the 0.10% in ECAs). The ship must have the sampling point(s) fitted and accessible, and the crew must be able to take a sample; the results are used to verify compliance and to enforce the sulphur cap.

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