Ship Operations - Restricted Operation in the North Sea

The MEPC amended Regulation 10 to Annex I of MARPOL 73/78 by approving the North Sea as a special area having oil pollution prevention requirements equivalent to the requirements applied to the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, the “Gulfs area” and the Gulf of Aden. The North Sea area and its approaches include the Irish Sea, the Celtic Sea, the English Channel and its approaches, and part of the North East Atlantic immediately to the west of Ireland.

As a designated special area, MARPOL 73/78 further restricts the discharge of any oily mixture. Depending on the type and size of ship (cargo ships -- greater than or equal to 400 gt -- and all oil tankers) discharge of effluent originating from within cargo pump rooms or machinery bilges is either prohibited or, if fitted with the required overboard discharge monitoring and auto-stop equipment, is limited to 15ppm or less during transit.