MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA

Oil MARPOL Annex I—applies to all vessels

Vessel or voyage type Sub-category Discharge conditions
or area
Oil tankers Oily waste from cargo  Discharge permitted if more than 50 nautical miles from the nearest land
All waters tanks  Tanker is proceeding en route
 Instantaneous rate of discharge less than 30 litres per nautical mile
 Total quantity discharge does not exceed 1/15,000 or 1/30,000 of the total
cargo (depending on the age of the vessel)
 Oil discharge monitoring and control system and slop tank arrangement to be
operating.

All vessels greater than Machinery space bilges  Discharge permitted when proceeding en route
or equal to 400 gross  Oil content less than 15 parts per million
tons  Oil discharge monitoring and control system and oil filtering equipment is
All waters operating.

In some circumstances, oil or oily mixtures, may be retained onboard for discharge
to port reception facilities – see MARPOL Annex I, Regulation 14.

Note: 15 parts per million discharges can be anywhere at sea (not within port limits)
including the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and marine protected areas. Vessel
must not be stationary when undertaking discharge.

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 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
Vessel or voyage type Sub-category Discharge conditions
or area
All vessels less than 400 Machinery space bilges  Oil and all oily mixtures retain onboard for on shore disposal
gross tons
All waters OR

 Proceeding en route
 Has in operation equipment of a design approved by the administration that
ensures oil content less than 15 parts per million.

Note: 15 parts per million discharges can be anywhere at sea (not within port limits)
including the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and marine protected areas. Vessel
must not be stationary when undertaking discharge.

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 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
Garbage MARPOL Annex V—applies to all vessels (table 2)
This table provides a summary of discharge requirements under MARPOL Annex V. For full details refer to MARPOL consolidated edition 2017, Annex V,
and the 2017 Guidelines for the Implementation of MARPOL Annex V.

Type of garbage Ships outside special areas 1

Ships within special areas 1
Offshore platforms (more
than 12 nautical
miles from land) and all
ships within 500 of such
platforms
Food waste comminuted or ground Discharge permitted, while
2
Discharge permitted , while en route , Discharge permitted
4 3

to particle size less than 25 mm en route , as far as

3
as far as practicable from the nearest
practicable from the nearest land, but in any case, greater than or
land, but in any case, greater equal to 12 nautical miles from the
than or equal to 3 nautical nearest land.
miles from the nearest land.
Food waste not comminuted or
2
Discharge permitted, while Discharge prohibited Discharge prohibited
ground en route , as far as
3

practicable from the nearest

land, but in any case, greater
than or equal to 12 nautical
miles from the nearest land.

Cargo residues that are harmful to Discharge prohibited Discharge prohibited Discharge prohibited
the marine environment

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 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
Type of garbage
Cargo residues that are not harmful
to the marine environment that
6
cannot be recovered using
commonly available methods for
unloading, not contained in wash
water
Cargo residues that are not harmful
to the marine environment that
6
cannot be recovered using
commonly available methods for
unloading, contained in wash water
Cargo material not harmful to the
marine environment contained in
5
cargo hold bilge water
Cleaning agents and
additives contained in cargo hold
5
wash water
Cleaning agents and additives in
11
deck and external surfaces wash
water
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Ships outside special areas
Discharge permitted, while
en route, as far as
practicable from the nearest
land, but in any case, greater
than or equal to 12 nautical
miles from the nearest land .
5
Discharge permitted, from a loaded hold through the ships’ fixed
piping bilge drainage system.
Discharge permitted
1
Ships within special areas 1
Offshore platforms (more
than 12 nautical
miles from land) and all
ships within 500 of such
platforms
Discharge prohibited Discharge prohibited
Discharge permitted, while en route, Discharge prohibited
as far as practicable from the nearest
land, but in any case, greater than or
equal to 12 nautical miles from the
nearest land subject to conditions .
7
8
Discharge prohibited
Discharge permitted, while en Discharge prohibited
route, as far as practicable from
the nearest land, but in any
case, greater than or equal
to 12 nautical miles from the
nearest land subject to conditions .
7
Discharge permitted Discharge prohibited
 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
Type of garbage
Carcasses of animals carried on
board as cargo and which died
during the voyage
Ships outside special areas 1
Ships within special areas 1
Offshore platforms (more
than 12 nautical
miles from land) and all
ships within 500 of such
platforms
Discharge permitted, while en Discharge prohibited Discharge prohibited
route, as far as practicable from
the nearest land and at
maximum water depth, but in
any case, greater than or equal
to 100 nm from the nearest
9

land.
Grey water Discharge permitted 10
Discharge permitted 10
Discharge permitted 10

All other garbage including Discharge prohibited Discharge prohibited Discharge prohibited
plastics, synthetic ropes, fishing
gear, plastic garbage bags,
incinerator ashes, clinkers, cooking
oil, floating dunnage, lining and
packing materials, paper, rags,
glass, metal, bottles, crockery, and
similar refuse

Mixed garbage When garbage is mixed with or contaminated by other substances prohibited from discharge or
having different discharge requirements, the more stringent requirements apply.
Note: The above conditions apply except where the disposal of garbage from a ship is necessary for the purpose of securing the safety of
a ship and those on board or saving life at sea – see MARPOL Regulation 7.1.1

1. Under MARPOL Annex V, the areas of: the Mediterranean Sea; the Baltic Sea; the Black Sea; the Red Sea; the Gulfs area; the North Sea; the
Antarctic area; and the wider Caribbean region (including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea) are provided with a higher level of protection
than other sea areas. Further information on special areas can be found in circular MEPC.1/Circ.778/Rev.1.

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 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
2. Small quantities of food released directly into the sea for the specific purpose of fish feeding in connection with fishing or tourist operations is
permitted.
3. The en route requirement does not apply to the discharge of food wastes, where it is clear that retention on board presents an imminent health
risk to the people on board. See MARPOL Annex V, Regulation 7.2.1.
4. The discharge of introduced avian products, including poultry and poultry parts, is prohibited within the Antarctic special area (sea area south of
latitude 600S), except where those introduced avian products are incinerated, autoclaved or otherwise treated to be made sterile.
5. When in port, check with the port authority as local regulations may also apply. The above restrictions do not apply to the wash down of cargo
residues from deck areas of vessels undertaken for safety purposes including:
• Safe operation of a helicopter within the landing area and its immediate vicinity to avoid dust being raised by the down-draft of the rotors
• Where there is a need to avoid navigational hazards such as dust being blown onto the wheelhouse or bridge wings
• Where residues may cause a serious safety hazard to personnel if spillages are not cleaned from deck areas, adjacent walkways and working
areas.
6. Cargo residues are considered to be harmful to the marine environment if they are residues of solid bulk cargoes which are classified according
to the criteria of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). See Resolution
MEPC.295(71) 2017 Guidelines for the Implementation of MARPOL Annex V and our fact sheet about managing solid bulk cargo residues in
Australian waters for further information.
7. Discharge is permitted where conditions (a) and (b), as follows, both apply: (a) both the port of departure and the next port of destination are
within the special area and the ship will not transit outside the special area between theses ports; and (b) if no adequate reception facilities are
available at these ports. See MARPOL Annex V Regulation 6.1.2.
8. Vessels at anchorage for a period of time with empty holds may discharge hold bilge water through the ships’ fixed piping bilge drainage system
as long as the water is not directly related to a hold washing/cleaning operation.
9. If a threat to human health and safety of the crew or the remaining live animals on board exists, discharge to take place greater than or equal to
12 nautical miles from the nearest land.
10. In all cases check with local authorities as local regulations may apply. Within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, as far as practicable from reefs
and islands.
11. Cleaning agents or additives in cargo hold, deck and external surfaces washwater are considered harmful to the marine environment if it is a
'harmful substance' in accordance with the criteria in MARPOL Annex III; and contains any components which are known to be carcinogenic,
mutagenic or reprotoxic (CMR). See Resolution MEPC.295(71) 2017 Guidelines for the Implementation of MARPOL Annex V for further
information.

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 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA

Sewage—MARPOL Annex IV (table 3)

Vessel/Voyage type/Area Sub-category
Vessels (other than passenger ships Comminuted and disinfected
within special areas) sewage using an approved
system in accordance with
regulation 9.1.2 of MARPOL
Annex IV
Discharge conditions
 Permitted as long as no less than 3 nautical miles
from nearest land
 Sewage originating from holding tanks, or sewage
originating from spaces containing live animals is
discharged at a moderate rate* while the ship is
proceeding en route at a speed not less than 4 knots.

* The rate of discharge shall be approved by the

administration based upon standards approved by the
organisation. Recommended standards for the rate of
discharge of sewage from ships can be found in Marine
Order 96.
Vessels (other than passenger ships Sewage not comminuted or  Permitted as long as no less than 12 nautical miles
within special areas) disinfected from nearest land

 Sewage originating from holding tanks, or sewage

originating from spaces containing live animals is
discharged at a moderate rate* while the ship is
proceeding en route at a speed not less than 4 knots

* The rate of discharge shall be approved by the

administration based upon standards approved by the
organisation. Recommended standards for the rate of
discharge of sewage from ships can be found in Marine
Order 96.

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 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
Vessel/Voyage type/Area
Vessels (other than passenger ships
within special areas) on
international voyages to and
continuing in Australian waters
Passenger ships within special
areas*
* further information on special
areas can be found in circular
MEPC.1/Circ.778/Rev.1
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Sub-category
Treated sewage effluent
discharged through an approved
sewage treatment plant (STP)
certified by the administration to
meet the operational
requirements referred to in
regulation 9.1.1 of MARPOL
Annex IV
Treated sewage effluent from
new passenger ships on, or after
1 January 2016 and for existing
passenger ships on, or after 1
January 2018
Discharge conditions
Permitted provided:
 Effluent does not produce visible floating solids nor
cause discolouration of the surrounding water.
 Local laws may prohibit discharges in ports.
Additionally:
 When within port limits, check with port authority as
permission may be required.
 All vessels should ensure that the STP is operating at
optimum performance when in Australian waters.
Food or biological waste removed from filtration units of
vessels on international voyages is prohibited from discharge
within 12 nautical miles from land (Department of
Agriculture and Water Resources requirements).
Permitted provided:
 The ship has in operation an approved sewage
treatment plant certified by the administration to
meet the operational requirements referred to in
regulation 9.2.1 of MARPOL Annex IV.
 Effluent does not produce visible floating solids nor
cause discolouration of the surrounding water.
Note: local laws may prohibit discharges in ports.
 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
Vessel/Voyage type/Area Sub-category
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park All sewage discharges
vessels on international voyages to
and continuing in Australian waters
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park All sewage discharges
Vessels on domestic voyages
Queensland State waters (small If vessel does not have a sewage
vessels/state registered and treatment system on board,
recreational) options include:
 Using onshore toilet
facilities whenever
possible
 Using a portable toilet to
be later emptied to a
sewerage/septic system.
Retain sewage in onboard
holding tank for pumping out to
shore facilities.
COMPILED by Chief Engineer SWAPNEIL TAMHANKAR
Discharge conditions
In accordance with Annex IV requirements and where
applicable with any additional restrictions imposed as
conditions of a GBRMP permit.
 Recommended to comply with MARPOL Annex IV.
 Or, in accordance with requirements of Part 3A of the
GBRMPA Regulations (93A-93G) for both treated
and untreated sewage.
 And, where applicable, in accordance with any
additional restrictions imposed as conditions of a
GBRMP permit.
 If a vessel has 16 or more persons on board, no
discharge of untreated sewage is permitted anywhere
in Queensland waters.
 If a vessel has 7 to 15 persons on board, no discharge
of untreated sewage is permitted within 1 nautical
miles of a reef or the mean low water mark of an
island or the mainland.
 No discharge of untreated sewage is permitted within
1 nautical miles of aquaculture fisheries resources, or
within 0.5 nautical miles of a wharf or jetty other
than a jetty that is a marina.
 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
Air emissions MARPOL Annex VI—applies to all vessels (table 4)
Vessel or voyage type Sub–category Discharge conditions
or area
All vessels Ozone-depleting  Prohibited
substances

Nitrogen oxides (NOx)  Operation of diesel engines greater than 130 kilowatts prohibited
unless engine is certified to meet prescribed emission standards.
 New Engines where rated engine speed is less than 130 rpm :1

• Tier I – 17 gram/kilowatts from 1 January 2000

• Tier II – 14.4 gram/kilowatts from 1 January 2011
• Tier III – 3.4 gram/kilowatts from 1 January 2016 in NOx emission
control areas (NECAs)
Existing engines where rated engine speed less than 130 rpm1
(installed on ship on or between 1 January 1990 to 1 January 2000)
• 17 gram/kilowatts for diesel engine with power output greater than
5000 kilowatt and displacement per cylinder => 90 litres
• Approved method by administration

Sulphur oxides  Sulphur content of fuel oil not to exceed 3.5%.

2

 From 1 January 2020 sulphur content of fuel oil not to exceed 0.5%

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 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
Vessel or voyage type Sub–category Discharge conditions
or area
Shipboard Incinerators installed after 1 January 2000 must be type approved
Incinerators and certified to meet prescribed emission standards.

Certain substances are prohibited for incineration. Please refer to Regulation

16 of MARPOL Annex VI for further information.

Shipboard incineration of polyvinyl chlorides (PVCs) is only permitted in

shipboard incinerators that are type approved.

Shipboard incineration must only take place in a shipboard incinerator except

for incineration of sewage sludge and sludge oil generated during normal
operation of a ship, which may also take place in the main or auxiliary power
plant or boilers, but in those cases, must not take place inside ports, harbours
and estuaries.

1. Emission limits where rated engine speed is greater than or equal to 130 kilowatt are provided in Regulation 13 of MARPOL Annex VI.
2. Fuel oil to be purchased from a registered supplier.

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 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
Noxious liquid substances MARPOL Annex II and harmful packaged
substances MARPOL Annex III (table 5)
Vessel or voyage type or Sub-category Discharge conditions
area
Chemical and product tankers Category X,Y and Z Before any prewash or discharge into the sea is carried out, the
to which Annex II applies relevant tank must be unloaded in accordance with the ship’s
procedures and arrangements manual.
Category X Tanks to be prewashed before leaving unloading port, residues
to be pumped ashore until the concentration of the substance in
the effluent is 0.1% by weight or less, as indicated by analysis
of samples of the effluent taken by an AMSA marine surveyor.
When the required concentration level has been achieved,
remaining tank washings to be discharged to the reception
facility until the tank is empty. Appropriate entries to be made
in the cargo record book and endorsed by the AMSA marine
surveyor. Any water subsequently added may be discharged if:

 Ship is proceeding en route at a speed of at least 7 knots

 Discharge is below the waterline

Ship is greater than 12 nautical miles from nearest land and

depth of water is greater than or equal to 25 m.
High-viscosity or solidifying Prewash in accordance with Appendix VI to MARPOL Annex
category Y II, residues to be pumped ashore until tank is empty. Any water
subsequently added may be discharged if:

 Ship is proceeding en route at a speed of at least 7 knots

 Discharge is below the waterline

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 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
Vessel or voyage type or Sub-category Discharge conditions
area
Ship is greater than 12 nautical miles from nearest land and
depth of water is greater than 25 metres.
Category Y Provided the tanks are unloaded in accordance with the
Category Z Procedures and Arrangements Manual, residues may be
discharged if:

 Ship is proceeding en route at a speed of at least 7 knots

 Discharge is below the waterline 1

 Ship is greater than 12 nautical miles from nearest land

and depth of water is greater than 25 metres.

If tanks are not unloaded in accordance with the Procedures and

Arrangements Manual, a prewash is to be carried out and the
resulting tank washings are to be discharged ashore.
MARPOL Harmful Packaged Jettisoning of harmful packaged  Prohibited, except where necessary for the purpose of
Substances (Annex III) substances into the sea securing the safety of the ship or saving life at sea

1. For ships constructed before 1 January 2007, the discharge into the sea of residues of substances in category Z below the waterline is not
mandatory.

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 MARPOL GENERIC DISCHARGE CRITERIA
Additional local requirements (table 6)
Vessel or voyage type or Sub-category Discharge conditions
area

Within port limits Any discharge within port limits.  Comply with relevant Annexes of MARPOL

AND

 Check with relevant port authority.

Environmentally sensitive ESSA have specific environmental
sea areas (ESSA) as marked protective measures that apply for
upon navigation charts commercial tourism, fishing, mining,
scientific and recreational purposes.
Permits are required for such activities
are issued by the Director of National
Parks.
 No restrictions upon shipping activities, or commercial
vessel transit undertaking voyages in conformance
with MARPOL and SOLAS
 Vessels should note the environmental significance of
the area and take extra care while transiting through
these areas.

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