International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil, in United States

International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil

[ The original text of the Convention, which was done by the
International Conference on Pollution of the Sea by Oil in
London on 12 May 1954, entered into force on 26 July 1958. The
Convention was modified by Amendments adopted by the
International Conference on Prevention of Pollution of the Sea
by Oil, 1962; these Amendments entered into force on 18 May
and 28 June 1967. The Convention was further modified by
Amendments adopted by the sixth Assembly of the
InterGovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization on 21
October 1969 (Resolution A. 175 (Vl)); these Amendments
entered into force on 20 January 1978.]

London, 12 May 1954

The Governments represented at the International Conference on
Pollution of the Sea by Oil held in London from 26 April 1954
to 12 May 1954.

Desiring to take action by common agreement to prevent
pollution of the sea by oil discharged from ships, and
considering that this end may best be achieved by the
conclusion of a Convention,

Have accordingly appointed the undersigned plenipotentiaries,
who, having communicated their full powers, found in good and
due form, have agreed as follows:

Article I

1. For the purposes of the present Convention, the following
expressions shall (unless the context otherwise requires) have
the meanings hereby respectively assigned to them that is to
say:
‘The Bureau’ has the meaning assigned to it by Article XXI;
‘Discharge’ in relation to oil or to oily mixture means any
discharge or escape howsoever caused;
‘Heavy diesel oil’ means diesel oil, other than those
distillates of which more than 50 per cent by volume distils
at a temperature not exceeding 340 deg C when tested by
A.S.T.M. Standard Method D.86/59;
‘Instantaneous rate of discharge of oil content’ means the
rate of discharge of oil in litres per hour at any instant
divided by the speed of the ship in knots at the same instant;
‘Mile’ means a nautical mile of 6,080 feet or 1,852 metres;
‘Nearest land’. The term ‘from the nearest land’ means ‘from
the baseline from which the territorial sea of the territory
in question is established in accordance with the Geneva
Convention on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone,
1958’;
‘Oil’ means crude oil, fuel oil, heavy diesel oil and
lubricating oil, and ‘oily’ shall be construed accordingly;
‘Oily mixture’ means a mixture with any oil content;
‘Organization’ means the Inter-Governmental Maritime
Consultative Organization;
‘Ship’ means any sea-going vessel of any type whatsoever,
including floating craft, whether self-propelled or towed by
another vessel, making a sea voyage; and ‘tanker’ means a ship
in which the greater part of the cargo space is constructed or
adapted for the carriage of liquid cargoes in bulk and which
is not, for the time being, carrying a
cargo other than oil in that part of the cargo space.
2. For the purposes of the present Convention the territories
of a Contracting Government means the territory of the country
of which it is the Government and any other territory for the
international relations of which it is responsible and to
which the Convention shall have been extended under Article
XVIII.

Article II

1. The present Convention shall apply to ships registered in
any of the territories of a Contracting Government and to
unregistered ships having the nationality of a Contracting
Party, except:

a) tankers of under 150 tons gross tonnage and other ships of
under 500 tons gross tonnage, provided that each Contracting
Government will take the necessary steps, so far as is
reasonable and practicable, to apply the requirements of the
Convention to such ships also, having regard to their size,
service and the type of fuel used for their propulsion;

b) ships for the time being engaged in the whaling industry
when actually employed on whaling operations;

c) ships for the time being navigating the Great Lakes of
North America and their connecting and tributary waters as far
east as the lower exit of St. Lambert Lock at Montreal in the
Province of Quebec, Canada;

d) naval ships and ships for the time being used as naval
auxiliaries.

2. Each Contracting Government undertakes to adopt appropriate
measures ensuring that requirements equivalent to those of the
present Convention are, so far as is reasonable and
practicable, applied to the ships referred to in subparagraph
(d) of paragraph (1) of this Article.

Article III

Subject to the provisions of Articles IV and V:

a) the discharge from a ship to which the present Convention
applies, other than a tanker, of oil or oily mixture shall be
prohibited except when the following conditions are all
satisfied:

(i) the ship is proceeding en route;

(ii) the instantaneous rate of discharge of oil content
does not exceed 60 litres per mile;

(iii) the oil content of the discharge is less than 100
parts per 1,000,000 parts of the mixture.

(iv) the discharge is made as far as practicable from
land;

b) the discharge from a tanker to which the present Convention
applies of oil or oily mixture shall be prohibited except when
the following conditions are all satisfied:

(i) the tanker is proceeding en route;

(ii) the instantaneous rate of discharge of oil content
does not exceed 60 litres per mile;

(iii) the total quantity of oil discharged on a ballast
voyage does not exceed 1/15,000 of the total cargo-carrying
capacity;

(iv) the tanker is more than 50 miles from the nearest
land;

c) the provisions of sub-paragraph (b) of this Article shall
not apply to:

(i) the discharge of ballast from a cargo tank which,
since the cargo was last carried therein, has been so cleaned
that any effluent therefrom, if it were discharged from a
stationary tanker into clean calm water on a clear day, would
produce no visible traces of oil on the surface of the water;
or

(ii) the discharge of oil or oily mixture from machinery
space bilges, which shall be governed by the provisions of
sub-paragraph (a) of this Article.

Article IV

Article III shall not apply to:

a) the discharge of oil or of oily mixture from a ship for the
purpose of securing the safety of a ship, preventing damage to
a ship or cargo, or saving life at sea;

b) the escape of oil or of oily mixture resulting from damage
to a ship or unavoidable leakage, if all reasonable
precautions have been taken after the occurrence of the damage
or discovery of the leakage for the purpose of preventing or
minimizing the escape.

Article V

Article III shall not apply to the discharge of oily mixture
from the bilges of a ship during the period of twelve months
following the date on which the present Convention comes into
force for the relevant territory in accordance with paragraph
(1) of Article II.

Article VI

1. Any contravention of Articles III and IX shall be an
offence punishable under the law of the relevant territory in
respect of the ship in accordance with paragraph (1) of
Article II.

2. The penalties which may be imposed under the law of any of
the territories of a Contracting Government in respect of the
unlawful discharge from a ship of oil or oily mixture outside
the territorial sea of that territory shall be adequate in
severity to discourage any such unlawful discharge and shall
not be less than the penalties which may be imposed under the
law of that territory in respect of the same infringements
within the territorial sea.

3. Each Contracting Government shall report to the
Organization the penalties actually imposed for each
infringement.

Article VII

1. As from a date twelve months after the present Convention
comes into force for the relevant territory in respect of a
ship in accordance with paragraph (1) of Article II, such a
ship shall be required to be so fitted as to prevent, as far
as reasonable and practicable, the escape of oil into bilges,
unless effective means are provided to ensure that the oil in
the bilges is not discharged in contravention of this
Convention.

2. Carrying water ballast in oil fuel tanks shall be avoided
if possible.

Article VIII

1. Each Contracting Government shall take all appropriate
steps to promote the provision of facilities as follows:

a) according to the needs of ships using them, ports shall be
provided with facilities adequate for the reception, without
causing undue delay to ships of such residues and oily
mixtures as would remain for disposal from ships other than
tankers if the bulk of the water had been separated from the
mixture;

b) oil loading terminals shall be provided with facilities,
adequate for the reception of such residues and oily mixture
as would similarly remain for disposal by tankers;

c) ship repair ports shall be provided with facilities
adequate for the reception of such residues and oily mixtures
as would similarly remain for disposal by all ships entering
for repairs.

2. Each Contracting Government shall determine which are the
ports and oil loading terminals in its territories suitable
for the purposes of sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of
paragraph (1) of this Article.

3. As regards paragraph (1) of this Article, each Contracting
Government shall report to the Organization, for transmission
to the Contracting Government concerned, all cases where the
facilities are alleged to be inadequate.

Article IX

1. Of the ships to which the present Convention applies, every
ship which uses oil fuel and every tanker shall be provided
with an oil record book, whether as part of the ship’s
official log book or otherwise, in the form specified in the
Annex to this Convention.

2. The oil record book shall be completed on each occasion, on
a tank-to-tank basis, whenever any of the following operations
take place in the ship:

a) for tankers:

(i) loading of oil cargo;
(ii) transfer of oil cargo during voyage;
(iii) discharge of oil cargo;
(iv) ballasting of cargo tanks;
(v) cleaning of cargo tanks;
(vi) discharge of dirty ballast;
(vii) discharge of water from slop-tanks;
(viii) disposal of residues;
(ix) discharge overboard of bilge water containing oil
which has accumulated in machinery spaces whilst in port, and
the routine discharge at sea of bilge water containing oil
unless the latter has been entered in the appropriate log
book;

b) for ships other than tankers:

(i) ballasting or cleaning of bunker fuel tanks;
(ii) discharge of dirty ballast or cleaning water from
tanks referred to under (i) of this subparagraph;
(iii) disposal of residues;
(iv) discharge overboard of bilge water containing oil
which has accumulated in machinery spaces whilst in port, and
the routine discharge at sea of bilge water containing oil
unless the latter has been entered in the appropriate log
book.

In the event of such discharge or escape of oil or oily
mixture as is referred to in Article IV, a statement shall be
made in the oil record book of the circumstances of, and the
reason for, the discharge or escape.

3. Each operation described in paragraph (2) of this Article
shall be fully recorded without delay in the oil record book
so that all the entries in the book appropriate to that
operation are completed. Each page of the book shall be signed
by the officer or officers in charge of the operations
concerned and, when the ship is manned, by the master of the
ship. The written entries in the oil record book shall be in
an official language of the relevant territory in respect of
the ship in accordance with paragraph (1) of Article II, or in
English or French.

4. Oil record books shall be kept in such a place as to be
readily available for inspection at all reasonable times, and,
except in the case of unmanned ships under tow, shall be kept
on board the ship. They shall be preserved for a period of two
years after the last entry has been made.

5. The competent authorities of any of the territories of a
Contracting Government may inspect on board any ship to which
the present Convention applies, while within a port in that
territory, the oil record book required to be carried in the
ship in compliance with the provisions of this Article, and
may make a true copy of an entry in that book and may require
the master of the ship to certify that the copy is a true copy
of such entry. Any copy so made which purports to have been
certified by the master of the ship as a true copy of an entry
in the ship’s oil record book shall be made admissible in any
judicial proceedings as evidence of the facts stated in the
entry. Any action by the competent authorities under this
paragraph shall be taken as expeditiously as possible and the
ship shall not be delayed.

Article X

1. Any Contracting Government may furnish to the Government of
the relevant territory in respect of the ship in accordance
with paragraph (1) of Article II particulars in writing of
evidence that any provision of the present Convention has been
contravened in respect of that ship, wheresoever the alleged
contravention may have taken place. If it is practicable to do
so, the competent authorities of the former Government shall
notify the master of the ship of the alleged contravention.

2. Upon receiving such particulars, the Government so informed
shall investigate the matter, and may request the other
Government to furnish further or better particulars of the
alleged contravention. If the Government so informed is
satisfied that sufficient evidence is available in the form
required by its law to enable proceedings against the owner or
master of the ship to be taken in respect of the alleged
contravention, it shall cause such proceedings to be taken as
soon as possible. The Government shall promptly inform the
Government whose official has reported the alleged
contravention, as well as the Organization, of the action
taken as a consequence of the information communicated.

Article XI

Nothing in the present Convention shall be construed as
derogating from the powers of any Contracting Government to
take measures within its jurisdiction in respect of any matter
to which the Convention relates or as extending the
jurisdiction of any Contracting Government.

Article XII

Each Contracting Government shall send to the Bureau and to
the appropriate organ of the United Nations:

a) the text of laws, decrees, orders and regulations in force
in its territories which give effect to the present
Convention;

b) all official reports or summarises of official reports in
so far as they show the results of the application of the
provisions of the Convention, provided always that such
reports or summaries are not, in the opinion of that
Government, of a confidential nature.

Article XIII

Any dispute between Contracting Governments relating to the
interpretation or application of the present Convention which
cannot be settled by negotiation shall be referred at the
request of either party to the International Court of Justice
for decision unless the parties in dispute agree to submit it
to arbitration.

Article XIV

1. The present Convention shall remain open for signature for
three months from this day’s date and shall thereafter remain
open for acceptance.

2. Subject to Article XV, the Governments of States Members of
the United Nations or of any of the Specialized Agencies or
parties to the Statute of the International Court of Justice
may become parties to the present Convention by:

a) signature without reservation as to acceptance;
b) signature subject to acceptance followed by acceptance; or
c) acceptance.

3. Acceptance shall be effected by the deposit of an
instrument of acceptance with the Bureau, which shall inform
all Governments that have already signed or accepted the
present Convention of each signature and deposit of an
acceptance and of the date of such signature or deposit.

Article XV

1. The present Convention shall come into force twelve months
after the date on which not less than ten Governments have
become parties to the Convention, including five Governments
of countries each with not less than 500,000 gross tons of
tanker tonnage.

2. a) For each Government which signs the Convention without
reservation as to acceptance or accepts the Convention before
the date on which the Convention comes into force in
accordance with paragraph (1) of this Article it shall come
into force on that date. For each Government which accepts the
Convention on or after that date, it shall come into force
three months after the date of the deposit of that
Government’s acceptance.
b) The Bureau shall, as soon as possible, inform all
Governments which have signed or accepted the Convention of
the date on which it will come into force.

Article XVI

1. a) The present Convention may be amended by unanimous
agreement between the Contracting Governments.
b) Upon request of any Contracting Government a proposed
amendment shall be communicated by the Organization to all
Contracting Governments for consideration and acceptance under
this paragraph.

2. a) An amendment to the present Convention may be proposed
to the Organization at any time by any Contracting Government,
and such proposal if adopted by a two-thirds majority of the
Assembly of the Organization upon recommendation adopted by a
two-thirds majority of the Maritime Safety Committee of the
Organization shall be communicated by the Organization to all
Contracting Governments for their acceptance.
b) Any such recommendation by the Maritime Safety Committee
shall be communicated by the Organization to all Contracting
Governments for their consideration at least six months before
it is considered by the Assembly.

3. a) A conference of Governments to consider amendments to
the present Convention proposed by any Contracting Government
shall at any time be convened by the Organization upon the
request of one-third of the Contracting Governments.
b) Every amendment adopted by such conference by a two-thirds
majority of the Contracting Governments shall be communicated
by the Organization to all Contracting Governments for their
acceptance.

4. Any amendment communicated to Contracting Governments for
their acceptance under paragraph (2) or (3) of this Article
shall come into force for all Contracting Governments except
those which before it comes into force make a declaration that
they do not accept the amendment, twelve months after the date
on which the amendment is accepted by two-thirds of the
Contracting Governments.

5. The Assembly, by a two-thirds majority vote including
two-thirds of the Governments represented on the Maritime
Safety Committee, and subject to the concurrence of two-thirds
of the Contracting Governments to the present Convention, or a
conference convened under paragraph (3) of this Article by a
two-thirds majority vote, may determine at the time of its
adoption that the amendment is of such an important nature
that any Contracting Government which makes a declaration
under paragraph (4) of this Article and which does not accept
the amendment within a period of twelve months after the
amendment comes into force, shall, upon the expiry of this
period, cease to be a party to the present Convention.

6. The Organization shall inform all Contracting Governments
of any amendments which come into force under this Article,
together with the date on which such amendments shall come
into force.

7. Any acceptance or declaration under this Article shall be
made by a notification in writing to the Organization which
shall notify all Contracting Governments of the receipt of the
acceptance or declaration.

Article XVII

1. The present Convention may be denounced by any Contracting
Government at any time after the expiration of a period of
five years from the date on which the Convention comes into
force for that Government.

2. Denunciation shall be effected by a notification in writing
addressed to the Bureau which shall notify all the Contracting
Governments of any denunciation received and of the date of
its receipt.

3. A denunciation shall take effect twelve months, or such
longer period as may be specified in the notification, after
its receipt by the Bureau.

Article XVIII

1. a) The United Nations in cases where they are the
administering authority for a territory or any Contracting
Government responsible for the international relations of a
territory shall as soon as possible consult with such
territory in an endeavour to extend the present Convention to
that territory and may at any time by notification in writing
given to the Bureau declare that the Convention shall extend
to such territory.
b) The present Convention shall from the date of the receipt
of the notification or from such other date as may be
specified in the notification extend to the territory named
therin.

2. a) The United Nations in cases where they are the
administering authority for a territory or any Contracting
Government which has made a declaration under paragraph (1) of
this Article, at any time after the expiry of a period of five
years from the date on which the present Convention has been
so extended to any territory, may by a notification in writing
given to the Bureau after consultation with such territory
declare that the Convention shall cease to extend to any such
territory named in the notification.
b) The present Convention shall cease to extend to any
territory mentioned in such notification one year, or such
longer period as may be specified therein, after the date of
receipt of the notification by the Bureau.

3. The Bureau shall inform all the Contracting Governments of
the extension of the present Convention to any territory under
paragraph (1) of this Article, and of the termination of any
such extension under the provisions of paragraph (2) stating
in each case the date from which the Convention has been or
will cease to be so extended.

Article XIX

1. In case of war or other hostilities, a Contracting
Government which considers that it is affected. whether as a
belligerent or as a neutral, may suspend the operation of the
whole or any part of the present Convention in respect of all
or any of its territories. The suspending Government shall
immediately give notice of any such suspension to the Bureau.

2. The suspending Government may at any time terminate such
suspension and shall in any event terminate it as soon as it
ceases to be justified under paragraph (1) of this Article.
Notice of such termination shall be given immediately to the
Bureau by the Government concerned.

3. The Bureau shall notify all the Contracting Governments of
any suspension or termination of suspension under this
Article.

Article XX

As soon as the present Convention comes into force it shall be
registered by the Bureau with the Secretary-General of the
United Nations.

Article XXI

The duties of the Bureau shall be carried out by the
Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland* unless and until the Inter-Governmental Maritime
Consultative Organization comes into being and takes over the
duties assigned to it under the Convention signed at Geneva on
the 6 March 1948, and thereafter the duties of the Bureau
shall be carried out by the said Organization.

* Transferred to IMCO 15 June 1959 in accordance with Assembly
Resolution A. 8(1).

In Witness Whereof the undersigned plenipotentiaries have
signed the present Convention**

** Signatures omitted.

Done in London this twelfth day of May, 1954, in English and
French, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single
copy, which shall be deposited with the Bureau and of which
the Bureau shall transmit certified copies to all signatory
and Contracting Governments.

ANNEX

FORM OF OIL RECORD BOOK
I._FOR TANKERS

Name of ship
…………………………………………..

Total cargo carrying capacity of ship in cubic metres
…………………………………..

a) Loading of oil cargo

1. Date and place of loading

2. Types of oil loaded

3. Identity of tank(s) loaded

b) Transfer of oil cargo during voyage

4. Date of transfer

5. Identity of tank(s) i From
ii To

6. Was (were) tank(s) in 5 (i) emptied?

c) Discharge of oil cargo

7. Date and place of discharge

8. Identity of tank(s) discharged

9. Was (were) tank(s) emptied?

d) Ballasting of cargo tanks

10. Identity of tank(s) ballasted

11. Date and position of ship at start of ballasting

e) Cleaning of cargo tanks

12. Identity of tank(s) cleaned

13. Date and duration of cleaning

14. Methods of cleaning*

* Hand hosing, machine washing or chemical cleaning. Where
chemically cleaned, the chemical concerned and the amount used
should be stated.

f) Discharge of dirty ballast

15. Identity of tank(s)

16. Date and position of ship at start of discharge at
sea

17. Date and position of ship at finish of discharge at
sea

18. Ship’s speed(s) during discharge

19. Quantity discharged to sea

20. Quantity of polluted water transferred to slop
tank(s) (identify slop tanks(s))

21. Date and port of discharge into shore reception
facilities (if applicable)

g) Discharge of water from slop tanks

22. Identity of slop tank(s)

23. Time of settling from last entry of residues, or

24. Time of settling from last discharge

25. Date, time and position of ship at start of discharge

26. Sounding of total contents at start of discharge

27. Sounding of interface at start of discharge

28. Bulk quantity discharged and rate of discharge

29. Final quantity discharged and rate of discharge

30. Date, time and position of ship at end of discharge

31. Ship’s speed(s) during discharge

32. Sounding of interface at end of discharge

h) Disposal of residues

33. Identity of tank(s)

34. Quantity disposed from each tank

35. Method of disposal of residue:
(a) Reception facilities
(b) Mixed with cargo
(c) Transferred to another (other) tank(s) (identify
tank(s)
(d) Other method

36. Date and port of disposal of residue

i) Discharge overboard of bilge water containing oil which has
accumulated in machinery spaces (including pump rooms) whilst
in port*

* The routine discharge at sea of bilge water containing oil
from machinery spaces including pump room bilges need not be
entered in the oil record book but, if not, it must be entered
in the appropriate log book, stating whether or not the
discharge was made through a separator. Where the pump starts
automatically and discharges through a separator at all times
it will be sufficient to enter each day, “Automatic discharge
from bilges through separator.”

37. Port

38. Duration of stay

39. Quantity disposed

40. Date and place of disposal

41. Method of disposal (state whether a separator was
used)

j) Accidental or other exceptional discharges of oil

42. Date and time of occurrence

43. Place or position of ship at time of occurrence

44. Approximate quantity and type of oil

45. Circumstances of discharge or escape and general
remarks

………………………….Signature of officer or
officers
in charge of operation
concerned

…………………………..Signature of Master

II _ FOR SHIPS OTHER THAN TANKERS

Name of Ship
…………………………………………..

a) Ballasting or cleaning of bunker fuel tanks

1. Identity of tank(s) ballasted

2. Whether cleaned since they last contained oil and, if
not, type of oil previously carried

3. Date and position of ship at start of cleaning

4. Date and position of ship at start of ballasting

b) Discharge of dirty ballast or cleaning water from tanks
referred to under (a)

5. Identity of tank(s)

6. Date and position of ships at start of cleaning

7. Date and position of ship at finish of discharge

8. Ship’s speed(s) during discharge

9. Method of discharge (state whether separator used)

10. Quantity discharged

c) Disposal of residues

11. Quantity of residue retained on board

12. Methods of disposal of residue:
(a) reception facilities
(b) mixed with next bunkering
(c) transferred to another (other) tank

13. Date and port of disposal of residue

d) Discharge overboard of bilge water containing oil which has
accumulated in machinery spaces whilst in port*

* The routine discharge at sea of bilge water containing oil
from machinery spaces need not be entered in the oil record
book but, if not, it must be entered in the appropriate log
book, stating whether or not the discharge was made through a
separator. Where the pump starts automatically and discharges
through a separator at all times it will be sufficient to
enter each day, “Automatic discharge from bilges through
separator.”

14. Port

15. Duration of stay

16. Quantity disposed

17. Date and place of disposal

18. Method of disposal (state whether separator was used)

e) Accidental or other exceptional discharges of oil

19. Date and time of occurrence

20. Place or position of ship at time of occurrence

21. Approximate quantity and type of oil

22. Circumstances of discharge or escape and general
remarks

…………………………. Signature of Officer or
Officers
in charge of operations
concerned

…………………………..Signature of Master

AMENDMENTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PREVENTION
OF POLLUTION OF THE SEA BY OIL, 1954, CONCERNING THE
PROTECTION OF THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

SUPPLEMENT I

The Seventh IMCO Assembly adopted on 12 October 1971, by
Resolution A.232 (VII), and on 15 October 1971, by Resolution
A.246 (VII), the following amendments to the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil,
1954. In accordance with Article XVI (4) of the Convention,
the amendments will come into force twelve months after the
date on which they are accepted by two-thirds of the
Contracting Governments.

(Resolution A.232 (VII) adopted on 12 October 1971)

Article I

The existing text of the definition of “Nearest Land” in
Article I (as amended in 1969) is replaced by the following:

“Nearest land”. The term “from the nearest land” means from
the baseline from which the territorial sea of the territory
in question is established in accordance with the Geneva
Convention on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone,
1958, except that, for the purposes of this Convention “from
the nearest land” off the north-eastern coast of Australia
shall mean from a line drawn from a point on the coast of
Australia in latitude 11 deg south, longitude 142 deg 08 min
east to a point in latitude 10 deg 35 min south, longitude 141
deg 55 min east:

thence to a point latitude 10 deg 00 min south, longitude 142
deg 00 min east

thence to a point latitude 9 deg 10 min south, longitude 143
deg 52 min east

thence to a point latitude 9 deg 00 min south, longitude 144
deg 30 min east

thence to a point latitude 13 deg 00 min south, longitude 144
deg 00 min east

thence to a point latitude 15 deg 00 min south, longitude 146
deg 00 min east

thence to a point latitude 18 deg 00 min south, longitude 147
deg 00 min east

thence to a point latitude 21 deg 00 min south, longitude 153
deg 00 min east

thence to a point on the coast of Australia in latitude 24 deg
42 min south, longitude 153 deg 15 min east.

Article III

The existing text of sub-paragraph (iv) of paragraph (a) of
Article Ill (as amended in 1969) is replaced by the following:

(iv) the discharge is made as far as practicable from the
nearest land.

AMENDMENTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PREVENTION
OF POLLUTION OF THE SEA BY OIL, 1954 CONCERNING TANK
ARRANGEMENTS AND LIMITATIONS OF TANK SIZE

(Resolution A.246 (Vll) adopted on 15 October 1971)

The Assembly,

Noting Article 16 (i) of the Convention on the
Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization
concerning the functions of the Assembly,

Being conscious of the responsibility of the Organization
for taking effective measures for the prevention and control
of pollution of the marine environment which may arise from
maritime activities,

Realizing that notwithstanding the adoption by the
Organization of various measures for preventing collisions and
strandings of ships, it is not possible to eliminate entirely
accidents which may lead to release of oil, but desiring to
minimize ensuing damage to the environment,

Recognizing that construction of oil tankers of large size
without accompanying control of size or internal arrangement
of cargo tanks leads to the possibility, in the event of a
single accident, of serious environmental pollution,

Having examined the Recommendations relating to tank
arrangements and to the limitation of tank size prepared by
the Maritime Safety Committee at its twenty-third session.

Considering that the universal implementation of such
requirements can best be achieved by amending the
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of
the Sea by Oil, 1954,

Noting that Article XVI of the International Convention for
the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil 1954 provides
for procedures of amendment involving participation by the
Organization,

Adopts the following amendments to the Articles and Annexes
to that Convention, the texts of which are attached to this
Resolution:

a) the addition of a new Article VIbis, and

b) the addition of a new Annex C,

Requests the Secretary-General of the Organization, in
conformity with sub-paragraph (2) (a) of Article XVI to
communicate for consideration and acceptance, certified copies
of this Resolution and its Annexes, to all Contracting
Governments to the International Convention for the Prevention
of Pollution of the Sea by Oil, 1954, together with copies to
all Members of the Organization,

Invites all governments concerned to accept the amendments at
the earliest possible date, and

Determines in accordance with paragraph (5) of Article XVI
that these amendments are of such an important nature that any
Contracting Government which makes a declaration under
paragraph (4) of Article XVI and which does not accept the
amendments within a period of 12 months after the amendments
come into force, shall, upon the expiry of this period, cease
to be a Party to the present Convention.

ANNEX 1

Add new Article VIbis as follows:

Article VIbis

1. Every tanker to which the present Convention applies and
for which the building contract is placed on or after the date
of coming into force of this Article shall be constructed in
accordance with the provisions of Annex C. In addition, every
tanker to which the present Convention applies and for which
the building contract is placed, or in the absence of a
building contract the keel of which is laid or which is at a
similar stage of construction, before the date of coming into
force of this Article shall be required, within two years
after that date, to comply with the provisions of Annex C,
where such a tanker falls into either of the following
categories:

a) a tanker, the delivery of which is after 1 January 1977; or

b) a tanker to which both the following conditions apply:
(i) delivery is not later than 1 January 1977; and
(ii) the building contract is placed after 1 January 1972,
or in cases where no building contract has previously been
placed the keel is laid, or the tanker is at a similar stage
of construction, after 30 June 1972.

2. A tanker required under paragraph (1) of this Article to be
constructed in accordance with Annex C and so constructed
shall carry on board a certificate issued or authorized by the
responsible Contracting Government attesting such compliance.
A tanker which under paragraph (l) of this Article is not
required to be constructed in accordance with Annex C shall
carry on board a certificate to that effect issued or
authorized by the responsible Contracting Government, or if
the tanker does comply with Annex C although not required to
do so, it may carry on board a certificate issued or
authorized by the responsible Contracting Government attesting
such compliance. A Contracting Government shall not permit
such tankers under its flag to trade unless the appropriate
certificate has been issued.

3. Certificates issued under the authority of a Contracting
Government shall be accepted by the other Contracting
Governments for all purposes covered by the present
Convention. They shall be regarded by the other Contracting
Governments as having the same force as certificates issued by
them.

4. If a Contracting Government has clear grounds for believing
that a tanker required under paragraph (1) of this Article to
be constructed in accordance with Annex C entering ports in
its territory or using off-shore terminals under its control
does not in fact comply with Annex C, such Contracting
Government may request consultation with the Government with
which the tanker is registered. If, after such consultation or
otherwise, the Contracting Government is satisfied that the
tanker does not comply with Annex C, such Contracting
Government may for this reason deny such a tanker access to
ports in its territorial waters or to off-shore terminals
under its control until such time as the Contracting
Government is satisfied that the tanker does comply.

Add new Annex C as follows:

ANNEX C*

* where these Amendments enter into force, the Annex (Form of
Oil Record Book) will become Annex A and this Annex will
become Annex B

REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO TANK ARRANGEMENTS AND TO THE
LIMITATION OF TANK SIZE

1. Assumed extent of damage

In the following paragraphs three dimensions of the extent of
damage of a parallelepiped due to both collision and stranding
are assumed. In the case of stranding, two conditions are set
forth to be applied individually to the stated portions of the
ship. These values represent the maximum assumed damage in
such accidents and are to be used to determine by trial at all
conceivable locations the worst combination of compartments
which would be breached by such an accident.

1.1 Collision

Longitudinal extent (lc) l/3 x I x 2/3 or 14.5
metres, whichever is less

Transverse extent (tc) B/5 or 11.5 metres,
whichever is less
inboard from the ship’s side at
right angles to the centreline
at the level of the load line

Vertical extent (vc) from the baseline upwards

without limit

1.2 Stranding

For O.3L from Any other
the forward part of
perpendicular the ship
of the ship

Longitudinal extent (1s) L/10 5 metres

Transverse extent (ts) B/6 or 10.0 metres, 5 metres
whichever is less

Vertical extent (vs) B/15 or 6 metres, whichever is less,
from the base line for any part of the ship

where: L, B in metres and perpendicular are as defined in Regulation 3 of
the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966.

2. Hypothetical oil outflow from tanks assumed to be breached as a result
of the accident

The hypothetical oil outflow in the case of collision (Oc) and stranding
(Os) shall be calculated by the following formulae with respect to
compartments breached by each assumed location of damage as defined in
Section 1.

2.1 Collision
Oc = sigmaWi + sigmaKiCi………………………………………(1)

2.2 Stranding
Os = 1/3(sigmaZiWi + sigma ZiCi) ……………..(2)

where:

Wi = volume of a wing tank in cubic metres breached by the damage assumed
in Section l; Wi for a clean ballast tank may be taken equal to zero,

C = volume of a centre tank in cubic metres breached by the damage assumed
in Section l; Ci for a clean ballast tank may be taken equal to zero,

Ki = 1- bi/tc; when bi is equal to or greater than tc Ki shall be taken
equal to zero,

Zi = 1- hi/vs; when hi is equal to or greater than vs, Zi shall be taken
equal to zero,

bi = width of wing tank in metres under consideration.

hi = minimum depth of the bottom in metres under consideration; where no
double bottom is fitted, shall be taken equal to zero,

wing tank = any tank adjacent to the side shell plating,

centre tank = any tank inboard a longitudinal bulkhead.

2.3 Special requirements

2.3.1 If a void space or clean water ballast tank of a length less than lc
as defined in 1.1 is located between wing oil tanks, Oc in formula (1) may
be calculated on the basis of volume Wi being the actual volume of one such
tank (where they are of equal capacity) or the smaller of the two tanks (if
they differ in capacity) adjacent to such space, multiplied by Si as
defined below and taking for all other wing tanks involved in such a
collision the value of the actual full volume.

Si = 1 – li/lc

where: li = length in metres of void space or clean ballast tank under
consideration.

2.3.2 a) Credit shall only be given in respect of double bottom tanks which
are either empty or carrying clean water when cargo is carried in the tanks
above.

b) Where the double bottom does not extend for the full length and width of
the tank involved, the double bottom is considered non-existent and the
volume of the tanks above the area of the stranding damage shall be
included in formula (2) even if the tank is not considered breached because
of the installation of such a partial double bottom.

c) Suction wells may be neglected in the determination of the value hi
provided such wells are not excessive in area and extend below the tank for
a minimum distance and in no case more than half the height of the double
bottom. If the depth of such a well exceeds half the height of the double
bottom, hi shall be equal to the double bottom height minus the well
height. Piping serving such wells if installed within the double bottom
shall be fitted with valves or other closing arrangements located at the
point of connection to the tank served to prevent oil outflow in the event
of damage of the piping during stranding. Such piping shall be installed as
high from the bottom shell as possible.

2.3.3. In the case where stranding damage simultaneously involves four
centre tanks, the value of Os may be calculated according to the formula

Os = 1/4(sigmaZiWi + sigmaZiCi) ……………………(3)

2.3.4 An Administration may credit as reducing oil outflow in case of
stranding, an installed cargo transfer system having an emergency high
suction in each cargo oil tank, capable of transferring from a breaching
tank or tanks to segregated ballast tanks or to available cargo tankage if
it can be assured that such tanks will have sufficient ullage. Credit for
such a system would be governed by ability to transfer in two hours of
operation, oil equal to one half of the largest of the breached tanks
involved and by availability of equivalent receiving capacity in ballast or
cargo tanks. The credit shall be confined to permitting calculation of Os
according to formula (3). The pipes for such suction shall be installed at
least at a height not less than the vertical extent of the stranding damage
vs.

The Administration shall supply the Organization with the information
concerning the arrangements accepted by it, for circulation to other
governments.

3. Limitations of size of cargo oil tanks

3.1 Limitation of hypothetical oil outflow

The hypothetical oil outflow Oc or Os calculated in accordance with the
formulae in Section 2 shall not exceed 30,000 cubic metres or 400 square
root of DW, whichever is the greater but subject to a maximum of 40,000
cubic metres, where DW = deadweight of the ship in metric tons.

3.2 Limitation of volume of single rank

The volume of a wing tank shall not exceed seventy-five per cent of the
limits of hypothetical oil outflow referred to in 3.1. The volume of a
centre tank shall not exceed 50,000 cubic metres.

3.3 Limitation of tank length
The length of each tank shall not exceed 10 metres or one of the
following values, whichever is the greater:
a) where no longitudinal bulkhead is provided:
0. 1L
b) where a longitudinal bulkhead is provided at the centreline only:
0.15L
c) where two or more longitudinal bulkheads are provided:

(i) for wing tanks:
0.2L

(ii) for centre tanks:
(1) if bi/B is equal to or greater than 1/5:
0.2L
(2) if bi/B is less than 1/5:

_where no centreline longitudinal bulkhead is provided:

(0.5 bi/B + 0.1)L

_where a centreline longitudinal bulkhead is provided:

(0.25 bi/B + 0.15) L