RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International
Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Assembly in
relation to regulations and guidelines concerning the prevention and
control of marine pollution from ships and other matters concerning
the effect of shipping on the marine environment,
RECALLING FURTHER that, in line with Article 212 of the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982 (UNCLOS), resolution
A.719(17) invited the MEPC to develop legally binding measures to
reduce air pollution from ships through the preparation of a new Annex
to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from
Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto
(MARPOL 73/78),
RECALLING ALSO that, on 26 September 1997, Parties to MARPOL
73/78 adopted a new Annex to the Convention in order to reduce the
contribution by shipping to air pollution,
RECOGNIZING that in order for these measures to reduce air
pollution from ships to be effective in SOx Emission Control Areas,
bunker fuel oil used must contain a lower sulphur percentage as prescribed
in regulation 14(4)(a) of Annex VI of MARPOL 73/78,
rather than the maximum permitted by regulation 14(1) of Annex VI
of MARPOL 73/78,
RECOGNIZING ALSO that, in order to facilitate compliance
with these requirements, low sulphur fuel oil should be available
in sufficient quantities,
REAFFIRMING its endeavours to contribute to the reduction
of air pollution from ships by all possible means,
HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Marine
Environment Protection Committee at its forty-fourth session,
INVITES Governments, and more specifically those in geographical
regions where SOx Emission Control Areas have been designated, to:
(a) ensure the availability of low sulphur bunker
fuel oil within their jurisdiction; and
(b) call on the oil and shipping industries to
facilitate the availability and use of low sulphur bunker fuel oil.