RECALLING Article 38(a) of the Convention of the International
Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Marine Environment
Protection Committee (the Committee) conferred upon it by international
conventions for the prevention and control of marine pollution,
HAVING ADOPTED, by resolution MEPC.111(50), the amendments to Annex I of the International Convention
for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the
Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78), which, inter
alia, include a revised regulation
13G and a new regulation
13H of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78,
NOTING that article 16(2)(f)(iii) of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution
from Ships, 1973 (the 1973 Convention) provides that the aforesaid
amendments to Annex I of MARPOL 73/78 shall
be deemed to have been accepted on 4 October 2004, unless, prior to
that date, not less than one third of the Parties to MARPOL
73/78 or Parties the combined merchant fleets of which constitute
not less than 50 per cent of the gross tonnage of the world’s
merchant fleet, have communicated to the Organization their objections
to the amendments,
NOTING IN PARTICULAR that the new regulation 13H of Annex I of MARPOL
73/78 aims in enhancing the protection of the marine environment by
reducing the risks and the extent of any eventual oil pollution when
carrying heavy grade oil as cargo,
1. INVITES Parties to MARPOL
73/78 to consider the application of the aforesaid amendments
to Annex I of MARPOL 73/78 as soon
as practically possible to ships entitled to fly their flag;
2. INVITES ALSO the maritime industry to implement
the aforesaid amendments to Annex I of
MARPOL 73/78 as soon as possible; and
3. INVITES FURTHER Parties to MARPOL 73/78 who
implement the aforesaid amendments to Annex
I of MARPOL 73/78 with respect to ships entitled to fly their
flag before the expected entry into force date of the amendments to
communicate their action to the Organization.