The Marine Environment Protection Committee,
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Marine Environment Protection Committee - Resolution MEPC.203(62) – Amendments to the Annex of the Protocol of 1997 to Amend the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships... - The Marine Environment Protection Committee,

The Marine Environment Protection Committee,

 RECALLING Article 38(a) of the Convention on 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,

 NOTING article 16 of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as the "1973 Convention"), article VI of the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as the "1978 Protocol") and article 4 of the Protocol of 1997 to amend the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (hereinafter referred to as the "1997 Protocol"), which together specify the amendment procedure of the 1997 Protocol and confer upon the appropriate body of the Organization the function of considering and adopting amendments to the 1973 Convention, as modified by the 1978 and 1997 Protocols,

 NOTING ALSO that, by the 1997 Protocol, Annex VI entitled Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships was added to the 1973 Convention (hereinafter referred to as "Annex VI"),

 NOTING FURTHER that the revised Annex VI was adopted by resolution MEPC.176(58) and entered into force on 1 July 2010,

 RECOGNIZING that the amendments to Annex VI and inclusion of a new chapter 4 intend to improve energy efficiency for ships through a set of technical performance standards, which would result in reduction of emissions of any substances that originate from fuel oil and its combustion process, including those already controlled by Annex VI,

 RECOGNIZING ALSO that adoption of the amendments to Annex VI in no way prejudges the negotiations held in other international fora, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), nor affect the positions of the countries that participate in such negotiation,

 HAVING CONSIDERED draft amendments to the revised Annex VI for inclusion of regulations on energy efficiency for ships,

  • .1 ADOPTS, in accordance with article 16(2)(d) of the 1973 Convention, the amendments to Annex VI, the text of which is set out in the annex to the present resolution;

  • .2 DETERMINES, in accordance with article 16(2)(f)(iii) of the 1973 Convention, that the amendments shall be deemed to have been accepted on 1 July 2012, unless prior to that date, not less than one third of the Parties 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 objection to the amendments;

  • .3 INVITES the Parties to note that, in accordance with article 16(2)(g)(ii) of the 1973 Convention, the said amendments shall enter into force on 1 January 2013 upon their acceptance in accordance with paragraph 2 above;

  • .4 REQUESTS the Secretary-General, in conformity with article 16(2)(e) of the 1973 Convention, to transmit to all Parties to the 1973 Convention, as modified by the 1978 and 1997 Protocols, certified copies of the present resolution and the text of the amendments contained in the Annex;

  • .5 REQUESTS FURTHER the Secretary-General to transmit to the Members of the Organization which are not Parties to the 1973 Convention, as modified by the 1978 and 1997 Protocols, copies of the present resolution and its Annex; and

  • .6 INVITES the Parties to MARPOL Annex VI and other Member Governments to bring the amendments to MARPOL Annex VI to the attention of shipowners, ship operators, shipbuilders, ship designers, marine diesel engine and equipment manufacturers as well as any other interested groups.


Copyright 2022 Clasifications Register Group Limited, International Maritime Organization, International Labour Organization or Maritime and Coastguard Agency. All rights reserved. Clasifications Register Group Limited, its affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective officers, employees or agents are, individually and collectively, referred to in this clause as 'Clasifications Register'. Clasifications Register assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable to any person for any loss, damage or expense caused by reliance on the information or advice in this document or howsoever provided, unless that person has signed a contract with the relevant Clasifications Register entity for the provision of this information or advice and in that case any responsibility or liability is exclusively on the terms and conditions set out in that contract.