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,
RECALLING ALSO that regulation
26 of the current Annex I and regulation
16 of the current Annex II of MARPOL 73/78 require ships to
carry a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan and/or a shipboard
marine pollution emergency plan for noxious liquid substances, and
such plans shall be in accordance with the Guidelines developed by
the Organization,
NOTING that, by resolution MEPC.85(44), the Committee adopted the "Guidelines for the development
of shipboard marine pollution emergency plans for oil and/or noxious
liquid substances" to ensure uniform implementation of the said regulations,
NOTING that, at its fifty-first session, the Committee recognized
that the Guidelines referenced under MARPOL Annex II may require updating
as a result of the revised MARPOL Annex II,
BEING AWARE that the revised MARPOL Annex II, as adopted
by resolution MEPC.118(52), is expected
to enter into force on 1 January 2007,
HAVING CONSIDERED, at its fifty-third session, the recommendation
submitted by the BLG Sub-Committee to adopt the amendments to the
Guidelines for the development of shipboard marine pollution emergency
plans for oil and/or noxious liquid substances,
1. ADOPTS the amendments to the Guidelines for
the development of shipboard marine pollution emergency plans for
oil and/or noxious liquid substances, the text of which is set out
in the Annex to this resolution;
and
2. INVITES Governments to apply the Guidelines,
as amended, as soon as the revised Annex II enters into force.