The Marine Environment Protection Committee, at its fifty-fourth
session, noted that upon the expected entry into force of the revised
MARPOL Annex I on 1 January 2007, the world's merchant fleet will
still be carrying IOPP Certificates and supplements issued under the
“old” or current MARPOL Annex
I. A possible conflict may develop when port State control
officers check the validity of IOPP Certificates issued under the
“old” MARPOL Annex I after
that date.
The Committee agreed that, unless the documentation is required
to be re-issued as a consequence of a ship having to comply with any
new requirements under the revised MARPOL Annex I, IOPP Certificates
and supplements in effect at the time of entry into force of the revised
MARPOL Annex I should be accepted, particularly by port State control
officers, until the expiry date of the associated IOPP Certificate,
at which time a new Supplement complying with the new requirements
under the revised MARPOL Annex I would be issued for attachment to
the renewed IOPP Certificate (MEPC 54/21, paragraph 6.14).
Member Governments and Parties to MARPOL
73/78 are invited to note the above and to bring this Circular
to the attention of all parties concerned, in particular port State
control officers under their jurisdiction.