International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/78)

Document type: Multilateral
Field of application: Global
Date: Feb 17, 1978
Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-000112)

Title abbreviation: MARPOL PROT 1978
Title (French): Convention internationale pour la prévention de la pollution par les navires (MARPOL) telle que modifiée par le Protocole de 1978 (MARPOL 73/78)
Title (Other): Internationales Übereinkommen zur Verhütung der Meeresverschmutzung durch Schiffe (MARPOL) mit Änderungen des Protokolls von 1978 (MARPOL 73/78)
Place of adoption: London
Depository: IMO International Maritime Organization
Language: English, French, Russian, Spanish
Entry into force: Oct 2, 1983
Subject: Waste & hazardous substances, Sea
Keyword: Court/tribunal Enforcement/compliance International relations/cooperation Monitoring Dispute settlement Certification Transport/storage Marine pollution (dumping at sea) Marine pollution (ship-based sources) Maritime zone Resource/damage valuation Offences/penalties Data collection/reporting Hazardous substances Survey/mapping Inspection Standards Liability/compensation Oil pollution Navigation Oil
Geographical area: Arctic, North Sea

Abstract

The 1978 Protocol modifies various provisions of the 1973 London Convention, and in particular of its annex I. It also postpones the entry into force of annex II of the Convention for a period of at least three years. The provisions of the Convention and the Protocol are to be read and interpreted together as one single instrument (art. I.1 and I.2).

(Source: IUCN ELC, 08.2005, based on UNEP Register of International Treaties and Other Agreements in the Field of the Environment, 1996)

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Country/Territory/Participant

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Countries	Entry into force	Ratification *	Simple signature
Albania	Apr 9, 2007	Jan 9, 2007 [2]	-
Algeria	May 1, 1989	Jan 31, 1989 [2]	-
Angola	Jan 4, 2002	Oct 4, 2001 [2]	-
Antigua and Barbuda	Apr 29, 1988	Jan 29, 1988 [2]	-
Argentina	Dec 1, 1993	Aug 31, 1993 [2]	-
Australia	Jan 14, 1988	Oct 14, 1987 [1]	May 30, 1972
Austria	Aug 27, 1988	May 27, 1988 [2]	-
Azerbaijan	Oct 16, 2004	Jul 16, 2004 [2]	-
Bahamas	Oct 2, 1983	Jun 7, 1983 [2]	-
Bahrain	Jul 27, 2007	Apr 27, 2007 [2]	-
Bangladesh	Mar 18, 2003	Dec 18, 2002 [2]	-
Barbados	Aug 6, 1994	May 6, 1994 [2]	-
Belarus	Apr 7, 1994	Jan 7, 1994 [2]	-
Belgium	Jun 6, 1984	Mar 6, 1984 [2]	-
Belize	Aug 26, 1995	May 26, 1995 [2]	-
Benin	May 11, 2000	Feb 11, 2000 [2]	-
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)	Sep 4, 1999	Jun 4, 1999 [2]	-
Brazil	Apr 29, 1988	Jan 29, 1988 [1]	-
Brunei Darussalam	Jan 23, 1987	Oct 23, 1986 [2]	-
Bulgaria	Mar 12, 1985	Dec 12, 1984 [2]	-
Cabo Verde	Oct 4, 2003	Jul 4, 2003 [2]	-
Cambodia	Feb 28, 1995	Nov 28, 1994 [2]	-
Cameroon	Dec 18, 2009	Sep 18, 2009 [2]	-
Canada	Feb 16, 1993	Nov 16, 1992 [2]	-
Chile	Jan 10, 1995	Oct 10, 1994 [2]	-
China	Oct 2, 1983	Jul 1, 1983 [2]	-
Colombia	Oct 2, 1983	Jul 27, 1981 [2]	-
Comoros	Feb 22, 2001	Nov 22, 2000 [2]	-
Congo	Dec 7, 2004	Sep 7, 2004 [2]	-
Cook Islands (New Zealand)	Jun 12, 2007	Mar 12, 2007 [2]	-
Croatia	Oct 8, 1991	Oct 8, 1991 [4]	-
Cuba	Mar 21, 1993	Dec 21, 1992 [2]	-
Cyprus	Sep 22, 1989	Jun 22, 1989 [2]	-
Czech Republic	Jan 1, 1993	Jan 1, 1993 [4]	-
Côte d'Ivoire	Jan 5, 1988	Oct 5, 1987 [2]	-
Denmark	Oct 2, 1983	Nov 27, 1980 [2]	-
Djibouti	Jun 1, 1990	Mar 1, 1990 [2]	-
Dominica	Sep 21, 2000	Jun 21, 2000 [2]	-
Dominican Republic	Sep 24, 1999	Jun 24, 1999 [2]	-
Ecuador	Aug 18, 1990	May 18, 1990 [2]	-
Egypt	Nov 7, 1986	Aug 7, 1986 [2]	-
El Salvador	Dec 24, 2008	Sep 24, 2008 [2]	-
Equatorial Guinea	Jul 24, 1996	Apr 24, 1996 [2]	-
Estonia	Mar 16, 1992	Dec 16, 1991 [2]	-
Fiji	Jun 8, 2016	Mar 8, 2016 [2]	-
Finland	Oct 2, 1983	Sep 20, 1983 [2]	-
France	Oct 2, 1983	Sep 25, 1981 [3]	Mar 6, 1979
Gabon	Oct 2, 1983	Apr 26, 1983 [2]	-
Gambia	Feb 1, 1992	Nov 1, 1991 [2]	-
Georgia	Feb 8, 1995	Nov 8, 1994 [2]	-
Germany	Oct 2, 1983	Jan 21, 1982 [1]	Nov 16, 1978
Ghana	Sep 3, 1991	Jun 3, 1991 [2]	-
Greece	Oct 2, 1983	Sep 23, 1982 [2]	-
Grenada	Oct 26, 2018	Jul 26, 2018 [2]	-
Guatemala	Feb 3, 1998	Nov 3, 1997 [2]	-
Guinea	Jan 2, 2003	Oct 2, 2002 [2]	-
Guinea-Bissau	Jan 24, 2017	Oct 24, 2016 [2]	-
Guyana	Mar 10, 1998	Dec 10, 1997 [2]	-
Honduras	Nov 21, 2001	Aug 21, 2001 [2]	-
Hungary	Apr 14, 1985	Jan 14, 1985 [2]	-
Iceland	Sep 25, 1985	Jun 25, 1985 [2]	-
India	Dec 24, 1986	Sep 24, 1986 [2]	-
Indonesia	Jan 21, 1987	Oct 21, 1986 [2]	-
Iran, Islamic Republic of	Jan 25, 2003	Oct 25, 2002 [2]	-
Iraq	May 6, 2018	Feb 6, 2018 [2]	-
Ireland	Apr 6, 1995	Jan 6, 1995 [2]	-
Israel	Oct 2, 1983	Aug 31, 1983 [2]	-
Italy	Oct 2, 1983	Oct 1, 1982 [2]	-
Jamaica	Jun 13, 1991	Mar 13, 1991 [2]	-
Japan	Oct 2, 1983	Jun 9, 1983 [2]	-
Jordan	Sep 2, 2006	Jun 2, 2006 [2]	-
Kazakhstan	Jun 7, 1994	Mar 7, 1994 [2]	-
Kenya	Mar 15, 1993	Dec 15, 1992 [2]	-
Kiribati	May 5, 2007	Feb 5, 2007 [2]	-
Korea, Dem. People's Rep.	Aug 1, 1985	May 1, 1985 [2]	-
Korea, Republic of	Oct 23, 1984	Jul 23, 1984 [2]	-
Kuwait	Nov 7, 2007	Aug 7, 2007 [2]	-
Latvia	Aug 20, 1992	May 20, 1992 [2]	-
Lebanon	Oct 2, 1983	Jul 18, 1983 [2]	-
Liberia	Oct 2, 1983	Oct 28, 1980 [1]	Oct 24, 1978
Libya	Jul 28, 2005	Apr 28, 2005 [2]	-
Lithuania	Mar 4, 1992	Dec 4, 1991 [2]	-
Luxembourg	May 14, 1991	Feb 14, 1991 [2]	-
Madagascar	Nov 30, 2005	Aug 30, 2005 [2]	-
Malawi	Mar 17, 2002	Dec 17, 2001 [2]	-
Malaysia	May 1, 1997	Jan 31, 1997 [2]	-
Maldives	Aug 20, 2005	May 20, 2005 [2]	-
Malta	Sep 21, 1991	Jun 21, 1991 [2]	-
Marshall Islands	Jul 26, 1988	Apr 26, 1988 [2]	-
Mauritania	Feb 24, 1998	Nov 24, 1997 [2]	-
Mauritius	Jul 6, 1995	Apr 6, 1995 [2]	-
Mexico	Jul 23, 1992	Apr 23, 1992 [1]	Jun 1, 1978
Moldova, Republic of	Jan 11, 2006	Oct 11, 2005 [2]	-
Monaco	Nov 20, 1992	Aug 20, 1992 [2]	-
Mongolia	Jan 15, 2004	Oct 15, 2003 [2]	-
Montenegro	Jun 3, 2006	Jun 3, 2006 [4]	-
Morocco	Jan 12, 1994	Oct 12, 1993 [2]	-
Mozambique	Feb 9, 2006	Nov 9, 2005 [2]	-
Myanmar	Aug 4, 1988	May 4, 1988 [2]	-
Namibia	Mar 18, 2003	Dec 18, 2002 [2]	-
Netherlands	Oct 2, 1983	Jun 30, 1983 [3]	Nov 17, 1978
New Zealand	Dec 25, 1998	Sep 25, 1998 [2]	-
Nicaragua	May 1, 2001	Feb 1, 2001 [2]	-
Nigeria	Aug 24, 2002	May 24, 2002 [2]	-
Niue (New Zealand)	Sep 27, 2012	Jun 27, 2012 [2]	-
Norway	Oct 2, 1983	Jul 15, 1980 [2]	-
Oman	Jun 13, 1984	Mar 13, 1984 [2]	-
Pakistan	Feb 22, 1995	Nov 22, 1994 [2]	-
Palau	Dec 29, 2011	Sep 29, 2011 [2]	-
Panama	May 20, 1985	Feb 20, 1985 [2]	-
Papua New Guinea	Jan 25, 1994	Oct 25, 1993 [2]	-
Peru	Oct 2, 1983	Apr 25, 1980 [2]	-
Philippines	Sep 15, 2001	Jun 15, 2001 [2]	-
Poland	Jul 1, 1986	Apr 1, 1986 [1]	Oct 16, 1978
Portugal	Jan 22, 1988	Oct 22, 1987 [2]	-
Qatar	Jun 8, 2006	Mar 8, 2006 [2]	-
Romania	Jul 15, 1993	Apr 15, 1993 [2]	-
Russian Federation	Feb 3, 1984	Nov 3, 1983 [2]	-
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Mar 24, 1998	Dec 24, 1997 [2]	-
Saint Lucia	Oct 12, 2000	Jul 12, 2000 [2]	-
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Jan 28, 1984	Oct 28, 1983 [2]	-
Samoa	May 7, 2002	Feb 7, 2002 [2]	-
Sao Tome and Principe	Jan 29, 1999	Oct 29, 1998 [2]	-
Saudi Arabia	Aug 23, 2005	May 23, 2005 [2]	-
Senegal	Apr 16, 1997	Jan 16, 1997 [2]	-
Serbia	Jun 3, 2006	Jun 3, 2006 [4]	-
Seychelles	Feb 28, 1991	Nov 28, 1990 [2]	-
Sierra Leone	Oct 26, 2001	Jul 26, 2001 [2]	-
Singapore	Feb 1, 1991	Nov 1, 1990 [2]	-
Slovakia	Jan 1, 1993	Jan 1, 1993 [4]	-
Slovenia	Jun 25, 1991	Jun 25, 1991 [4]	-
Solomon Islands	Sep 30, 2004	Jun 30, 2004 [2]	-
South Africa	Feb 28, 1985	Nov 28, 1984 [2]	-
Spain	Oct 6, 1984	Jul 6, 1984 [1]	May 16, 1979
Sri Lanka	Sep 24, 1997	Jun 24, 1997 [2]	-
Suriname	Feb 4, 1989	Nov 4, 1988 [2]	-
Sweden	Oct 2, 1983	Jun 9, 1980 [1]	Mar 1, 1979
Switzerland	Mar 15, 1988	Dec 15, 1987 [2]	-
Syrian Arab Republic	Feb 9, 1989	Nov 9, 1988 [2]	-
Tanzania, Un. Rep. of	Oct 23, 2008	Jul 23, 2008 [2]	-
Thailand	Feb 2, 2008	Nov 2, 2007 [2]	-
Togo	May 9, 1990	Feb 9, 1990 [2]	-
Tonga	May 1, 1996	Feb 1, 1996 [2]	-
Trinidad and Tobago	Jun 6, 2000	Mar 6, 2000 [2]	-
Tunisia	Oct 2, 1983	Oct 10, 1980 [2]	-
Turkey	Jan 10, 1991	Oct 10, 1990 [2]	-
Turkmenistan	May 4, 2009	Feb 4, 2009 [2]	-
Tuvalu	Nov 22, 1985	Aug 22, 1985 [2]	-
Uganda	Jul 3, 2019	Apr 3, 2019 [2]	-
Ukraine	Jan 25, 1994	Oct 25, 1993 [2]	-
United Arab Emirates	Apr 15, 2007	Jan 15, 2007 [2]	-
United Kingdom	Oct 2, 1983	May 22, 1980 [1]	Aug 24, 1978
United States of America	Oct 2, 1983	Aug 12, 1980 [1]	Jun 27, 1978
Uruguay	Oct 2, 1983	Apr 30, 1979 [6]	-
Vanuatu	Jul 13, 1989	Apr 13, 1989 [2]	-
Venezuela, Boliv. Rep. of	Oct 29, 1994	Jul 29, 1994 [2]	-
Viet Nam	Aug 29, 1991	May 29, 1991 [2]	-

* [1] Ratification [2] Accession/approbation [3] Acceptance/approval [4] Succession [5] Consent to be bound [6] Definite signature

References - Treaties

Enables: International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships - Annex IV : Sewage

Treaty | Multilateral | London | Feb 17, 1978

Keyword: Maritime zone, Liability/compensation, Hazardous substances, Resource/damage valuation, Oil pollution, International relations/cooperation, Monitoring, Offences/penalties, Oil, Certification, Data collection/reporting, Enforcement/compliance, Inspection, Navigation, Marine pollution (ship-based sources), Standards, Court/tribunal, Transport/storage, Dispute settlement, Survey/mapping

Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-000988); International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) - Annex V (Optional): Garbage

Treaty | Multilateral | London | Nov 2, 1973

Keyword: Maritime zone, Liability/compensation, Hazardous substances, Marine pollution, Resource/damage valuation, Oil pollution, International relations/cooperation, Monitoring, Offences/penalties, Oil, Certification, Data collection/reporting, Enforcement/compliance, Inspection, Navigation, Marine pollution (ship-based sources), Standards, Court/tribunal, Transport/storage, Dispute settlement, Survey/mapping

Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-000989); International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 - Annex III: Hazardous substances carried in packaged form

Treaty | Multilateral | London | Nov 17, 1978

Keyword: Maritime zone, Liability/compensation, Hazardous substances, Resource/damage valuation, Oil pollution, Marine pollution (dumping at sea), International relations/cooperation, Monitoring, Offences/penalties, Oil, Certification, Data collection/reporting, Enforcement/compliance, Inspection, Navigation, Marine pollution (ship-based sources), Standards, Court/tribunal, Transport/storage, Dispute settlement, Survey/mapping

Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-000987)

Amends: International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships

Treaty | Multilateral | London | Nov 2, 1973

Keyword: Transport/storage, Marine pollution (dumping at sea), Data collection/reporting, Survey/mapping, Court/tribunal, Monitoring, Oil pollution, Resource/damage valuation, Oil, International relations/cooperation, Navigation, Enforcement/compliance, Dispute settlement, Certification, Inspection, Liability/compensation, Maritime zone, Hazardous substances, Offences/penalties, Standards, Marine pollution (ship-based sources)

Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-000113)

Amended by: Amendments to the Annex of the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973

Treaty | Multilateral | Sep 7, 1984

Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-000841)

Cited by: International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation

Treaty | Multilateral | London | Nov 30, 1990

Keyword: Technology transfer, Data collection/reporting, Research, Oil, Oil pollution, Early warning system/emergency intervention system, Resource/damage valuation, Capacity building, Education

Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-001109); Protocol on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation in the Pacific Region

Treaty | Multilateral | Nouméa | Sep 10, 2006

Keyword: Marine area, Polluter pays principle, Oil pollution, Public health, Marine pollution (ship-based sources), Recreational water use, Precautionary principle, Marine pollution, Oil

Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-160044); Protocol on Hazardous and Noxious Substances Pollution, Preparadness, Response and Cooperation in the Pacific Region

Treaty | Multilateral | Nouméa | Sep 10, 2006

Keyword: Polluter pays principle, Marine area, Emissions, Ecosystem preservation, Research, Public health, Marine pollution (ship-based sources), Hazardous substances, Precautionary principle, Education, Marine pollution, Tourism, International relations/cooperation

Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-160045); Protocol on the Control of Marine Transboundary Movements and Disposal of Hazardous Wastes and Other Wastes

Treaty | Multilateral | Tehran | Mar 17, 1998

Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-001298); International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 1996

Treaty | Multilateral | London | May 3, 1996

Keyword: Transport/storage, Data collection/reporting, Vessel ownership, Radioactive waste, Legal proceedings/administrative proceedings, Resource/damage valuation, Special fund, Oil, Hazardous waste, Enforcement/compliance, Liability/compensation, Jurisdictional competence, Hazardous substances

Source: IUCN (ID: TRE-001245)

Other references

Legislation: 1 record related to this treaty. View legislation

Literature: 89 records related to this treaty. View literature