IMO revises the Unified interpretations to MARPOL Annex VI

The International Maritime Organization has published the revised Unified interpretations to MARPOL Annex VI.

Circular MEPC.1/Circ.795/Rev.8 was published on 24 July 2023 and revokes MEPC.1/Circ.795/Rev.7.

The Marine Environment Protection Committee, at its eightieth session (3 to 7 July 2023), approved unified interpretations to regulations 18.5 and 18.6 of MARPOL Annex VI, concerning electronic bunker delivery notes.

The updated consolidated text of all existing unified interpretations to MARPOL Annex VI, including those set out in circular MEPC.1/Circ.795/Rev.7, is set out in the annex.

The regulation numbers in the annexed unified interpretations refer to the 2021 Revised MARPOL Annex VI, as adopted by resolution MEPC.328(76), which entered into force on 1 November 2022, as amended by resolutions MEPC.361(79) and MEPC.362(79) which will enter into force on 1 May 2024.

Member Governments are invited to apply the annexed unified interpretations to MARPOL Annex VI, as appropriate, and bring them to the attention of all Parties concerned.

The following chapters are covered in this document:

Definition of "new ship"
Major conversion
Ships dedicated to the carriage of fruit juice in refrigerated cargo tanks
Timing for existing ships to have on board a SEEMP
Section 2.3 of the supplement to the IAPP Certificate
Form of International Air Pollution Prevention (IAPP) Certificate (Regulation 8)
Identical replacement engines
Time of replacement of an engine
Engine changeover/on-off recording requirements
Application of sulphur limit to emergency equipment
VOC management plan
Continuous-feed type shipboard incinerators
Applicability of the requirements for a bunker delivery note
Application of regulation 18.3 for biofuel and synthetic fuel
Confirmation of compliance for new ships
Boil-off gas consumed on board ships
Access to the disaggregated data
Requirements for reporting attained EEDI and relevant information
Inclusion of the annual operational CII and rating in the Statement of
Compliance
Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) Part III
Plan of corrective actions to achieve the required annual operational CII