MARPOL Part II
Annex II - Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk and the IBC Code
Relevant documents and M-notices: MARPOL Annex II, The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous or Noxious Substances in Bulk) Regulations 2018 (referred to in this article as the 2018 regulations), International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC)
Annex II - Noxious liquid substances (NLSs) in bulk
When thinking about ships that carry noxious liquid substances in bulk, visualise a chemical tanker. These are extremely specialised vessels and are subject to surveys throughout their operations. Their cargoes can be highly toxic and have the potential to be extremely polluting; there are stringent controls in what concentrations these chemicals can be discharged.
What is a noxious liquid substance? From MARPOL Annex II Regulation 1:
Noxious Liquid Substance means any substance indicated in the Pollution Category column of chapter 17 or 18 of the International Bulk Chemical Code
There are four categories of noxious liquid substances:
Category X - deemed to present a major hazard to either marine resources or human health
Category Y - deemed to present a hazard to either marine resources or human health or cause harm to amenities or other legitimate uses of the sea
Category Z - deemed to present a minor hazard to either marine resources or human health and therefore justify less stringent restrictions on the quality and quantity of the discharge
Other Substances - present no harm to marine resources, human health, amenities or other legitimate uses of the sea
Substances are categorised as X, Y, Z or Other in Chapter 17 and 18 the IBC code. Ships subject to the IBC (International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk) code are grouped into three categories:
Type 1 - a chemical tanker intended to transport chapter 17 products with very severe environmental and safety hazards
Type 2 - a chemical tanker intended to transport chapter 17 products with appreciably severe environmental and safety hazards
Type 3 - a chemical tanker intended to transport chapter 17 products with sufficiently severe environmental and safety hazards which require a moderate degree of containment
Survey and certification
Ships carrying NLS in bulk are required to carry an International Pollution Prevention Certificate for the Carriage of Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk (IPPC)*(*see the Certificate of Fitness later in this article)
These ships are referred to as NLS ships in the legislation. What is a NLS ship? From the 2018 Regulations:
NLS ship means a ship intended for, or engaged in, the carriage of noxious liquid substances in bulk
The 2018 regulations also cover gas carriers and offshore support vessels. Hence it uses the term ‘relevant NLS certificate’ instead of specifying exactly which certificate is required.
In these Regulations…”relevant NLS certificate” means a certificate drawn up in English and comprising…as respects an NLS ship which is a chemical tanker constructed or adapted on or after 1st July 1986, an IBC Code certificate in the form set out in the Appendix to the IBC Code issued and endorsed for a specified period in accordance with the requirements of that Code