Free Tanker Familiarization Pollution Prevention and MARPOL Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An oil tanker is underway, more than 50 nautical miles from the nearest land and outside a MARPOL Special Area. Under which condition is the discharge of oily mixtures from cargo spaces permitted?
- The oil content of the effluent is less than 100 parts per million (ppm).
- The instantaneous rate of discharge of oil content does not exceed 30 litres per nautical mile. (Correct answer)
- The vessel is not required to have an Oil Discharge Monitoring and Control System (ODMCS) in operation.
- The total quantity of oil discharged can be up to 1/10,000 of the total cargo.
Correct answer: The instantaneous rate of discharge of oil content does not exceed 30 litres per nautical mile.
According to MARPOL Annex I, for an oil tanker to discharge oily mixtures from its cargo area outside a special area and more than 50 nm from land, it must be en route, the instantaneous rate of discharge must not exceed 30 litres per nautical mile, the total quantity discharged must not exceed 1/30,000 (for newer tankers) of the cargo, and a compliant ODMCS must be in operation.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP) as required by MARPOL Annex I?
- To document the daily consumption of fuel and lubricating oils.
- To provide detailed instructions for bunkering procedures.
- To serve as a training manual for routine cargo operations.
- To provide guidance to the Master and officers on actions to take in the event of an oil spill. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: To provide guidance to the Master and officers on actions to take in the event of an oil spill.
A SOPEP is a mandatory plan under MARPOL Annex I for oil tankers over 150 GT and other ships over 400 GT. Its main purpose is to provide clear, ship-specific guidance for responding to an actual or probable oil pollution incident to minimize its environmental impact.
Question 3: Which of the following documents is used to record all cargo and ballast operations on an oil tanker, including loading, discharging, and crude oil washing, as mandated by MARPOL?
- The Ship's Official Logbook
- The Oil Record Book Part I (Machinery Space Operations)
- The Declaration of Inspection (DOI)
- The Oil Record Book Part II (Cargo/Ballast Operations) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The Oil Record Book Part II (Cargo/Ballast Operations)
MARPOL Annex I requires every oil tanker of 150 GT and above to maintain an Oil Record Book Part II to record all cargo and ballast operations. This includes loading, unloading, internal transfers of cargo, ballasting of cargo tanks, and tank cleaning. Each completed operation must be signed by the officer in charge and each page by the Master.
Question 4: A tanker is navigating through a designated MARPOL Annex I 'Special Area' such as the Mediterranean Sea. What is the general rule regarding the discharge of any oil or oily mixtures from the cargo tanks?
- Discharge is permitted if the oil content is below 50 ppm.
- Discharge is allowed only at night.
- Any discharge of oil or oily mixtures is prohibited. (Correct answer)
- Discharge is permitted if the ship is moving faster than 12 knots.
Correct answer: Any discharge of oil or oily mixtures is prohibited.
Within MARPOL Annex I Special Areas, there is a general prohibition on the discharge of any oil or oily mixtures from ships. While there are extremely limited exceptions for processed machinery space bilges (not cargo areas) if the effluent is less than 15 ppm, the overarching rule for pollution prevention in these ecologically sensitive zones is a prohibition on discharge.
Question 5: According to MARPOL Annex V, which of the following is a mandatory requirement for every ship of 100 gross tonnage and above?
- An onboard incinerator for all types of garbage.
- A certified sewage treatment plant.
- A Garbage Management Plan. (Correct answer)
- Segregated ballast tanks.
Correct answer: A Garbage Management Plan.
MARPOL Annex V requires every ship of 100 GT and above, and every ship certified to carry 15 or more persons, to have a Garbage Management Plan. This plan must provide written procedures for minimizing, collecting, storing, processing, and disposing of garbage.
Question 6: A tanker has an approved sewage treatment plant onboard. According to MARPOL Annex IV, under what conditions can the treated effluent be discharged into the sea?
- Only when more than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land.
- The effluent must not produce visible floating solids or cause discoloration of the surrounding water. (Correct answer)
- Only when the ship is stopped and anchored.
- The discharge must be comminuted and disinfected again at the point of discharge.
Correct answer: The effluent must not produce visible floating solids or cause discoloration of the surrounding water.
When a ship has an approved and operational sewage treatment plant, the discharge of the treated effluent is permitted, but a key condition under MARPOL Annex IV is that the effluent shall not produce visible floating solids in, nor cause discoloration of, the surrounding water. This applies regardless of the distance from land, provided the plant is certified and working correctly.
Free Tanker Familiarization Pollution Prevention and MARPOL Questions and Answers
An oil tanker is underway, more than 50 nautical miles from the nearest land and outside a MARPOL Special Area.
Under which condition is the discharge of oily mixtures from cargo spaces permitted?