20/24 – Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Areas Relevant to MARPOL Annex I & V
Maritime Regulations and Safety
Applicable to: Shipowners, Ship Operators, Ship Managers, Ship Masters.
From 1 January 2025, ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Special Area will be subject to new restrictions on the discharge of garbage, oil, and oily mixtures.
This is a result of the following IMO decision:
Resolution MEPC.381(80)
The discharge requirements in regulations 15.3, 15.5, and 34.3 to 34.5 of MARPOL Annex I regarding the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Special Area are determined in accordance with regulation 38.8.1 of MARPOL Annex I.
Resolution MEPC.382(80)
The discharge requirements of regulation 6 of MARPOL Annex V with the Red Sea Special Area shall be determined per regulation 8.2 of MARPOL Annex V.
What should shipowners, managers, and operators do now?
Please note that from 1 January 2025, the following requirements will apply:
MARPOL Annex I – Regulations 15.3, 15.5 and 34.3 to 34.5:
All ships:
From 1 January 2025, the discharge of hydrocarbons or petroleum mixtures into the sea from ships of 400 gross tonnage and above is prohibited within the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Special Areas unless all of the following requirements are met:
- The ship is en route.
- the oil mixture is treated through a hydrocarbon filtering device that complies with the requirements of Regulation 14.7 of Annex I;
- The hydrocarbon content of the undiluted liquid waste shall not exceed 15 ppm;
- The oily mixture does not originate from the bottom of the tanker’s cargo pump room; and
- In the case of tankers, the oil mixture is not mixed with hydrocarbon cargo residues.
Tankers:
From 1 January 2025, during the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Special Areas, the discharge of any oil or oil mixture into the sea from the cargo area of a tanker is prohibited.
MARPOL and Air Pollution: Reducing Emissions from Ships
This requirement does not apply to the discharge of clean or separated ballast.
MARPOL Annex V – Regulation 6:
From 1 January 2025, the discharge of garbage into the sea within the Red Sea Special Area is permitted only when the ship is underway and by Regulation 6 of MARPOL Annex V (Discharge of Garbage into Special Areas). See also the following IMO page: Special Areas under MARPOL
