The Protocol was adopted at a Conference held from 15 to 26 September 1997 and adds a new Annex VI on Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships to the Convention.
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The Protocol was adopted at a Conference held from 15 to 26 September 1997 and adds a new Annex VI on Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships to the Convention. |
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Entry into
force: 12 months after being ratified by 15 States whose combined fleets of
merchant shipping constitute at least 50% of the world fleet. |
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The requirements of the IMO Protocol are in accordance with the Montreal Protocol of 1987, as amended in London in 1990. The Montreal Protocol is an international environmental treaty, drawn up under the auspices of the United Nations, under which nations agreed to cut CFC consumption and production in order to protect the ozone layer.
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Set limits on sulphur oxide (SOx) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from ship exhausts and prohibit deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances. |
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Includes a global cap of 4.5% m/m on the sulphur content of fuel oil and calls on IMO to monitor the worldwide average sulphur content of fuel once the Protocol comes into force. |
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Provisions allowing for special "SOx Emission Control Areas" to be established with more stringent control on sulphur emissions. In these areas, the sulphur content of fuel oil used on board ships must not exceed 1.5% m/m. |
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Ships must fit an exhaust gas cleaning system or use any other technological method to limit SOx emissions. |
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The Baltic Sea is designated as a SOx Emission Control area. |
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Prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances, which include halons and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). |
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New installations containing ozone-depleting substances are prohibited on all ships. |
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New installations containing hydro-chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are permitted until 1 January 2020. |
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Sets limits on emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from diesel engines. A mandatory NOx Technical Code, developed by IMO, defines how this is to be done. |
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Also prohibits the incineration on board ship of certain products, such as contaminated packaging materials and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). |
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Annex VI consists of three Chapters and a number of Appendices: |
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Chapter I - General |
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Chapter II - Survey, Certification and Means of Control |
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Chapter III - Requirements for Control of Emissions from Ships |
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Appendices include: |
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The form of the International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate; |
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Criteria and procedures for designation of SOx emission control areas; |
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Information for inclusion in the bunker delivery note; |
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Approval and operating limits for shipboard incinerators; |
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Test cycles and weighting factors for verification of compliance of marine diesel engines with the NOx limits; |
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Details of surveys and inspections to be carried out. |