At its 49th session this past July, the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) approved a new text for Annex Ⅱ of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). Annex Ⅱ covers the control of pollution by noxious liquid substances in bulk (NLS), chiefly chemicals but also vegetable oils, and entered into force in 1987. Within a few years of its first appearance, IMO realised that it needed further work to make it simpler to understand and apply. In addition, new information on some of the substances involved, technical developments in shipboard equipment (particularly deepwell pumps) and the beginnings of a new programme under the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) meant that a revision to the classification of the substances covered by Annex Ⅱ was warranted. Revision work began in 1993, encompassing: (a) editorial revisions to simplify the requirements; (b) a re-evaluation of all products covered by the Annex; (c) the development of anew categorisation system and criteria for assigning products to each category; (d) stripping requirements; and (e) discharge criteria.
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