Amendments to Annex II of MARPOL 73/78 were adopted and will enter into force on 1 January 2007 as noted in ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-0608 dated on 22 November 2004 and the Information No. TEC-0655 dated on 19 April 2006. The pollution category is changed to X, Y, Z and OS from A, B, C, D and III by the amendments.

It is not necessary to keep SMPEP for noxious liquid substances for the ships which carry only cargoes of the pollution category III by the current Annex II. However, it is required for the ships of 150 gross tonnages and above to keep SMPEP for noxious liquid substances by the effective date in case that the pollution category of the cargoes which the ships carry is changed to Y or Z from III by the amendments.

For the ships of 150 gross tonnages and above which carry only cargoes of the pollution category III and do not keep SMPEP for noxious liquid substances onboard now, you are kindly requested to confirm the pollution category of the cargoes with ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-0655, and provide it onboard by 1 January 2007 upon the completion of its approval from ClassNK or the administration, if required.

It is not required to change or re-approve SMPEP for noxious liquid substances by this matter if it is already kept onboard.


For any questions about the above, please contact:

NIPPON KAIJI KYOKAI (ClassNK)
Machinery Department, Administration Center, Head Office
Address: 4-7 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8567, Japan
Tel.: +81-3-5226-2022 / 2023
Fax: +81-3-5226-2024
E-mail: mcd@classnk.or.jp