Industry Areas: Admiralty & Maritime - Guides
Admiralty & Maritime
10. Maritime Pollution
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Last updated: 30 Mar 2015
- The commonwealth, state and territory governments have introduced rules and regulations in an attempt to limit pollution from ships in our waters so that the marine environment is protected.
- These rules and regulations originate from the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships also known as the MARPOL Convention.
- The regulations have been designed to deal specifically with pollution that is a consequence of collisions or groundings. They also extend to cover other types of operational waste.
- While vessels are allowed to release limited amounts of operational waste such as chemicals, sewage, oil and refuse this is subject to stringent supervision by marine surveyors.
- Should Australian pollution laws be contravened the penalties for vessel pollution are harsh. Fines can be up to $17 million for the owner of a vessel and $3.4 million for a ship’s master.
- Our laws give marine surveyors extensive powers to board vessels to gather evidence like oil and chemical samples.
- Commercial vessels may also be detained so that marine surveyors are able to carry out their investigations.
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