A summary of the decisions taken at the fiftieth session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 50) held from 1 December to 4 December 2003 is given hereunder for your information.

The amendments to MARPOL Annex I concerning further acceleration of the phase-out timetable for single hull tankers and a banning the carriage of heavy grade oil in single hull tankers, and consequential amendments to CAS were adopted at MEPC50. The amendments to these regulations will enter into force on 5 April 2005.

1. Earlier phasing out for single hull tankers (reference is made to the Attachment 1)
The outlines of the amendment to Reg.13G are as follows;
The cut-off dates for tankers on each Category are given below table.
However, for Category 2 or 3 tankers,
- Administration may allow continued operation of tankers fitted with only double bottoms or double sides not used for the carriage of oil and extending to the entire cargo tank length until the date on which the ship reaches 25 years after the date of its delivery under specific conditions.
- Administration may allow continued operation of tankers until 2015 or the date on which the ship reaches 25 years after the date of its delivery, whichever is earlier, if satisfactory results of CAS.
Category 2 or 3 tankers of 15 years and over should comply with the CAS.

Timetable of phasing out

Category of oil tanker Date or year
Category 1 5 April 2005 for ships delivered on 5 April 1982 or earlier2005 for ships delivered after 5 April 1982
Category 2 & Category 3 5 April 2005 for ships delivered on 5 April 1977 or earlier 2005 for ships delivered after 5 April 1977 but before 1 January 19782006 for ships delivered in 1978 and 19792007 for ships delivered in 1980 and 19812008 for ships delivered in 19822009 for ships delivered in 19832010 for ships delivered in 1984 or later

(To be continued)