RECALLING article 38(a) of the Convention on the International
Maritime Organization concerning the function of the Committee conferred
upon it by international conventions for the prevention and control
of marine pollution,
RECOGNIZING that approximately twenty-seven years have elapsed
since the adoption of annex IV of
MARPOL 73/78,
RECOGNIZING ALSO that seventy-seven States, the combined
merchants fleets of which constitute approximately forty-three per
cent of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant shipping, accepted annex IV of MARPOL 73/78 as at 13 March
2000,
RECOGNIZING FURTHER that, since the annex
IV of MARPOL 73/78 will enter into force twelve months after
the date on which not less than fifteen States, the combined merchant
fleets of which constitute not less than fifty per cent of the gross
tonnage of the world's merchant shipping have become Parties to it,
acceptance by States which represent approximately seven per cent
of the world's tonnage is still needed to bring it into force,
NOTING that a large number of Member Governments, who have
not yet accepted annex IV of MARPOL 73/78, have expressed the view
that they will face problems in complying with several provisions
in annex IV of MARPOL 73/78 if they accept annex IV of MARPOL 73/78
in its present form,
NOTING ALSO that these provisions need to be amended to
assist the entry into force of annex IV of MARPOL 73/78, while maintaining
the same level of protection of the marine environment,
NOTING FURTHER that the text of the revised annex IV of
MARPOL 73/78, as set out in annex 10 to MEPC 44/20, was approved by
the Committee at its forty-fourth session,
1. AGREES to request the Secretary-General to circulate
the text of the revised annex IV of
MARPOL 73/78 to all Members of the Organization and to all Parties
to MARPOL 73/78 which are not Members of the Organization after conditions
for entry into force of the existing annex IV of MARPOL 73/78 have
been met with a view to future adoption upon the entry into force
of the existing annex IV in accordance with article 16 of MARPOL 73/78;
2. RESOLVES that the Parties to annex IV of MARPOL 73/78
should implement the revised annex IV of MARPOL 73/78 immediately
after entry into force of the existing annex IV of MARPOL 73/78, with
a view to avoiding the creation of a dual treaty regime between the
existing and the revised annex IV of MARPOL 73/78;
3. URGES States, which have not yet accepted the existing annex IV of MARPOL 73/78, to do so as soon
as possible with the understanding that only the provisions of the
revised annex IV of MARPOL 73/78 will be implemented upon the entry
into force of the existing annex IV of MARPOL 73/78.