Does a coastal vessel need an IOPP Certificate under MARPOL Annex I, and what applies instead?
Short answer
| Vessel | Certificate | Obligation |
|---|---|---|
| International voyages: oil tanker of 150 GT and above, other ship of 400 GT and above | International IOPP Certificate (Annex I regulation 7), valid not exceeding five years | Annex I equipment, discharge criteria, Oil Record Book |
| Purely coastal trade | National compliance certificate from the flag State | the same Annex I equipment, discharge criteria and Oil Record Book |
- IOPP (Annex I regulation 7): oil tankers of 150 GT and above and other ships of 400 GT and above on international voyages; issued after the regulation 6 survey, valid not exceeding five years.
- Form: Appendix II model (regulation 9) with Supplement Form A (other ships) or Form B (oil tankers) recording the 15 ppm equipment, ODMCS, slop and sludge arrangements.
- Coastal vessel: outside the regulation 7 trigger, so no international IOPP; it still complies with Annex I (15 ppm separator, Oil Record Book, sludge and slop) under a national flag-State certificate.
- India: MS Act 2025 s.134 (comply with MARPOL as applicable) and s.147 (survey and certification); DGMA or its RO issues the IOPP or the national compliance certificate.
- Cross-questions: same discharge criteria (15 ppm, en route, none in a special area); on starting an international voyage, regulation 7 bites and the IOPP is needed first.
- As Chief Engineer: the separator, ODMCS, sludge and slop handling and the Oil Record Book are the same whichever certificate is in the folder.
Full answer
The full answer explains each point step by step, with the regulations and figures behind it and the discussion from other candidates. It is in the MEO Class I section of the Marine One forum, open to members enrolled for the MEO Class I exam.