Compliance of MARPOL convention in port areas: Bangladesh perspective

Abstract

International Maritime Organization (IMO) established the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), aiming to prevent marine and oceanic contamination from maritime transportation. Despite the wider success of MARPOL compliance by most of the maritime nations, Bangladesh is still falling behind. According to the literature, vessel pollution in Bangladesh’s ports and adjacent marine areas is still a frequent occurrence. Consequently, the purpose of the study was to determine key challenges and relevant issues relating to MARPOL in the port areas of Bangladesh. Efforts have been made to identify the compliance parameters of MARPOL to address its current state in the Bangladeshi port areas and put forward strategies to get the optimum output. This study uses a mixed approach by collecting data from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were collected through field surveys from port officials, shipping personnel, academicians, and regulatory authorities using structured questionnaires. Secondary data sources include published books, documents, legislation, and articles, as well as Internet sources. The result revealed that Bangladeshi ports are unable to comply with the entire MARPOL Convention due to lack of commitment, legislation, and resources. Additionally, it assessed the current state of the MARPOL convention and the regulatory framework governing maritime pollution issues. The fundamental causes include an absence of a legal framework and distinct authority, a scarcity of resources, and crew negligence. Therefore, the study proposed adopting new regulations to establish compensation for MARPOL violations, coordination among government agencies, improving resource and monitoring systems.