Harmful Substances

Harmful substances in MARPOL Annex III are substances identified as marine pollutants in the IMDG Code when carried in packaged form. Annex III, in force from 1 July 1992, governs their packing, marking, labeling, documentation, stowage, and quantity limits, and requires them to be marked as marine pollutants. The IMDG Code, mandatory under SOLAS Chapter VII, supplies the detailed classification and the criteria from the GESAMP hazard profile that decide whether a substance is a marine pollutant. Annex III discharge by jettisoning is prohibited except where necessary for the ship’s safety or saving life at sea.