As maritime shipping is the most efficient method of transporting goods worldwide, more than 90% of global trade is handled by ships. To ensure that shipping is environmentally friendly, the International Maritime Organization IMO adopted its Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships MARPOL 40 years ago already. In its six Annexes MARPOL covers all the relevant potential sources of pollution such as oil, waste or – in Annex VI – air emissions. If international regulations are to be an effective instrument, they need to be implemented and controlled to provide for “safe, secure and efficient shipping on clean oceans”. Implementation measures are, for example, inspections on board ships and in ports as well as monitoring of the marine environment. 

This presentation covers the actual changes and future developments of the IMO regime for environmental protection.