Which Annex of MARPOL requires ships to carry an International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) certificate?

The requirement for ships to carry an International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) certificate is outlined in Annex I of MARPOL (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships). This annex specifically deals with the prevention of pollution by oil from operational measures as well as from accidental discharges. It establishes regulations for the design, construction, and equipment of oil tankers, including the necessity for an IOPP certificate, which verifies that the ship complies with these regulations and has the necessary pollution prevention equipment onboard.

The IOPP certificate plays a crucial role in ensuring that ships follow proper procedures and use appropriate technologies to avoid oil spills, thereby protecting marine environments from oil pollution. Other annexes of MARPOL focus on different types of pollution; for instance, Annex II addresses the control of pollution by noxious liquid substances in bulk, Annex III covers harmful substances carried in packaged form, and Annex IV pertains to sewage pollution. However, it is Annex I that directly addresses oil pollution and the certification requirement associated with it.