Marine Protection Rules Part 120: Discharge of Oil

Part 120 sets out the permitted operational discharges of oil from ships into the sea and provides for reporting of non-operational discharges to the appropriate coastal authorities. The permitted discharges differ according to whether the oil is the residue of a cargo carried by an oil tanker or is drainage from the machinery space of a ship (oily bilge water). The Part incorporates an inclusive list of the various categories of mineral hydrocarbon falling within the definition of oil.

Part 120 gives effect to standards found in Regulations 4, 15 and 34 of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78 and to that instrument's Protocol I.

Part 120 of the marine protection rules applies to:

• New Zealand ships, warships and other ships of the New Zealand Defence Force operating outside the New Zealand coastal marine area and within the internationally recognised "special areas"

• foreign ships operating within areas of the sea under New Zealand jurisdiction.

Download Part 120

Marine Protection Rules Part 120: Discharge of Oil [PDF: 2.04Mb, 27 pages]

Part 120 supporting documents – any amendments, proposed amendments and advice

Amendment to Part 120, 2009 [PDF: 327Kb, 50 pages]
Amendment to Part 120, 2008 [PDF: 485Kb, 49 pages]
Amendment to Part 120, 2006 [PDF: 324Kb, 16 pages]

Original rule, 1998 [PDF: 2.44Mb, 31 pages]

History of Part

Part 120 came into force on 20 August 1998.

This part was first amended by Marine Protection Amendment Rules (Parts 120, 121A, 123A and 170), in 2006.

This part was most recently amended by Marine Protection Amendment Rules (Parts 120, 121A, 122, 123A and 123B) in 2008.