Which convention covers prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships?

• A. MARPOL 73/78
• B. SOLAS
• C. UNCLOS
• D. London Convention

Answer: (A)

MARPOL is the international treaty that directly targets pollution from ships. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, administered by the IMO, sets rules on discharges, waste handling, and enforcement to stop pollutants from entering the marine environment. It was created in 1973 and amended by a 1978 protocol, and it has six annexes covering oil, noxious liquid substances in bulk, harmful substances in packaged form, sewage, garbage, and air pollution from ships. This broad, technical framework makes MARPOL the primary instrument for preventing pollution of the marine environment by ships.

Other options address related areas but not the core framework for ship-source pollution prevention: SOLAS focuses on safety of life at sea; UNCLOS provides wide-ranging maritime law and environmental protection principles but not the specific pollution-prevention rules; the London Convention concentrates on dumping wastes at sea rather than the general prevention of pollution from ships.