Amendments to MARPOL Annex II (Cargo residues and tank washings of persistent floating products) enter into force on 1 January 2021.

These new amendments, adopted by IMO Resolution MEPC.315(74), have newly defined persistent floating products ("persistent floater(s)") and impose stricter prewash requirements.

A prewash procedure shall be applied in certain areas (e.g. North West European waters) for substances that are persistent floaters with a viscosity equal to or greater than 50 mPa.s at 20°C and/or with a melting point ≥0°C (substances that are identified by '16.2.7' in column 'o' of Chapter 17 of the amended IBC Code).

In addition, the new amendments also impact the standard format of the Procedures and Arrangements (P&A) Manual (Appendix IV of MARPOL Annex II). Therefore, P&A Manuals on board all ships shall be amended, as shown in MEPC.315(74), before 1 January 2021.