Exam Question

### (a) Contribution of Ships to Marine Pollution & Potential Sources (10 Marks)
Ships, while being the backbone of global trade, are significant contributors to marine pollution through both operational and accidental discharges. The international regulatory framework, primarily the MARPOL Convention, categorizes and controls these sources. The primary sources are as follows:
1. **Oil Pollution (MARPOL Annex I):**
* **Source:** Primarily from machinery space bilges, which accumulate oil, water, and other fluids. Other sources include sludge from fuel/lube oil purification, oily ballast water from fuel tanks, and tank washing water from oil tankers.