33 CFR 151.06: Navigational descriptions of MARPOL special areas

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section describes the boundaries of twelve special areas, such as the Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea and Antarctic areas. It also says which sections list the special areas for Annexes I, II and V of MARPOL 73/78.

Applies toThe descriptions apply for the purposes of this part.

What it says

  1. The navigational descriptions of the special areas in this section apply for the purposes of this part.

    33 CFR 151.06(a)“For the purposes of this part, the navigational descriptions of the special areas are as follows:”
  2. The Mediterranean Sea area is the Mediterranean Sea proper, including its gulfs and seas. The 41° N parallel divides it from the Black Sea, and the Straits of Gibraltar at the meridian of 5°36′ W bound it to the west.

    33 CFR 151.06(a)(1)“The Mediterranean Sea area means the Mediterranean Sea proper including the gulfs and seas therein, with the boundary between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea constituted by the 41° N parallel”
  3. The Antarctic areas means the sea south of 60° south latitude.

    33 CFR 151.06(a)(7)“The Antarctic areas means the sea south of 60° south latitude.”
  4. The North Sea area includes the North Sea proper southwards of latitude 62° N and eastwards of longitude 4° W, the Skagerrak, and the English Channel and its approaches eastwards of longitude 5° W.

    33 CFR 151.06(a)(11)“the Skagerrak, the southern limit of which is determined east of the Skaw by latitude 57°44.8′ N; and the English Channel and its approaches eastwards of longitude 5° W.”
  5. The Wider Caribbean region means the Gulf of America and Caribbean Sea proper, including the bays and seas therein, and a portion of the Atlantic Ocean within the boundary the text describes.

    33 CFR 151.06(a)(12)“The Wider Caribbean region means the Gulf of America and Caribbean Sea proper, including the bays and seas therein and that portion of the Atlantic Ocean”
  6. Special areas for Annex I of MARPOL 73/78 include those referenced in § 151.13.

    33 CFR 151.06(b)“Special areas for the purpose of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78 include those referenced in § 151.13.”
  7. Special areas for Annex II of MARPOL 73/78 include those referenced in § 151.32, and those for Annex V include those referenced in § 151.53.

    33 CFR 151.06(b)“Special areas for the purposes of Annex II of MARPOL 73/78 include those referenced in § 151.32.”

Common questions

How is the Antarctic special area defined?

The Antarctic areas means the sea south of 60° south latitude.

“The Antarctic areas means the sea south of 60° south latitude.”

What separates the Mediterranean Sea from the Black Sea?

The 41° N parallel forms the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

“with the boundary between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea constituted by the 41° N parallel”

Where are the special areas for MARPOL Annex V listed?

Special areas for Annex V of MARPOL 73/78 include those referenced in § 151.53.

“Special areas for the purpose of Annex V of MARPOL 73/78 include those referenced in § 151.53.”

The text of 33 CFR 151.06

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Special areas

(a) For the purposes of this part, the navigational descriptions of the special areas are as follows:

(1) The Mediterranean Sea area means the Mediterranean Sea proper including the gulfs and seas therein, with the boundary between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea constituted by the 41° N parallel and bounded to the west by the Straits of Gibraltar at the meridian of 5°36′ W.

(2) The Baltic Sea means the Baltic Sea proper with the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland, and the entrance to the Baltic Sea bounded by the parallel of the Skaw in the Skagerrak at 57°44.8′ N.

(3) The Black Sea area means the Black Sea proper with the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea constituted by the parallel 41° N.

(4) The Red Sea area means the Red Sea proper including the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba bounded at the south by the rhumb line between Ras si Ane (12°8.5′ N, 43°19.6′ E) and Husn Murad (12°40.4′ N, 43°30.2′ E).

(5) The Gulfs areas means the sea area located northwest of the rhumb line between Ras al Hadd (22°30′ N, 59°48′ E) and Ras al Fasteh (25°04′ N, 61°25′ E).

(6) The Gulf of Aden areas means the part of the Gulf of Aden between the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea bounded to the west by the rhumb line between Ras si Ane (12°28.5′ N, 43°19.6′ E) and Husn Murad (12°40.4′ N, 43°30.2′ E) and to the east by the rhumb line between Ras Asir (11°50′ N, 51°16.9′ E) and the Ras Fartak (15°35′ N, 52°13.8′ E).

(7) The Antarctic areas means the sea south of 60° south latitude.

(8) The North West European waters mean the North Sea and its approaches, the Irish Sea and its approaches, the Celtic Sea, the English Channel and its approaches and part of the North East Atlantic immediately to the west of Ireland. The area is bounded by lines joining the following points:

48°27′ N on the French coast

48°27′ N; 006°25′ W

49°52′ N; 007°44′ W

50°30′ N; 012° W

56°30′ N; 012° W

62° N; 003° W

62°′ N on the Norwegian coast

57°44′.8 N on the Danish and Swedish coasts.

(9) The Oman area of the Arabian Sea means the sea enclosed by the following co-ordinates:

22°30′.00 N; 059°48′.00 E

23°47′.27 N; 060°35′.73 E

22°40′.62 N; 062°25′.29 E

21°47′.40 N; 063°22′.22 E

20°30′.37 N; 062°52′.41 E

19°45′.90 N; 062°25′.97 E

18°49′.92 N; 062°02′.94 E

17°44′.36 N; 061°05′.53 E

16°43′.71 N; 060°25′.62 E

16°03′.90 N; 059°32′.24 E

15°15′.20 N; 058°58′.52 E

14°36′.93 N; 058°10′.23 E

14°18′.93 N; 057°27′.03 E

14°11′.53 N; 056°53′.75 E

13°53′.80 N; 056°19′.24 E

13°45′.86 N; 055°54′.53 E

14°27′.38 N; 054°51′.42 E

14°40′.10 N; 054°27′.35 E

14°46′.21 N; 054°08′.56 E

15°20′.74 N; 053°38′.33 E

15°48′.69 N; 053°32′.07 E

16°23′.02 N; 053°14′.82 E

(10) The Southern South African waters means the sea area enclosed by the following co-ordinates:

31°14′ S; 017°50′ E

31°30′ S; 017°12′ E

32°00′ S; 017°06′ E

32°32′ S; 016°52′ E

34°06′ S; 017°24′ E

36°58′ S; 020°54′ E

36°00′ S; 022°30′ E

35°14′ S; 022°54′ E

34°30′ S; 026°00′ E

33°48′ S; 027°25′ E

33°27′ S; 027°12′ E

(11) The North Sea area means the North Sea proper, including seas within the North Sea southwards of latitude 62° N and eastwards of longitude 4° W; the Skagerrak, the southern limit of which is determined east of the Skaw by latitude 57°44.8′ N; and the English Channel and its approaches eastwards of longitude 5° W.

(12) The Wider Caribbean region means the Gulf of America and Caribbean Sea proper, including the bays and seas therein and that portion of the Atlantic Ocean within the boundary constituted by the 30° N parallel from Florida eastward to 77°30′ W meridian, thence a rhumb line to the intersection of 20° N parallel and 59° W meridian, thence a rhumb line to the intersection of 7°20′ N parallel and 50° W meridian, thence a rhumb line drawn southwesterly to the eastern boundary of French Guiana.

(b) Special areas for the purpose of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78 include those referenced in § 151.13. Special areas for the purposes of Annex II of MARPOL 73/78 include those referenced in § 151.32. Special areas for the purpose of Annex V of MARPOL 73/78 include those referenced in § 151.53.

Sections it refers to

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.