33 CFR 151.11: Emergency exceptions to oil discharge rules

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section lists discharges to which sections 151.10 and 151.13 do not apply. They are discharges of oil or oily mixture needed to secure a ship's safety or save life at sea, and discharges resulting from damage to a ship or its equipment. The damage exception has conditions about precautions and intent. Paragraph (b) is reserved.

What it says

  1. Sections 151.10 and 151.13 do not apply to the discharges listed in paragraph (a) of this section.

    33 CFR 151.11(a)“Sections 151.10 and 151.13 do not apply to—”

  2. Sections 151.10 and 151.13 do not apply to discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixture necessary for securing the safety of a ship or saving life at sea.

    33 CFR 151.11(a)(1)“The discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixture necessary for the purpose of securing the safety of a ship or saving life at sea.”

  3. Sections 151.10 and 151.13 do not apply to discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixture resulting from damage to a ship or its equipment, subject to the conditions in paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (ii).

    33 CFR 151.11(a)(2)“The discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixture resulting from damage to a ship or its equipment—”

  4. For the damage exception to apply, all reasonable precautions must have been taken after the damage occurred or the discharge was discovered, to prevent or minimize the discharge.

    33 CFR 151.11(a)(2)(i)“Provided that all reasonable precautions have been taken after the occurrence of the damage or discovery of the discharge for the purpose of preventing or minimizing the discharge; and”

  5. The damage exception does not apply if the owner or the master acted with intent to cause damage, or recklessly and with knowledge that damage would probably result.

    33 CFR 151.11(a)(2)(ii)“Except if the owner or the master acted either with intent to cause damage, or recklessly and with knowledge that damage would probably result.”

Common questions

Can a ship discharge oil to save a life at sea?

Sections 151.10 and 151.13 do not apply to discharge of oil or oily mixture into the sea necessary for securing the safety of a ship or saving life at sea.

“The discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixture necessary for the purpose of securing the safety of a ship or saving life at sea.”

Does the oil discharge rule apply if a ship is damaged?

Sections 151.10 and 151.13 do not apply to discharge resulting from damage to the ship or its equipment if all reasonable precautions were taken afterward to prevent or minimize it. The exception is lost if the owner or master acted with intent to cause damage, or recklessly with knowledge that damage would probably result.

“Except if the owner or the master acted either with intent to cause damage, or recklessly and with knowledge that damage would probably result.”

Which sections do the emergency exceptions apply to?

The exceptions mean that sections 151.10 and 151.13 do not apply to the listed discharges.

“Sections 151.10 and 151.13 do not apply to—”

The text of 33 CFR 151.11

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

Exceptions for emergencies

(a) Sections 151.10 and 151.13 do not apply to—

(1) The discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixture necessary for the purpose of securing the safety of a ship or saving life at sea.

(2) The discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixture resulting from damage to a ship or its equipment—

(i) Provided that all reasonable precautions have been taken after the occurrence of the damage or discovery of the discharge for the purpose of preventing or minimizing the discharge; and

(ii) Except if the owner or the master acted either with intent to cause damage, or recklessly and with knowledge that damage would probably result.

(b) [Reserved]

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.