33 CFR 151.21: Documentation for ships of non-party countries
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section covers each oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above and each other ship of 400 gross tons and above, operated under the authority of a country not a party to MARPOL 73/78. These ships must have valid documentation on board showing they were surveyed and comply with MARPOL 73/78. The evidence must contain the information in the IOPP Certificate and have substantially the same format.
Applies toEach oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above and each other ship of 400 gross tons and above, operated under the authority of a country not a party to MARPOL 73/78.
What it says
Each oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above and each other ship of 400 gross tons and above, operated under the authority of a country not a party to MARPOL 73/78, must have valid documentation on board showing it was surveyed and complies with MARPOL 73/78.
33 CFR 151.21(a)“must have on board valid documentation showing that the ship has been surveyed in accordance with and complies with the requirements of MARPOL 73/78”
Evidence of compliance may be issued by the government of a country that is party to MARPOL 73/78 or by a recognized classification society.
33 CFR 151.21(a)“Evidence of compliance may be issued by either the government of a country that is party to MARPOL 73/78 or a recognized classification society.”
Evidence of compliance must contain all of the information in the IOPP Certificate and have substantially the same format as the IOPP Certificate.
33 CFR 151.21(b)“Evidence of compliance must contain all of the information in, and have substantially the same format as, the IOPP Certificate.”
Common questions
Who can issue evidence of MARPOL compliance for a ship from a non-party country?
Either the government of a country that is party to MARPOL 73/78 or a recognized classification society may issue it.
“Evidence of compliance may be issued by either the government of a country that is party to MARPOL 73/78 or a recognized classification society.”
What must evidence of compliance look like under 33 CFR 151.21?
It must contain all of the information in the IOPP Certificate. It must also have substantially the same format as the IOPP Certificate.
“Evidence of compliance must contain all of the information in, and have substantially the same format as, the IOPP Certificate.”
Which ships from non-MARPOL countries must carry compliance documentation?
Each oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above and each other ship of 400 gross tons and above, operated under the authority of a country not a party to MARPOL 73/78, must carry it.
“Each oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above and each other ship of 400 gross tons and above, operated under the authority of a country not a party to MARPOL 73/78”
The text of 33 CFR 151.21
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Ships of countries not party to MARPOL 73/78
(a) Each oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above and each other ship of 400 gross tons and above, operated under the authority of a country not a party to MARPOL 73/78, must have on board valid documentation showing that the ship has been surveyed in accordance with and complies with the requirements of MARPOL 73/78. Evidence of compliance may be issued by either the government of a country that is party to MARPOL 73/78 or a recognized classification society.
(b) Evidence of compliance must contain all of the information in, and have substantially the same format as, the IOPP Certificate.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1625-0019)
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.