NVIC 06-94: Issuing IOPP Certificates to U.S. ships

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular is Coast Guard guidance on issuing International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Certificates to U.S. ships. It says shipowners may use enclosure (1) to prepare for survey, and that OCMIs and COTPs use it to conduct surveys. An OCMI or COTP who finds a surveyed ship in compliance may issue the certificate. It cancels NVIC 9-86.

Applies toThe Circular provides guidance regarding the issuance of IOPP Certificates to U.S. ships.

What it says

This Circular is guidance on issuing IOPP Certificates to U.S. ships.
“The purpose of this Circular is to provide guidance regarding the issuance of IOPP”
NVIC 9-86 is canceled.
“NVIC 9-86 is canceled.”
The Circular says MARPOL 73/78 requires each tanker of 150 gross tons or more, and any other ship of 400 gross tons or more, that engages in a voyage between countries party to MARPOL 73/78 to be surveyed and obtain an IOPP Certificate.
“MARPOL 73/78 requires that each tanker of 150 gross tons or more and any other ship 400 gross tons or more which engages in a voyage between countries party to MARPOL 73/78 be surveyed and obtain an IOPP Certificate.”
Shipowners may use enclosure (1) as guidance in equipping their U.S. ships to comply with MARPOL 73/78.
NVIC 06-94 a.“Shipowners may use enclosure (1) as guidance in equipping their U.S. ships to comply”
OCMIs and COTPs will use Parts I, II and III of enclosure (1) as guidance in conducting surveys and completing the supplements to the IOPP Certificates.
NVIC 06-94 b.“will use Parts I, II and III of enclosure (1) as guidance in conducting surveys under MARPOL 73/78 and completing the supplements to the IOPP Certificates.”
An OCMI or COTP who has surveyed a ship and found it to comply with the convention may issue that ship an IOPP Certificate and supplement.
NVIC 06-94 c.“An OCMI or COTP who has surveyed a ship and found it to comply with the convention may issue that ship an IOPP Certificate and supplement.”
The Certificate will be issued in accordance with the instructions in Part IV of enclosure (1).
NVIC 06-94 c.“The Certificate will be issued in accordance with the instructions contained in Part IV of enclosure (1).”

Common questions

May an OCMI or COTP issue an IOPP Certificate?

Yes. An OCMI or COTP who has surveyed a ship and found it to comply with the convention may issue that ship an IOPP Certificate and supplement.

“An OCMI or COTP who has surveyed a ship and found it to comply with the convention may issue that ship an IOPP Certificate and supplement.”

Which ships need an IOPP Certificate under MARPOL 73/78?

The Circular says MARPOL 73/78 requires a survey and an IOPP Certificate for each tanker of 150 gross tons or more and any other ship of 400 gross tons or more that engages in a voyage between countries party to MARPOL 73/78.

“MARPOL 73/78 requires that each tanker of 150 gross tons or more and any other ship 400 gross tons or more which engages in a voyage between countries party to MARPOL 73/78 be surveyed and obtain an IOPP Certificate.”

Does NVIC 06-94 replace an earlier circular?

Yes. NVIC 9-86 is canceled.

“NVIC 9-86 is canceled.”

The text of NVIC 06-94

U.S. Coast Guard, NVIC 06-94 (main body; enclosures not shown)

Guidance for Issuing International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Certificates Under Annex I of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as Modified by the Protocol of 1978 Relating Thereto (MARPOL 73/78)

COMDTPUB 16700.4 NVIC 6-94 NAVIGATION AND VESSEL INSPECTION CIRCULAR No. 6-94, CHANGE I ADDED Electronic Version for Distribution on the World Wide Web Subj: GUIDANCE FOR ISSUING INTERNATIONAL OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION (IOPP) CERTIFICATES UNDER ANNEX I OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PREVENTION OF POLLUTION FROM SHIPS, 1973, AS MODIFIED BY THE PROTOCOL OF 1978 RELATING THERETO (MARPOL 73/78)

Certificates to U.S. ships.

DIRECTIVES AFFECTED. NVIC 9-86 is canceled.

authorized by the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (P.L. 96-478, 33 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.) to issue International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Certificates to qualified ships. MARPOL 73/78 requires that each tanker of 150 gross tons or more and any other ship 400 gross tons or more which engages in a voyage between countries party to MARPOL 73/78 be surveyed and obtain an IOPP Certificate. New ships (defined in Regulation 1(6) of MARPOL 73/78) were required to have an IOPP Certificate on board by October 2, 1983; other ships had until October 2, 1984

unchanged from that given in NVIC 9-86. This Circular updates and corrects NVIC 9-86 to account for actions taken by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regarding the acceptance and entering into force of requirements dealing with the design of new tankers to be built on or after July 6, 1993, measures for existing tankers, and new oil discharge criteria for oil filtering equipment and control systems including the instantaneous rate to discharge oily cargo mixtures, and policy determinations that have been made since NVIC 9-86 was promulgated. The following items are of special interest: a. IOPP Certificate and Form A and B Supplements, revision 6-93,are administratively producible using the Standard Workstation's Forms Plus software application library (CGLaser5OOOA, Rev. 12/93) with a laser printer. b. The decision to not issue Form A and B Supplements to certificated U.S. vessels that are not issued IOPP Certificates. c. Guidance for issuing IOPP Certificates and the Form B Supplements to existing and new tank vessels regarding the tank vessel design standards of Regulations 13F and 13G of Annex I, MARPOL 73/78. The new IOPP Certificate and supplemental forms are enclosed. and new vessels regarding oily bilge water, and oil tankers regarding oily cargo residue, which must meet the new oil discharge criteria for processing and discharge rates.

a. Shipowners may use enclosure (1) as guidance in equipping their U.S. ships to comply with MARPOL 73/78 and preparing their ships for survey under MARPOL 73/78. b. Officers-In-Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMIs) and Captains of the Port (COTPs) will use Parts I, II and III of enclosure (1) as guidance in conducting surveys under MARPOL 73/78 and completing the supplements to the IOPP Certificates. c. An OCMI or COTP who has surveyed a ship and found it to comply with the convention may issue that ship an IOPP Certificate and supplement. The Certificate will be issued in accordance with the instructions contained in Part IV of enclosure (1). Guidelines for Conducting MARPOL 73/78 Surveys and Issuing IOPP Certificates TABLE OF CONTENTS Part Pages I: General 1-4 II: Guidelines for Surveying Ships other than Oil Tankers and 5-15 for Completing the Form A Supplement to the IOPP Certificate III: Guidelines for Surveying Oil Tankers or other Ships 16-33 Carrying Oil in Bulk and for Completing the Form B Supplement to the IOPP Certificate IV: Issuance of IOPP Certificates and other Documents 34-35

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. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.