THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION,
Being Conscious
of the need to preserve the human environment in general and the
marine environment in particular,
Recognizing that deliberate, negligent
or accidental release of oil and other harmful substances from ships
constitutes a serious source of pollution,
Recognizing Also
the importance of the International Convention for the Prevention
of Pollution of the Sea by Oil, 1954, as being the first multilateral
instrument to be concluded with the prime objective of protecting
the environment, and appreciating the significant contribution which
that Convention has made in preserving the seas and coastal environment
from pollution,
Desiring to achieve the complete
elimination of intentional pollution of the marine environment by
oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental
discharge of such substances,
Considering that this object may
best be achieved by establishing rules not limited to oil pollution
having a universal purport,
Have Agreed
as follows:
Article 1
General obligations under the Convention
(1) |
The Parties to the Convention undertake to
give effect to the provisions of the present Convention and
those Annexes thereto by which they are bound, in order to prevent
the pollution of the marine environment by the discharge of
harmful substances or effluents containing such substances in
contravention of the Convention. |
(2) |
Unless expressly provided otherwise, a reference
to the present Convention constitutes at the same time a reference
to its Protocols and to the Annexes. |
|