MARPOL Bunker Sample
Representative sample drawn at the bunker manifold during delivery, sealed and retained for 12 months.
In practice
Drawn at the manifold by drip-sampler during the entire bunkering. Sealed jointly; ship retains one sample for 12 months minimum. The MARPOL sample is the legal evidence in any sulphur-cap dispute.
Regulatory detail & full definition
Representative sample of fuel oil drawn at the bunker manifold during a bunkering operation, sealed jointly by ship and supplier. MARPOL Annex VI Reg. 18.8.1 requires a sample for sulphur compliance verification, and MEPC.1/Circ.864 sets the sampling, sealing, retention (12 months), and chain-of-custody procedures. The sample is the legal evidence of fuel quality and is the only sample admissible in MARPOL prosecutions. Operators draw additional samples for in-service combustion analysis, but the official MARPOL sample is the one decided in case of a sulphur-cap dispute.
Authoritative source: MARPOL Annex VI (Air pollution) ↗
Related
Source: MARPOL Annex VI Reg. 18.8.1; MEPC.1/Circ.864
High confidence
Editorial confidence: how we grade.