The Oil Record Book is a mandatory logbook, required under MARPOL Annex I, recording every operation involving oil or oily mixtures aboard a vessel.
Two Parts, Two Different Vessel Types
- Part I (Machinery Space Operations) — required on all ships, covering bilge water processing, fuel and lubricating oil transfers, and OWS operation
- Part II (Cargo/Ballast Operations) — required specifically on oil tankers, covering cargo tank operations, ballasting/deballasting of cargo tanks, and crude oil washing
What Must Be Recorded
Every relevant operation — date, time, quantity, and specific details — must be logged as it happens, creating a complete, chronological record of the vessel’s oil-related operations that can be reconstructed and verified after the fact.
Why This Document Carries Real Legal Weight
The Oil Record Book is one of the most heavily scrutinized documents during Port State Control inspections specifically because it’s the primary evidence trail for MARPOL compliance. Falsified entries — recording an operation that didn’t happen as described, to conceal an illegal discharge — have been the basis for serious criminal prosecutions of officers and companies, not just administrative penalties.
Retention Requirement
Completed Oil Record Books must be retained aboard for a specified period (and often ashore afterward), available for inspection by flag state and port state authorities at any time.
Exam Relevance
Oil Record Book structure, what must be recorded, and its legal significance during PSC inspections are core, heavily-tested MARPOL topics in deck and engineering officer competency exams.