In Annexes I Prevention of pollution by oil, II Control of pollution by noxious liquid substances and V Prevention of pollution by garbage from ships, MARPOL defines certain sea areas as "special areas" in which, for technical reasons relating to their oceanographical and ecological condition and to their sea traffic, the adoption of special mandatory methods for the prevention of sea pollution is required. Under the Convention, these special areas are provided with a higher level of protection than other areas of the sea.
Annex VI Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships establishes certain sulphur oxide (SOx) Emission Control Areas with more stringent controls on sulphur emissions.
Special areas under MARPOL are as follows:
| Adoption, entry into force & date of taking effect of Special Areas | |||
| Special Areas | Adopted # | Date of Entry into Force | In Effect From |
| Annex I: Oil | |||
| Mediterranean Sea | 2 Nov 1973 | 2 Oct 1983 | 2 Oct 1983 |
| Baltic Sea | 2 Nov 1973 | 2 Oct 1983 | 2 Oct 1983 |
| Black Sea | 2 Nov 1973 | 2 Oct 1983 | 2 Oct 1983 |
| Red Sea | 2 Nov 1973 | 2 Oct 1983 | * |
| "Gulfs" area | 2 Nov 1973 | 2 Oct 1983 | 1 Aug 2008 |
| Gulf of Aden | 1 Dec 1987 | 1 Apr 1989 | * |
| Antarctic area | 16 Nov 1990 | 17 Mar 1992 | 17 Mar 1992 |
| North West European Waters | 25 Sept 1997 | 1 Feb 1999 | 1 Aug 1999 |
| Oman area of the Arabian Sea | 15 Oct 2004 | 1 Jan 2007 | * |
| Southern South African waters | 13 Oct 2006 | 1 Mar 2008 | 1 Aug 2008 |
| Annex II: Noxious Liquid Substances | |||
| Antarctic area | 30 Oct 1992 | 1 Jul 1994 | 1 Jul 1994 |
| Annex V: Garbage | |||
| Mediterranean Sea | 2 Nov 1973 | 31 Dec 1988 | 1 May 2009 |
| Baltic Sea | 2 Nov 1973 | 31 Dec 1988 | 1 Oct 1989 |
| Black Sea | 2 Nov 1973 | 31 Dec 1988 | * |
| Red Sea | 2 Nov 1973 | 31 Dec 1988 | * |
| "Gulfs" area | 2 Nov 1973 | 31 Dec 1988 | 1 Aug 2008 |
| North Sea | 17 Oct 1989 | 18 Feb 1991 | 18 Feb 1991 |
| Antarctic area (south of latitude 60 degrees south) | 16 Nov 1990 | 17 Mar 1992 | 17 Mar 1992 |
| Wider Caribbean region including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea | 4 July 1991 | 4 Apr 1993 | 1 May 2011 |
| Annex VI: Prevention of air pollution by ships (Emission Control Areas) | |||
| Baltic Sea (SOx) | 26 Sept 1997 | 19 May 2005 | 19 May 2006 |
| North Sea (SOx) | 22 July 2005 | 22 Nov 2006 | 22 Nov 2007 |
| North American (SOx and NOx) | 26 March 2010 | 1 August 2011 | 1 August 2012 |
# Status of multilateral conventions and instruments in respect of which the international maritime organization or its secretary general perform depositary or other functions as at 31 December 2002.
* The Special Area requirements for these areas have not taken effect because of lack of notifications from MARPOL Parties whose coastlines border the relevant special areas on the existence of adequate reception facilities (regulations 38.6 of MARPOL Annex I and 5(4) of MARPOL Annex V).
