🔍 Key Concepts

• MARPOL is an international convention that the U.S. has agreed to follow • How U.S. law applies international pollution rules to U.S.-flag vessels • The difference between where a vessel is registered (flag) and where it is operating (waters)

💭 Think About

• Is MARPOL meant to protect the marine environment only in certain waters, or everywhere ships sail? • When a vessel flies the U.S. flag, does the U.S. generally apply international safety and pollution rules just outside the U.S., or both inside and outside its territory? • Look at the choices that try to limit MARPOL to specific areas—do those limits match the broad purpose of an international pollution-prevention convention?

✅ Before You Answer

• Check which options try to restrict MARPOL to only one or two specific areas (e.g., just Great Lakes, just outside territorial waters). • Ask whether an international pollution-prevention convention would likely ignore pollution on certain inland or coastal waters of a signatory state. • Remember that flag-state obligations usually follow the ship, not just a particular body of water.