Marine Pollution Management Training Course

Duration 10 days 20 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Environmental Managers, HSE Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-EM-074

Before you join: Participants should have basic familiarity with environmental management, HSE procedures or operational controls at a site, vessel, port, terminal, offshore installation or coastal facility.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Marine pollution incidents can create immediate harm to fisheries, coastal communities, ports, protected habitats and commercial operations. Environmental professionals must identify pollution pathways, meet legal duties, assess environmental consequences and coordinate an effective response before pollutants disperse. They also need to prevent recurring releases from vessels, terminals, industrial sites, offshore facilities and waste-handling operations.

This course examines the principal marine pollutants, including oil, hazardous and noxious substances, sewage, garbage, plastics, contaminated runoff and ballast water. Participants apply MARPOL requirements, the OPRC Convention, ISO 14001 environmental management principles and risk-based pollution controls. They learn to map sources and receptors, assess spill consequences, prepare monitoring plans, select containment and recovery methods, manage waste from response operations, investigate incidents and report performance to regulators and internal decision-makers.

Teaching combines focused instructor briefings with sector cases from ports, shipping, offshore energy, coastal manufacturing and municipal discharge management. Participants work through pollution scenarios, response decisions, environmental data and regulatory reporting requirements. During the first week, they build a marine pollution source inventory, receptor map and risk register. During the second week, they develop prevention controls, monitoring arrangements and incident response documentation. The course concludes with a reviewed and presented Marine Pollution Management Plan for a realistic operating site. Participants receive a certificate of completion.

The course suits professionals with existing environmental, HSE, marine, operational or regulatory responsibilities who need stronger practical control of marine pollution risks. It is particularly relevant where operations discharge to sea, handle oil or chemicals near water, operate vessels, manage ports, or maintain coastal assets.

What you will be able to do

  • Identify marine pollution sources, pathways and sensitive receptors using source-pathway-receptor mapping
  • Interpret MARPOL annexes and applicable national discharge-control requirements
  • Assess marine pollution risks using consequence modelling, receptor sensitivity and risk matrices
  • Develop spill prevention and control measures for oil, chemicals, waste and wastewater
  • Prepare an OPRC-aligned marine pollution emergency response plan
  • Design marine environmental monitoring programmes using sampling plans and quality assurance controls
  • Investigate marine pollution incidents using root cause analysis and corrective action tracking
  • Produce and present a site-specific Marine Pollution Management Plan

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Apply MARPOL requirements confidently when reviewing marine pollution controls
  • Prepare credible spill response plans for coastal and offshore operations
  • Interpret marine monitoring data and identify escalating environmental concerns
  • Lead structured investigations after oil, chemical or wastewater releases
  • Present defensible pollution-risk controls to regulators and senior management

For your organisation

  • Improved control of oil, chemical, waste and wastewater release risks
  • Clearer evidence of MARPOL and permit compliance during inspections
  • Faster, better-coordinated decisions during marine pollution incidents
  • More targeted environmental monitoring and earlier detection of adverse trends
  • A site-specific Marine Pollution Management Plan ready for operational use

Course modules

20 modules over 10 days

Participants can classify marine pollutants and explain their effects on environmental and operational receptors.

  • Marine pollution categories: oil, chemicals, sewage, garbage and contaminated runoff
  • Point-source and diffuse-source discharges affecting coastal and offshore waters
  • Physical, chemical and biological processes controlling pollutant transport
  • Acute and chronic effects on marine species and habitats
  • Economic consequences for fisheries, ports, tourism and coastal communities
  • Pollution pathways from vessels, terminals, pipelines and industrial outfalls

Participants can identify sensitive receptors and prioritise their protection during planning and response.

  • Sensitive receptor mapping for shorelines, wetlands, fisheries and protected areas
  • Seasonal vulnerability of seabirds, marine mammals and spawning grounds
  • Environmental sensitivity index mapping principles and data sources
  • Ranking receptors by ecological value, exposure and recovery potential
  • Shoreline types and their differing oil retention characteristics
  • Community and livelihood receptors included within protection priorities

Participants can relate major international conventions to operational marine pollution duties.

  • UNCLOS duties concerning prevention, reduction and control of marine pollution
  • MARPOL structure, annexes, certificates and enforcement mechanisms
  • OPRC Convention requirements for preparedness, notification and cooperation
  • London Convention controls on ocean dumping and waste disposal
  • Ballast Water Management Convention obligations for vessel operators
  • Flag-state, port-state and coastal-state enforcement responsibilities

Participants can identify MARPOL control requirements relevant to vessel and port activities.

  • Annex I oil discharge restrictions, records and equipment requirements
  • Annex II controls for noxious liquid substances and cargo residues
  • Annex III packaging, marking and documentation for harmful substances
  • Annex IV sewage treatment, discharge distances and certification
  • Annex V garbage segregation, placards and garbage record books
  • Annex VI air emissions controls linked to marine environmental protection

Participants can prepare a structured inventory of potential marine pollution sources.

  • Source inventory developed from process maps, permits and operational records
  • Material flow analysis for oils, chemicals, wastes and wastewater
  • Outfall registers containing location, discharge type and permit conditions
  • Vessel activity review covering bunkering, bilge, cargo and waste operations
  • Baseline environmental data collected before facility expansion or commissioning
  • Data gaps identified through document review, inspections and staff interviews

Participants can assess marine pollution risks using structured source-pathway-receptor analysis.

  • Source-pathway-receptor model applied to routine and accidental discharges
  • Risk matrices calibrated for likelihood, consequence and control effectiveness
  • Bowtie analysis linking threats, preventive barriers and recovery measures
  • Credible release scenarios defined from equipment failures and human error
  • Weather, tides and currents incorporated into spill consequence estimates
  • Risk register entries assigned owners, actions and review dates

Participants can specify practical controls for preventing oil releases to marine waters.

  • Bunkering checklists controlling hose connections, valves and tank capacities
  • Secondary containment design for fuel storage and transfer areas
  • Ship-to-shore transfer procedures using agreed communication protocols
  • Oily water separator operation, testing and discharge recordkeeping
  • Pipeline integrity controls using inspection, corrosion monitoring and isolation
  • Housekeeping standards preventing oil migration through drains and surfaces

Participants can manage marine release risks from hazardous chemicals and cargoes.

  • Safety data sheets interpreted for aquatic toxicity and persistence
  • Chemical compatibility assessed before storage, transfer and emergency containment
  • International Bulk Chemical Code categories and carriage implications
  • Drainage isolation plans prepared for chemical handling areas
  • Cargo residue management aligned with MARPOL Annex II requirements
  • Substitution assessments reducing use of highly hazardous marine pollutants

Participants can establish controls for wastewater, sewage and contaminated runoff discharges.

  • Effluent characterisation using flow, pH, nutrients, hydrocarbons and metals
  • Wastewater treatment train selection for site-specific contaminant profiles
  • Sewage treatment performance assessed against discharge permit limits
  • Stormwater pollution prevention plans addressing yards, drains and loading areas
  • First-flush diversion systems reducing contaminated runoff during rainfall
  • Outfall inspection routines checking colour, odour, flow and visible sheen

Participants can develop controls for marine litter and ship-generated waste.

  • Waste reception facility planning under MARPOL Annex V requirements
  • Port waste streams segregated into recyclables, hazardous wastes and residuals
  • Fishing gear loss prevention through inventory, marking and retrieval procedures
  • Plastic pellet containment measures for handling, storage and transport
  • Waste manifest controls tracking collection, transfer and final disposal
  • Litter hotspot surveys using transects, counts and source attribution

Participants can explain controls that reduce invasive aquatic species transfers.

  • Ballast Water Management Convention standards D-1 and D-2
  • Ballast water management plans, logs and treatment-system verification
  • Sampling approaches for ballast water discharge compliance checks
  • Biofouling management plans addressing hulls, niches and sea chests
  • Risk factors for invasive species introduction through vessel movements
  • Port inspection evidence for ballast water and biofouling controls

Participants can design a monitoring programme that produces defensible environmental evidence.

  • Monitoring objectives linked to permits, risks and management decisions
  • Sampling locations selected using outfalls, currents and receptor distributions
  • Water quality parameters chosen for expected pollutant signatures
  • Sediment sampling plans addressing depositional zones and contamination history
  • Biological monitoring using indicator species, diversity indices and tissue analysis
  • Quality assurance plans covering blanks, duplicates, calibration and chain-of-custody

Participants can interpret monitoring results and prepare clear environmental performance reports.

  • Trend analysis distinguishing normal variation from emerging environmental deterioration
  • Control charts applied to recurring effluent and water quality data
  • Permit exceedances assessed against sampling uncertainty and operational records
  • GIS maps presenting monitoring stations, plume patterns and sensitive receptors
  • Environmental reports structured for regulators, managers and affected communities
  • Data visualisation choices supporting accurate interpretation of marine results

Participants can predict major oil spill processes and select appropriate response priorities.

  • Oil properties affecting spreading, evaporation, emulsification and weathering rates
  • Trajectory modelling inputs: currents, winds, tides and release characteristics
  • Surface spreading and shoreline stranding under different weather conditions
  • Dispersant effectiveness criteria, approvals and environmental trade-offs
  • Natural recovery considerations for low-access and sensitive shoreline habitats
  • Net environmental benefit analysis supporting response technique selection

Participants can select and coordinate initial containment, recovery and shoreline response actions.

  • Initial spill assessment covering source control, safety and notification
  • Boom selection based on currents, wave conditions and protection objectives
  • Skimmer types matched to oil viscosity and water conditions
  • Sorbent deployment controls preventing secondary contamination and waste generation
  • Shoreline cleanup assessment technique surveys guiding treatment decisions
  • Recovered waste segregation, storage, transport and disposal arrangements

Participants can prepare an incident command structure and emergency response arrangements.

  • Incident Command System roles for marine pollution emergency management
  • OPRC-aligned notification procedures for authorities, contractors and neighbouring facilities
  • Response tiering based on spill volume, location and resource needs
  • Emergency equipment registers covering booms, skimmers, vessels and communications
  • Mutual-aid agreements defining mobilisation, command and cost responsibilities
  • Tabletop scenario inputs for testing escalation and decision authority

Participants can investigate marine pollution events and establish effective corrective actions.

  • Evidence preservation following releases, including samples, logs and photographs
  • Five Whys analysis distinguishing immediate causes from systemic weaknesses
  • Barrier analysis identifying failed, missing and degraded control measures
  • Event timelines reconstructed from alarms, communications and operational records
  • Corrective actions written with accountable owners, deadlines and verification
  • Lessons-learned reports communicating findings without assigning premature blame

Participants can integrate marine pollution controls into an ISO 14001 management system.

  • ISO 14001 aspects and impacts register for marine activities
  • Legal register maintenance covering permits, conventions and local requirements
  • Operational control procedures linked to significant environmental aspects
  • Internal audit questions testing marine pollution prevention arrangements
  • Management review inputs covering incidents, trends, objectives and resources
  • Contractor environmental controls for marine construction and service activities

Participants can communicate marine pollution risks and incidents credibly to stakeholders.

  • Regulatory notification reports stating facts, actions and environmental implications
  • Community communication plans addressing fisheries, coastal residents and media
  • Risk communication principles for uncertain environmental information and evolving incidents
  • Stakeholder mapping identifies influence, concerns, information needs and contacts
  • Environmental complaints logs analysed for recurring pollution concerns
  • Post-incident briefings document recovery progress and outstanding commitments

Participants can build, review and present a complete Marine Pollution Management Plan for a defined operation.

  • Site description defines activities, marine interfaces and applicable legal duties
  • Source-pathway-receptor assessment prioritises significant pollution risks and sensitive receptors
  • Prevention controls specify procedures, equipment, inspections and responsible roles
  • Monitoring plan sets parameters, locations, frequencies and quality controls
  • Emergency response arrangements define notifications, command and resource mobilisation
  • Performance indicators, audits and reviews drive continual pollution-control improvement

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Marine pollution source inventory template
  2. Source-pathway-receptor risk register
  3. MARPOL compliance checklist
  4. Marine environmental monitoring plan
  5. OPRC-aligned spill response plan
  6. Marine Pollution Management Plan

Who should attend

  • Environmental Managers — responsible for marine discharge controls and regulatory performance
  • HSE Managers — accountable for pollution prevention and emergency preparedness
  • Port and Terminal Managers — managing vessel, cargo and shoreline pollution risks
  • Marine Operations Supervisors — controlling operational releases from vessels and facilities
  • Offshore Facility Personnel — preparing for hydrocarbon spills and waste discharges
  • Environmental Regulators — reviewing permits, monitoring evidence and incident reports

Skills and tools covered

Marine pollution assessmentOil spill responseMARPOL complianceEnvironmental monitoring designPollution prevention planningIncident investigation

Tools and standards

MARPOL, OPRC Convention, ISO 14001, Incident Command System

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short technical briefings followed by facilitated analysis of shipping, port, offshore and coastal-facility cases. Participants interpret discharge scenarios, spill reports, receptor maps, monitoring results and regulatory requirements. Small-group work addresses source identification, risk assessment, response priorities and corrective actions. Tabletop simulations test notification, command arrangements and operational decision-making during pollution events. Application planning throughout the programme enables participants to assemble documents and controls relevant to their own sites, vessels or facilities.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have basic familiarity with environmental management, HSE procedures or operational controls at a site, vessel, port, terminal, offshore installation or coastal facility. Experience with environmental permits, waste management, spill response, laboratory data or incident reporting is useful but not essential. Participants should be comfortable reading technical procedures and discussing operational scenarios. No marine science degree, naval qualification, hazardous-materials licence, oil-spill response certification or prior knowledge of international maritime conventions is required. The course explains required terminology and applies it to practical workplace decisions.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants need basic familiarity with environmental, HSE or operational procedures. Prior maritime qualifications, oil-spill certification and marine science education are not required.

Participants should bring a laptop if possible and any non-confidential site procedures, permits, spill plans or monitoring reports they wish to use. Course materials and case information are provided.

It suits environmental and HSE personnel, port and terminal staff, vessel operators, offshore personnel, regulators and coastal-facility managers. It is intended for professionals with responsibility for preventing or responding to marine pollution.

This course concentrates on marine receptors, maritime conventions, vessel and port controls, marine monitoring and spill response. General environmental management courses usually give less attention to MARPOL, OPRC, ballast water and shoreline protection.

Participants develop practical components of a Marine Pollution Management Plan during the programme. These can be adapted for a vessel, terminal, offshore facility, industrial outfall or coastal site.

The first week establishes pollution sources, legal duties, risk assessment and prevention controls. The second week focuses on monitoring, response operations, investigation, assurance and development of the final management plan; each day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 with about 6.5 contact hours.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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