Law No. 4037 on ship-source pollution, the introduction of penalties for infringements and other provisions, in compliance with Directive 2005/35/EC as amended by Directive 2009/123/EC.

The law aims at harmonizing the Greek legislative framework with Directive 2005/35/EC as amended by Directive 2009/123/EC. In compliance with the aforementioned Directives, the law establishes the imposition of penalties for discharges of polluting substances from ships. The law is supplemented by detailed rules on criminal and administrative offences and penalties (as referred to in article 6 and 8 respectively) in order to improve maritime safety and to enhance protection of the marine environment from pollution by ships. The Greek courts have jurisdiction over discharges of polluting substances which occurred in: (a) the internal waters, including ports, of a Member State, in so far as the Marpol regime is applicable; (b) the territorial sea of a Member State; (c) straits used for international navigation subject to the regime of transit passage, as laid down in Part III, section 2, of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to the extent that a Member State exercises jurisdiction over such straits; (d) the exclusive economic zone or equivalent zone of a Member State, established in accordance with international law; and (e) the high seas. The courts of Piraeus will have jurisdiction over the aforementioned categories, in case no other Greek court is declared to have a specific geographical jurisdiction.