MARPOL Annex 1 - Regulations 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

Summary

MARPOL Annex 1 aims to reduce oil pollution from ships by regulating the discharge of oil and oily mixtures into the sea. It covers essential requirements such as oil residue storage, oil filtering equipment, and the protection of fuel oil tanks, with special provisions for ships based on their tonnage and operational characteristics. The annex also establishes standards for ship discharge systems, segregation of oil and ballast water, and mandatory record-keeping in the Oil Record Book. Ships are required to comply with these regulations to protect marine environments, especially in 'special areas' designated for additional protection.

Takeaways

• 😀 MARPOL Annex I aims to minimize environmental damage caused by oil pollution from ships, addressing the discharge of oil and oily mixtures.
• 😀 Ships with a gross tonnage of 400 tons or more, built before December 31, 1979, must have dedicated sludge tanks for storing oil residues.
• 😀 Sludge is a mixture of water, impurities, and leftover fuel and oil, which must be disposed of through approved methods like incineration or delivery to reception facilities.
• 😀 Sludge tanks must not be connected to bilge systems, except in specific cases where discharge piping is properly controlled and monitored.
• 😀 Ships must have a standard discharge connection for transferring oily residues to reception facilities onshore.
• 😀 MARPOL Annex I mandates double-hulled fuel oil tanks for ships built after August 1, 2010, with fuel tank capacities of 600 cubic meters or more.
• 😀 The positioning of fuel tanks on ships is regulated to ensure oil does not spill into the sea if the ship's bottom is damaged.
• 😀 Ships between 400 and 10,000 tons must have oil filtering equipment in their machinery spaces, with a maximum allowable oil content of 15 PPM in discharged water.
• 😀 For ships over 10,000 tons, the oil filtering equipment must also have an alarm system that stops discharge if oil content exceeds 15 PPM.
• 😀 Regulation 16 prohibits the storing of oil in forepeak tanks for ships over 400 gross tons, ensuring oil is stored in safer areas of the ship.
• 😀 Special areas (like the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas) have stricter discharge rules to protect sensitive environments, with limited discharge of oily mixtures under controlled conditions.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of MARPOL Annex 1?

The main purpose of MARPOL Annex 1 is to minimize environmental damage caused by oil pollution from ships. It specifically addresses the discharge of oil and oily mixtures and ensures ships have the necessary equipment to prevent oil spills.

Which ships are required to have tanks for storing oil residues (sludge)?

Ships with a gross tonnage of 400 tons or more, built on or before December 31, 1979, are required to have tanks specifically for storing oil residues, known as sludge.

What is sludge and how is it handled on ships?

Sludge is a mixture of water, impurities, and leftover fuel or oil, created during the process of cleaning fuel and oil in separators. It needs to be stored in dedicated tanks and can be transferred to reception facilities or disposed of using methods such as incineration or auxiliary boilers.

What is the required connection for discharging oil residues from ships?

Ships are required to have a pipe to deck with a standard discharge connection. This allows easy connection to shore reception facilities for the disposal of oil residues, ensuring proper handling and safety during discharge.

What are the specific requirements for the flange used in the discharge connection?

The flange for the discharge connection must have an outside diameter of 215 mm, an inside diameter that depends on the connecting pipe, a bolt circle diameter of 183 mm, and six equally spaced slots. The flange must be capable of withstanding a service pressure of 600 kPa and should have a gasket made of oil-proof material.

What are the regulations regarding the protection of fuel oil tanks on ships designed after August 1, 2010?

Ships designed after August 1, 2010, with fuel oil tanks of 600 cubic meters or more must have double-hulled fuel tanks. The tanks must be positioned at specific distances from the ship's bottom and sides to prevent oil spills in case of damage to the ship's hull.

How should fuel tanks on ships with a total capacity of 600 cubic meters or more be positioned?

Fuel tanks must be positioned a certain height above the ship's bottom ('h') and a specific horizontal distance ('w') from the ship's outer shell plating. These distances are calculated based on the total fuel tank volume and the ship's dimensions.

What are the oil filtering equipment requirements for ships with gross tonnage between 400 and 10,000 tons?

Ships with a gross tonnage between 400 and 10,000 tons must have special oil filtering equipment in their machinery spaces, approved by the Administration, to ensure that any oily mixtures discharged into the sea contain no more than 15 parts per million (PPM) of oil.

What is the regulation regarding the segregation of oil and ballast water on ships?

MARPOL Annex 1 Regulation 16 prohibits the storage of ballast water in oil fuel tanks for ships built after December 31, 1979, with a gross tonnage of 4,000 tons and above (except oil tankers). For certain ships, ballast water may be carried in fuel tanks for stability, but it must be discharged according to MARPOL requirements.

What are 'special areas' and what additional rules apply there?

Special areas are specific regions of the sea that require extra protection due to their environment or heavy sea traffic. When ships enter these areas, they must follow stricter regulations regarding the discharge of oil and oily mixtures to protect the environment.

What must ships record in the Oil Record Book (Part 1)?

Ships must record actions such as ballasting or cleaning oil fuel tanks, discharging dirty ballast, collecting and disposing of oil residues, and any failures of oil filtering equipment. Entries must be made immediately and can be in English, French, or Spanish. The record must be kept onboard for at least three years.