Hong Kong Regulations

MERCHANT SHIPPING (PREVENTION OF OIL POLLUTION) REGULATIONS - REGULATION 16

Methods for the prevention of oil pollution from ships operating in special areas

(1) For the purposes of these regulations the special areas are the 
Mediterranean Sea area, the Baltic Sea area, the Black Sea area, the Red 
Sea area, the Gulfs area, the Gulf of Aden area and the Antarctic area,
defined respectively as follows-

        (a)	"the Mediterranean Sea area" (地中海區域) means the Mediterranean 
Sea proper including the gulfs and seas therein with the boundary between the
Mediterranean and the Black Sea constituted by the 41 degrees N parallel and
bounded to the west by the Straits of Gibraltar at the meridian of 5 degrees
36'W;

        (b)	"the Baltic Sea area" (波羅的海區域) means the Baltic Sea proper with 
the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the entrance to the Baltic Sea
bounded by the parallel of the Skaw in the Skagerrak at 57 degrees 44.8'N;

        (c)	"the Black Sea area" (黑海區域) means the Black Sea proper with the 
boundary between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea constituted by the
parallel 41 degrees N;

        (d)	"the Red Sea area" (紅海區域) means the Red Sea proper including 
the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba bounded at the south by the rhumb line between Ras
si Ane (12 degrees 28.5'N, 43 degrees 19.6'E) and Husn Murad (12 degrees
4O.4'N, 43 degrees 30.2'E);

        (e)	"the Gulfs area" (波斯灣區域) means the sea area located north-west 
of the rhumb line between Ras al Hadd (22 degrees 30'N, 59 degrees 48'E) and
Ras Al Fasteh (25 degrees 04'N, 61 degrees 25'E);

        (f)	"the Gulf of Aden area" (亞丁灣區域) means that part of the Gulf of 
Aden between the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea bounded to the west by the rhumb
line between Ras si Ane (12 degrees 28.5'N, 43 degrees 19.6'E) and Husn Murad
(12 degrees 40.4'N, 43 degrees 30.2'E) and to the east by the rhumb line
between Ras Asir (11 degrees 50'N, 51 degrees 16.9'E) and Ras Fartak (15
degrees 35'N, 52 degrees 13.8'E); and

        (g)	"the Antarctic area" (南極區域) means the sea area south of 60 
degrees south latitude. (L.N. 177 of 1991; L.N. 171 of 1992)

(2) Subject to the provisions of regulation 11-

   (a)  any discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixture from any Hong 
        Kong oil tanker and any Hong Kong ship of 400 GRT and above other than
        an oil tanker shall be prohibited while in a special area. In respect
        of the  Antarctic area, any discharge into the sea of oil or
        oily mixture from any Hong Kong ship shall be prohibited;

   (b)  except as provided for in respect of the Antarctic area under
        subparagraph (a), any discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixture
        from a Hong Kong ship of less than 400 GRT other than a
        Hong Kong oil tanker shall be prohibited while in a special area,
        except when the oil content of the effluent without dilution does not
        exceed 15 ppm. (L.N. 171 of 1992; L.N. 641 of 1994)

(3) (a) Paragraph (2) of this regulation shall not apply to the discharge of
clean or segregated ballast.

   (b)  Sub-paragraph (2)(a) of this regulation shall not apply to the
        discharge of processed bilge water from machinery spaces, provided
        that all the following conditions are satisfied-

        (i)    the bilge water does not originate from cargo pump room bilges;

        (ii)   the bilge water is not mixed with cargo oil residues;

        (iii)  the ship is proceeding on a voyage;

        (iv)   the oil content of the effluent, without dilution, does not
               exceed 15 ppm parts of mixture;

        (v)    the ship has in operation an oil filtering system complying
               with regulation 14(6); and (L.N. 641 of 1994)

        (vi)   the oil filtering system is equipped with a stopping device
               which will ensure that the discharge is automatically stopped
               if the oil content of the effluent exceeds 15 ppm parts of the
               mixture.

(4) (a) No discharge into the sea shall contain chemicals or other substances
in quantities or concentrations which are hazardous to the marine environment
or chemicals or other substances introduced for the purpose of circumventing
the conditions of discharge specified in this regulation.

   (b)  In any case where any residues of oil or oily mixture may not be
        discharged into the sea in compliance with paragraph (2) or (3) of
        this regulation, they shall be retained on board and shall only be
        discharged into reception facilities.

(5) Nothing in this regulation shall prohibit a ship on a voyage only part of
which is in a special area from discharging outside the special area in
accordance with regulations 12 and 13.

(6) Every Hong Kong ship shall, before entering the Antarctic area, be fitted
with a tank or tanks of sufficient capacity on board for the retention of all
sludge, dirty ballast, tank washing water and other oily residues and mixtures
while operating in the area and have adequate arrangements to discharge such
oily residues at a reception facility after leaving the area. (L.N. 171 of
1992)

"the Mediterranean Sea area" (地中海區域)

"the Baltic Sea area" (波羅的海區域)

"the Black Sea area" (黑海區域)

"the Red Sea area" (紅海區域)

"the Gulfs area" (波斯灣區域)

"the Gulf of Aden area" (亞丁灣區域)

"the Antarctic area" (南極區域)