Hong Kong Regulations

MERCHANT SHIPPING (PREVENTION OF OIL POLLUTION) REGULATIONS - REGULATION 20

Requirements for oil tankers with dedicated dean ballast tanks

(1) An oil tanker operating with dedicated clean ballast tanks in accordance
with the provisions of regulation 18(9) or (10) shall have adequate tank
capacity, dedicated solely to the carriage of clean ballast as defined in
regulation 1(2) to meet the requirements of regulation 18(2) and (3), as those
provisions apply to segregated ballast tanks.

(2) The arrangements and operational procedures for dedicated clean  ballast
tanks shall comply with the requirements of Schedule 6 hereto.

(3) An oil tanker operating with dedicated clean ballast tanks shall be
equipped with an oil content meter approved as being in accordance with the
specification set out in Schedule 3 hereto, so as to permit supervision of the
oil content in the ballast water being discharged. The oil content meter shall
be installed not later than the first scheduled shipyard visit when cargo
tanks are gas-freed and in any case before 2 October 1986. Until such time as
the oil content meter is installed, it shall, immediately before discharge of
any ballast, be established by examination of the ballast water from dedicated
tanks that no contamination with oil has taken place.

(4) Every oil tanker operating with dedicated clean ballast tanks shall be
provided with a Dedicated Clean Ballast Tank Operation Manual detailing the
system and specifying operational procedures. This Manual shall have been
approved by a Certifying Authority and shall contain all the information set
out in the Specifications referred to in Schedule 6 hereto. If an alteration
affecting the dedicated clean ballast tank system is made, the Operation
Manual shall be revised, and the revision submitted to the
Certifying Authority for his approval.