Hong Kong Regulations

MERCHANT SHIPPING (PREVENTION OF OIL POLLUTION) REGULATIONS - REGULATION 26

Pumping, piping and discharge arrangements of oil tankers

(1) In every oil tanker, a discharge manifold for connection to reception
facilities for the discharge of dirty ballast water or oil contaminated water
shall be located on the open deck on both sides of the ship.

(2) In every oil tanker, pipelines for any discharge to the sea of ballast
water or oil contaminated water from cargo tank areas which may be permitted
under regulation 13 or 16 shall be led to the open deck or to the ship's side
above the waterline in the deepest ballast condition, or, subject to the
approval of the Director, below the waterline-

   (a)  to enable such discharges below the waterline as are permitted by
        paragraph (6) of this regulation to be made; and

   (b)  where the discharge outlet is located above the departure ballast
        waterline but not above the waterline in the deepest ballast
        condition, if so located before 1 January 1981.

(3) In new oil tankers means shall be provided for stopping the discharge into
the sea of ballast water or oil contaminated water from cargo tank areas,
other than those discharges below the waterline permitted under paragraph (6)
of this regulation, from a position on the upper deck or above, located so
that the manifold in use referred to in paragraph (1) of this regulation and
the discharge to the sea from the pipelines referred to in paragraph (2) of
this regulation may be visually observed: provided that the means for stopping
the discharge may be situated elsewhere than at the observation position if an
effective communication system, such as a telephone or radio system, is
provided between the observation position and the discharge control position.

(4) Every new oil tanker required to be provided with segregated  ballast
tanks or fitted with a crude oil washing system shall comply with the
following requirements-

   (a)  it shall be equipped with oil piping so designed and installed such
        that oil retention in the lines is minimized;

   (b)  means shall be provided to drain all cargo pumps and all oil lines at
        the completion of cargo discharge where necessary by connection to a
        stripping device, so designed that the line and pump drainings shall
        be capable of being discharged both ashore and to a cargo tank or a
        slop  tank. For discharge ashore a special small diameter line shall
        be provided and connected outboard of the deck manifold valves, both
        port and starboard.

(5) Every existing crude oil tanker required to be provided with
segregated ballast tanks, or to be fitted with a crude oil washing system, or
to operate with dedicated clean ballast tanks shall comply with the provisions
of paragraph (4)(b) of this regulation.

(6) Ballast water or oil contaminated water from the cargo tank areas of any
oil tanker shall be discharged only above the waterline: Provided that-

   (a)  segregated ballast and clean ballast may be discharged below the
        waterline-

        (i)    in ports or at offshore terminals, or

        (ii)   at sea by gravity, provided that the surface of the ballast
               water has been examined immediately before the discharge to
               ensure that no contamination with oil has taken place.

   (b)  Existing oil tankers which, without modification, are not capable of
        discharging segregated ballast above the waterline may discharge
        segregated ballast below the waterline at sea, provided that the
        surface of the ballast water has been examined immediately before the
        discharge to ensure that no contamination with oil has taken place.

   (c)  Existing oil tankers operating with dedicated clean ballast tanks
        which without modification are not capable of discharging ballast
        water from the dedicated clean ballast tanks above the waterline, may
        discharge this ballast below the waterline provided that the discharge
        of the ballast water is supervised with the aid of an oil content
        meter as provided for in regulation 20(3).

   (d)  Dirty ballast water or oil contaminated water from tanks in the cargo
        area of an oil tanker at sea, other than slop tanks, may be discharged
        by gravity below the waterline, provided that sufficient time has
        elapsed in order to allow oil / water separation to have taken place
        and the ballast water has been examined immediately before the
        discharge with an oil / water interface detector of the kind referred
        to in regulation 15(3)(e), in order to ensure that the height of the
        interface is such that the discharge does not involve any increased
        harm to the marine environment.

   (e)  Dirty ballast water or oil contaminated water from cargo tank areas of
        an existing oil tanker at sea may be discharged below the waterline,
        subsequent to or in lieu of discharge by the method referred to in
        sub-paragraph (d) of this paragraph, provided that-

        (i)    a part of the flow of such water is led through permanent
               piping to a readily accessible location on the upper deck or
               above where it may be visually observed during the discharge
               operation; and

        (ii)   such part flow arrangements comply with the requirements of
               Schedule 8 hereto.