Ship To Ship (STS) Plan

  Ship To Ship (STS) Plan 

(Addition of a new chapter 8 to MARPOL and Annex I and consequential amendments to

the Supplement to the IOPP Certificate, Form B)

1 A new chapter 8 is added:

“CHAPTER 8 – PREVENTION OF POLLUTION DURING TRANSFER OF OIL

CARGO BETWEEN OIL TANKERS AT SEA

Regulation 40

Scope of application

1 The regulations contained in this chapter apply to oil tankers of 150 gross tonnage

and above engaged in the transfer of oil cargo between oil tankers at sea (STS operations)

and their STS operations conducted on or after 1 April 2012. However, STS operations

conducted before that date but after the approval of the Administration of STS operations

Plan required under regulation 41.1 shall be in accordance with the STS operations Plan

as far as possible.

2 The regulations contained in this chapter shall not apply to oil transfer operations

associated with fixed or floating platforms including drilling rigs; floating production,

storage and offloading facilities (FPSOs) used for the offshore production and storage of oil;

and floating storage units (FSUs) used for the offshore storage of produced oil1.

3 The regulations contained in this chapter shall not apply to bunkering operations.

4 The regulations contained in this chapter shall not apply to STS operations

necessary for the purpose of securing the safety of a ship or saving life at sea, or for

combating specific pollution incidents in order to minimize the damage from pollution.

5 The regulations contained in this chapter shall not apply to STS operations where

either of the ships involved is a warship, naval auxiliary or other ship owned or operated

by a State and used, for the time being, only on government non-commercial service.

However, each State shall ensure, by the adoption of appropriate measures not impairing

operations or operational capabilities of such ships that the STS operations are conducted

in a manner consistent, so far as is reasonable and practicable, with this chapter.

1 Revised Annex I of MARPOL, chapter 7 (resolution MEPC.117(52)) and UNCLOS article 56 are applicable

and address these operations.

 

Regulation 41

General Rules on safety and environmental protection

1 Any oil tanker involved in STS operations shall carry on board a Plan prescribing

how to conduct STS operations (STS operations Plan) not later than the date of the

first annual, intermediate or renewal survey of the ship to be carried out on or

after 1 January 2011. Each oil tanker’s STS operations Plan shall be approved by the

Administration. The STS operations Plan shall be written in the working language of the

ship.

2 The STS operations Plan shall be developed taking into account the information

contained in the best practice guidelines for STS operations identified by the

Organization2. The STS operations Plan may be incorporated into an existing Safety

Management System required by chapter IX of the International Convention for the

Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended, if that requirement is applicable to the oil tanker

in question.

3 Any oil tanker subject to this chapter and engaged in STS operations shall comply

with its STS operations Plan.

4 The person in overall advisory control of STS operations shall be qualified to

perform all relevant duties, taking into account the qualifications contained in the best

practice guidelines for STS operations identified by the Organization3.

5 Records4 of STS operations shall be retained on board for three years and

be readily available for inspection by a Party to the present Convention.

Regulation 42

Notification

1 Each oil tanker subject to this chapter that plans STS operations within the

territorial sea, or the exclusive economic zone of a Party to the present Convention shall

notify that Party not less than 48 hours in advance of the scheduled STS operations.

Where, in an exceptional case, all of the information specified in paragraph 2 is not

available not less than 48 hours in advance, the oil tanker discharging the oil cargo shall

notify the Party to the present Convention, not less than 48 hours in advance that an

STS operation will occur and the information specified in paragraph 2 shall be provided to

the Party at the earliest opportunity.

2 IMO’s “Manual on Oil Pollution, Section I, Prevention” as amended, and the ICS and OCIMF “Ship-to-ship

Transfer Guide, Petroleum”, fourth edition, 2005.

3 IMO’s “Manual on Oil Pollution, Section I, Prevention” as amended, and the ICS and OCIMF “Ship-to-ship

Transfer Guide, Petroleum”, fourth edition, 2005.

4 Revised Annex I of MARPOL chapters 3 and 4 (resolution MEPC.117(52)); requirements for recording

bunkering and oil cargo transfer operations in the Oil Record Book, and any records required by the

STS operations Plan.

 

2 The notification specified in paragraph 1 of this regulation5 shall include at least

the following:

.1 name, flag, call sign, IMO Number and estimated time of arrival of the oil

tankers involved in the STS operations;

.2 date, time and geographical location at the commencement of the planned

STS operations;

.3 whether STS operations are to be conducted at anchor or underway;

.4 oil type and quantity;

.5 planned duration of the STS operations;

.6 identification of STS operations service provider or person in overall

advisory control and contact information; and

.7 confirmation that the oil tanker has on board an STS operations Plan

meeting the requirements of regulation 41.

3 If the estimated time of arrival of an oil tanker at the location or area for the

STS operations changes by more than six hours, the master, owner or agent of that oil tanker

shall provide a revised estimated time of arrival to the Party to the present Convention specified

in paragraph 1 of this regulation.”

2 In the Record of Construction and Equipment for Oil Tankers, Form B, new section 8A is

added as follows:

“8A Ship-to-ship oil transfer operations at sea

(regulation 41)

8A.1 The oil tanker is provided with an STS operations Plan in compliance with

regulation 41.”

***

5 The national operational contact point as listed in document MSC-MEPC.6/Circ.4 of 31 December 2007 or its

subsequent amendments.