Revised phase-out schedule for single-hull tankers enters into force
Posted: 06 April 2005
A revised schedule for the phasing out of oil tankers and a new regulation banning the carriage of heavy grade oil in single-hull oil tankers entered into force on 5 April 2005 .
The measures were adopted in December 2003 as amendments to Annex I of the MARPOL Convention*, following the November 2002 sinking of the oil tanker Prestige off the Spanish coast.
A revised regulation 13G of MARPOL Annex I brings forward the phase-out schedule for existing single-hull tankers that was first established in 1992 and was subsequently revised in 2001 following the Erika incident. It specifies that tankers of single hull construction should be phased out or converted to a "double hull" according to a schedule based on their year of delivery. The double hull requirements for oil tankers are principally designed to reduce the risk of oil spills from tankers involved in low energy collisions or groundings.
Single-hull oil tanker phase-out
Under the phase-out schedule, "Category 1" single-hull oil tankers will not be able to trade after 5 April 2005 , (for ships delivered on or before 5 April 1982 or earlier) or after their anniversary date in 2005 (for ships delivered after 5 April 1982 ). Category 1 oil tankers, (commonly known as Pre-MARPOL tankers) include oil tankers of 20,000 tonnes deadweight and above carrying crude oil, fuel oil, heavy diesel oil or lubricating oil as cargo, and tankers of 30,000 tonnes deadweight and above carrying other oils, which do not comply with the requirements for protectively located segregated ballast tanks.
Category 2 oil tankers, which have some level of protection from protectively located segregated ballast tank requirements will be phased out according to their age up to 2010. The year 2010 is also a final cut off date for Category 3 oil tankers which are generally smaller oil tankers. Category 2 oil tankers (commonly known as MARPOL tankers) include oil tankers of 20,000 tonnes deadweight and above carrying crude oil, fuel oil, heavy diesel oil or lubricating oil as cargo, and oil tankers of 30,000 tonnes deadweight and above carrying other oils, which comply with the protectively located segregated ballast tank requirements. Category 3 oil tankers are oil tankers of 5,000 tonnes deadweight and above but less than the tonnage specified for Category 1 and 2 tankers.
Heavy grade oil (regulation 13H)
Regulation 13H of MARPOL Annex I on the prevention of oil pollution from oil tankers when carrying heavy grade oil (HGO) bans the carriage of HGO in single-hull tankers of 5,000 tons deadweight (DWT) and above from 5 April 2005, and in single-hull oil tankers of 600 DWT and above but less than 5,000 tons DWT, not later than the anniversary of their delivery date in 2008.
Condition Assessment Scheme
The Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS) for oil tankers was adopted in 2001 and is applicable to certain oil tankers under regulations 13G and 13H. Under the revised regulation 13G, the CAS is applicable to all single-hull tankers of 5,000 DWT and above aged 15 years, or older.
Although the CAS does not specify structural standards in excess of the provisions of other IMO conventions, codes and recommendations, its requirements stipulate more stringent and transparent verification of the reported structural condition of the ship and require that documentary and survey procedures have been properly carried out and completed.
The requirements of the CAS include enhanced and transparent verification of the reported structural condition of the ship and verification that the documentary and survey procedures have been properly carried out and completed. The Scheme requires that compliance with the CAS is assessed during the Enhanced Survey Programme of Inspections concurrent with intermediate or renewal surveys currently required by resolution A.744(18), as amended.
Posted by Editor Offshore Arabia Magazine
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