Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemicals Regulations

Marginal note:Duties of supervisors of transfer operations — vessels

• 38 (1) The supervisor of a transfer operation on board a vessel must ensure that

  • (a) the vessel is secured, having regard to the weather and the tidal and current conditions, and the mooring lines are tended so that the movement of the vessel does not damage the transfer conduit or its connections;

  • (b) transfer procedures are established with the concurrence of the supervisor of the transfer operation at the handling facility or on board the other vessel, as the case may be, with respect to

    • (i) the rates of flow and pressures for the transferred liquid,

    • (ii) the reduction of rates of flow and pressures, where required to avoid an overflow of the tanks,

    • (iii) the time required to stop the transfer operation under normal conditions,

    • (iv) the time required to shut down the transfer operation under emergency conditions, and

    • (v) the communication signals for the transfer operation, including

      • (A) stand by to start transfer,

      • (B) start transfer,

      • (C) slow down transfer,

      • (D) stand by to stop transfer,

      • (E) stop transfer,

      • (F) emergency stop of transfer, and

      • (G) emergency shutdown of transfer;

  • (c) the supervisor of the transfer operation at the handling facility or on board the other vessel, as the case may be, has reported readiness for the commencement of the transfer operation;

  • (d) the person who is on duty on board the vessel in respect of the transfer operation is fully conversant with the communication signals, maintains watch over the vessel’s tanks to ensure that they do not overflow, and maintains continuous communication with that person’s counterpart at the handling facility or on board the other vessel, as the case may be;

  • (e) the manifold valves and tank valves on the vessel are not closed until the relevant pumps are stopped, if the closing of the valves would cause dangerous over-pressurization of the pumping system;

  • (f) the rate of flow is reduced when the tanks are being topped off;

  • (g) the supervisor of the transfer operation at the handling facility or on board the other vessel, as the case may be, is given sufficient notice of the stopping of the transfer operation to permit them to take the necessary action to reduce the rate of flow or pressure in a safe and efficient manner;

  • (h) the following measures are taken to prevent the discharge of oil:

    • (i) all cargo and bunker manifold connections that are not being used in the transfer operation are securely closed and fitted with blank flanges or other equivalent means of closure,

    • (ii) all overboard discharge valves are securely closed and marked to indicate that they are not to be opened during the transfer operation, and

    • (iii) all scuppers are plugged;

  • (i) a supply of peat moss or other absorbent material is readily available near every transfer conduit to facilitate the cleanup of any minor spillage of oil that may occur on the vessel or on the shore;

  • (j) all transfer conduits that are used in the transfer operation are supported to prevent the conduits and their connections from being subjected to any strain that might cause damage to them or cause the conduits to become disconnected;

  • (k) all reasonable precautions are taken to avoid the discharge of oil; and

  • (l) the vessel’s STS operations Plan is implemented, if the vessel is of 150 gross tonnage or more and section 27.1 applies to the transfer operation.

• Marginal note:Duties of supervisors of transfer operations — facilities

  (2) The supervisor of a transfer operation at a handling facility must ensure that

  • (a) the supervisor of the transfer operation on board the vessel has reported readiness for the transfer operation to begin;

  • (b) continuous communication is maintained with the supervisor on board the vessel; and

  • (c) the manifold valves and the tank valves at the handling facility are not closed until the relevant pumps are stopped, if the closing of the valves would cause dangerous over-pressurization of the pumping system.