This paper is presented as an aid in understanding the U.S. and International (IMCO) regulations with regard to shipboard oil pollution and as a guide for selecting and installing an oily water separating device as it pertains to a particular situation. The information presented is based upon recent projects in which various type vessels have been upgraded to comply with oil pollution regulations. The latest information regarding IMCO and US Coast Guard regulations as applicable to new and existing vessels are presented as well as means for complying. Covered are the various areas of possible shipboard oily water contamination such as machinery bilges, tank cleaning and oil transfer operations. Commercially available oily water separators are discussed and presented to assist the reader to judge the applicability for his particular case.
Pollution abatement as applicable to vessels concerns primarily three basic pollution sources, namely: sewage drains; solids and trash from food preparation, equipment containers and packaged cargo; and oil pollution from machinery bilges, fuels and lubricants. Processing of this third source is the subject of this paper.
Existing and newly proposed rules and regulations require ship operators to perform actions which will insure that their vessels meet specified standards of performance for oil pollution prevention (USCG and IMCO). In order to comply with regulations we must first understand the requirements, then determine the means available to meet these requirements In other words we must determine what modifications are required, what equipment is available which can serve our purposes, what are the expected costs, and what operational and procedural experiences we can expect.
At this time, there have been sufficient shipboard installations and experience to determine the advantages and disadvantages of the more common type installations and there is enough information available to assist a prospective user to determine the best alternative for his particular situation.
Specifically excluded from this study are segregated ballast tankers, double bottoms, oil spills and other aspects of safety problems associated with international standards for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) except as applicable to oily wastes and discharges there from and problems associated with vessel oil pollution.
In the following paragraphs we will discuss the many factors and considerations needed to select a method of meeting the oil pollution abatement regulations.
DEFINITIONS (Available in full paper)
The regulations governing ships which enter U.S. waters are published in the Code of Federal Regulations and are administered by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). The Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) has published standards and regulations which form the basis of the U.S. as well as each member nation's regulatory policy. The U.S. regulations presently in force including proposed published regulations differ somewhat from those of (MCO. The USCG is presently in the process of modifying and expanding the U.S. regulations for compatibility with those of IMCO.
