New regulations will require certain wax cargoes to be pre-washed at the loading port, while other products have been moved into the Toxic Vapor Detection category
At a recent International Product Tankers Association (IPTA) conference held in London, IPTA general manager Janet Strode gave a breakdown of the latest cargo regulations affecting the chemical and product tanker industry.
She focused on changes to the IBC code and the regulatory developments that directly affect chemical and product cargoes. This includes those regulations that will be formally adopted at MEPC 74 in May 2019, having been in development in committee stage for a number of years.
The amendments to the IBC Code have now been formally accepted and will enter into force on 1 January 2021. “There are a few cargoes that are going to Type 1,” explained Ms Strode, but this was not unexpected.
She noted “The big change is a number of products are going to be subject to Toxic Vapour Detection and listed with a “T” in chapter 17 of the IBC Code.”
The products moving to the Toxic Vapour Detection category include:
These will now be subject to the special requirement listed in IBC Code chapter 15.12 which states these re-classified products will require exhaust openings 6 m above deck, 6 m from fore and aft gangway and 15 m from accommodation. A significant issue, highlighted by Ms Strode, is that these products can no longer be stored adjacent to fuel tankers; they must have separate piping systems and separate vent systems. “It is a very large number of cargoes that are going to be affected by these requirements and it will be a big issue in 2021,” she explained.
According to a paper presented to IMO, Ms Strode noted that avoiding carrying methanol adjacent to fuel tanks would result in a reduction of between 800 tonnes and 2,000 tonnes carrying space per voyage. This could potentially lead to 17 extra voyages and an increase of an extra 10,000 tonnes fuel per year.
Also, methanol is an alternative fuel and the proposed restrictions would hinder its adoption. The final ruling is that methanol may be stowed next to fuel tanks, but is still on the Toxic Vapour Detection list.
Amendments to Marpol Annex II
The next item to be considered by Ms Strode involved amendments to Marpol Annex II and the requirement for the pre-washing of waxy cargoes. This has been introduced due to the appearance of waxy residues on beaches in north west Europe. This has become a mainstream press issue following reports that dog walkers have witnessed their pets dying after consuming the substance. The substance has been referred to as palm oil, but is most likely wax.
Consequently, 44 types of vegetable oil, fish oil, animal oils, waxes and their derivatives will be subject to a pre-wash at the port of unloading, which is expected to provide reception facilities. Delegates were sceptical that these would be available, but it was stressed that this is part of the regulation. “The unloading port cannot force the ship to on-carry tank pre-washings,” said Ms Strode. This regulation will come into force in January 2021 and reception facilities will be required in ports in the regions.
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