Resolution
MEPC.107(49)
REVISED GUIDELINES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR POLLUTION PREVENTION EQUIPMENT FOR
MACHINERY SPACE BILGES OF SHIPS
(Adopted on 18 July 2003)
THE
MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE,
RECALLING
Article 38(a) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization
concerning the functions of the Committee,
NOTING
resolution MEPC.60(33) adopted on 30 October 1992 by which the Marine
Environment Protection Committee adopted, at its thirty-third session, the
revised Guidelines and Specifications for Pollution Prevention Equipment for
Machinery Space Bilges of Ships and invited Governments to adopt and apply them
to the maximum possible extent which they found reasonable and practicable and
to report to the Organization the results of such application,
NOTING
FURTHER the provisions of regulation 16(5) of Annex I of the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the
Protocol of 1978 thereto (MARPOL 73/78), in which reference is made to the
above-mentioned specifications,
RECOGNIZING
the advancement of technology, as well as the amendments to Annex I of MARPOL
73/78 on its operational discharge requirements which were adopted by the
Marine Environment Protection Committee in 1992 and which entered into force on
6 July 1993,
HAVING
CONSIDERED, at its forty-ninth session, the Revised Guidelines and
Specifications developed by the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Equipment in
the light of the requirements of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78,
1.
ADOPTS the Revised Guidelines and Specifications for Pollution Prevention
Equipment for Machinery Space Bilges of Ships, the text of which is set out in
the annex to this resolution, which supersedes the recommendations contained in
resolution MEPC.60(33);
2.
INVITES Governments to:
(a) implement
the Revised Guidelines and Specifications and apply them so that all equipment
installed on board on or after 1 January 2005 meets these Revised Guidelines
and Specifications in so far as is reasonable and practicable; and
(b) provide the
Organization with information on experiences gained from their application and,
in particular, on successful testing of equipment against the Specifications;
3.
REQUESTS the Secretariat, on the basis of information received, to maintain and
update a list of approved equipment and to circulate it once a year to
Governments; and
4.
FURTHER INVITES Governments to issue an appropriate "Certificate of type
approval" as referred to in paragraph 5.2.1 of the Specifications and to
recognize such certificates issued under the authority of other Governments as
having the same validity as certificates issued by them.
Annex.
REVISED GUIDELINES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR POLLUTION PREVENTION EQUIPMENT FOR
MACHINERY SPACES OF SHIPS
1.1.1
The specifications in respect of 15 ppm Bilge Separators are considered to be
applicable for use in conjunction with oily bilge-water and ballast water from
fuel oil tanks, as these arc of a low or medium capacity, and are conditioned
by the need to avoid discharging oil mixtures with an oil content more than 15
ppm of the mixture.
1.1.2
It is recognized that the development and testing of high capacity separating
equipment designed for dealing with effluent from cargo tanks on tankers pose
special problems and such equipment does not require to be tested under these
specifications. Such development and tests should not be hindered and
Administrations should be prepared to accept deviations from these
specifications when they are considered necessary in this context.
1.1.3
It should be understood that a 15 ppm Bilge Separator must be capable of
handling any oily mixtures from the machinery space bilges and be expected to
be effective over the complete range of oils which might be carried on board
ship, and deal satisfactorily with oil of very high relative density, or with a
mixture presented to it as an emulsion. Cleansing agents, emulsifiers, solvents
or surfactants used for cleaning purposes may cause the bilge water to
emulsify. Proper measures should be taken to minimize the presence of these
substances in the bilges of a ship. With the possibility of emulsified bilge
water always present the 15 ppm Bilge Separator must be capable of separating
the oil from the emulsion to produce an effluent with an oil content not
exceeding 15 ppm.
1.1.4
Where a range of 15 ppm Bilge Separators of the same design, but of different
capacities, requires certification in accordance with these specifications, the
Administration may accept tests in two capacities within the range, in lieu of
tests on every size, providing that the two tests actually performed are from
the lowest quarter and highest quarter of the range.
Training
1.1.5
Ship staff training should include familiarization in the operation and
maintenance of the equipment.
Maintenance
1.1.6
The routine maintenance of the 15 ppm Bilge Separator and the 15 ppm Bilge
Alarm system should be clearly defined by the manufacturer in the associated
Operating and Maintenance Manuals. All routine and repair maintenance to be
recorded.
1.1.7
Regulations referred to in these Guidelines and Specifications are those
contained in Annex I of MARPOL 73/78.
1.2.1
These Guidelines and Specifications contain requirements regarding the design,
installation, performance and testing of pollution prevention equipment
required by regulation 16.
1.2.2
The purpose of these Guidelines and Specifications is:
.1 to provide a
uniform interpretation of the requirements of regulation 16;
.2 to assist
Administrations in determining appropriate design, construction and operational
parameters for pollution prevention equipment when such equipment is fitted in
ships flying the flag of their State;
.3 to define
test and performance requirements for pollution prevention equipment; and
.4 to provide
guidance for installation requirements.
1.3.1
These Guidelines and Specifications apply:
.1 to
installations fitted to ships, the keel of which are laid or which are at a
similar stage of construction on or after 1 January 2005; and
.2 to new
installations fitted on or after 1 January 2005 to ships, the keel of which
were laid or which were at a similar stage construction before 1 January 2005
in so far as is reasonable and practicable.
1.3.2
The Guidelines and Specifications adopted under resolutions A.393(X) and
MEPC.60(33) are not applicable to ships to which these new Guidelines and
Specifications apply.
1.3.3
Installations fitted to ships the keel of which were laid or which were at a
similar stage of construction before 1 January 2005 should comply either:
.1 with the
Recommendation on International Performance and Test Specifications for
Oily-Water Separating Equipment and Oil Content Meters adopted under resolution
A.393(X), for equipment installed on board on or after 14 November 1978, as
applicable; or
.2 with the
Guidelines and Specifications adopted under resolution MEPC. 60(33), for
pollution prevention equipment installed on board on or after 30 April 1994, as
applicable; or with the requirements contained in these Guidelines and
Specifications.
1.4.1
The approval requirements for pollution prevention equipment specified in these
Guidelines and Specifications are summarized below:
.1 the 15 ppm
Bilge Separator should be tested for type approval in accordance with the
procedures described in part 1 of the annex, subject to environmental tests
specified in part 3 of the annex; and
.2 the oil
content meter for the 15 ppm Bilge Separator effluent discharge, hereinafter
referred to as the 15 ppm Bilge Alarm should be tested for type approval in
accordance with part 2 of the annex, subject to the environmental tests
specified in part 3 of the annex.
2.1
The requirements of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78 relating to pollution prevention
equipment for ships are set out in regulation 16, which stipulates that ships
of 400 gross tonnage and above should be installed with approved equipment.
2.2
Regulation 16(5) stipulates that the oil content of the effluent from 15 ppm
Bilge Separators should not exceed 15 ppm. The 15 ppm Bilge Alarm shall
activate to indicate when this level cannot be maintained, and initiate
automatic stop of overboard discharge of oily mixtures where applicable.
3.1 Pollution prevention
equipment
For
the purpose of these Guidelines and Specifications pollution prevention
equipment installed in a ship in compliance with regulation 16 comprises:
.1 15 ppm Bilge
Separator;
.2 15 ppm Bilge
Alarm; and
.3 automatic
stopping device
"15
ppm Bilge Separator" may include any combinations of a separator, filter,
coalescer or other means, and also a single unit designed to produce an
effluent with oil content not exceeding 15 ppm.
The
alarm arrangements specified in regulation 16(5) are referred to in these
Guidelines and Specifications as a "15 ppm Bilge Alarm".
"ppm"
means parts of oil per million parts of water by volume.
"ppm
display" is a numerical scale display of the 15 ppm Bilge Alarm.
The
automatic stopping device is a device used, where applicable, to automatically
stop any discharge overboard of oily mixture when the oil content of the
effluent exceeds 15 ppm. The automatic stopping device should consist of a
valve arrangement installed in the effluent outlet line of the 15 ppm Bilge
Separator which automatically diverts the effluent mixture from being
discharged overboard back to the ship's bilges or bilge tank when the oil
content of the effluent exceeds 15 ppm.
4.1.1
The 15 ppm Bilge Separator should be strongly constructed and suitable for
shipboard use, bearing in mind its intended location on the ship.
4.1.2
It should, if intended to be fitted in locations where flammable atmospheres
may be present, comply with the relevant safety regulations for such spaces.
Any electrical equipment which is part of the 15 ppm Bilge Separator should be
based in a non-hazardous area, or should be certified by the Administration as
safe for use in a hazardous area. Any moving parts which are fitted in
hazardous areas should be arranged so as to avoid the formation of static
electricity.
4.1.3
The 15 ppm Bilge Separator should be so designed that it functions
automatically. However, fail-safe arrangements to avoid any discharge in case
of malfunction should be provided.
4.1.4
Changing the feed to the 15 ppm Bilge Separator from bilge water to oil, bilge
water to emulsified bilge water, or from oil and/or water to air should not
result in the discharge overboard of any mixture containing more than 15 ppm of
oil.
4.1.5
The system should require the minimum of attention to bring it into operation.
In the case of equipment used for engine room bilges, there should be no need
for any adjustment to valves and other equipment to bring the system into
operation. The equipment should be capable of operating for at least 24 hours
of normal duty without attention.
4.1.6
All working parts of the 15 ppm Bilge Separator which are liable to wear or to
damage should be easily accessible for maintenance.
4.2.1
These Specifications relate to 15 ppm Bilge Alarms.
4.2.2
The 15 ppm Bilge Alarm should resist corrosion in conditions of the marine
environment.
4.2.3
The 15 ppm Bilge Alarm should, if intended to be fitted in locations where
flammable atmosphere may be present, comply with the relevant safety
regulations for such spaces. Any electrical equipment which is part of the 15
ppm Bilge Alarm should be placed in a non-hazardous area, or should be
certified by the Administration as safe for use in a hazardous atmosphere. Any
moving parts which are fitted in hazardous areas should be arranged so as to
avoid the formation of static electricity.
4.2.4
The 15 ppm Bilge Alarm should not contain or use any substance of a dangerous
nature, unless adequate arrangements, acceptable to the Administration, are
provided to eliminate any hazards introduced thereby.
4.2.5
A ppm display should be provided. The ppm display should not be affected by
emulsions and/or the type of oil given that the test fluid detailed in
paragraph 1.2.4 of part 1 of the annex is deemed to represent a mixture that
may be expected in the machinery space bilges of a ship. It should not be
necessary to calibrate the 15 ppm Bilge Alarm on board ship, but onboard
testing according to the manufacturers instructions shall be permitted. The
accuracy of the readings should at all times remain within the limit specified
in paragraph 2.2.1 of part 2 of the annex.
4.2.6
The response time of the 15 ppm Bilge Alarm, that is, the time which elapses
between an alteration in the sample being supplied to the 15 ppm Bilge Alarm
and the ppm display showing the correct response, should not exceed 5 seconds.
4.2.7
The 15 ppm Bilge Alarm should be fitted with an electrical/electronic device
which should be pre-set by the manufacturer to activate when the effluent
exceeds 15 ppm. This should also operate automatically if at any time the 15
ppm Bilge Alarm should fail to function, require a warm-up period or otherwise
be de-energized.
4.2.8
It is recommended that a simple means be provided aboard ship to check on
instrument drift, repeatability of the instrument reading, and the ability to
re-zero the instrument.
4.2.9
The 15 ppm Bilge Alarm should record date, time and alarm status, and operating
status of the 15 ppm Bilge Separator. The recording device should also store
data for at least eighteen months and should be able to display or print a
protocol for official inspections as required. In the event the 15 ppm Bilge
Alarm is replaced, means should be provided to ensure the data recorded remains
available on board for 18 months.
4.2.10
To avoid wilful manipulation of 15 ppm Bilge Alarms, the following items should
be included:
.1 every access
of the 15 ppm Bilge Alarm beyond the essential requirements of paragraph 4.2.8
requires the breaking of a seal; and
.2 the 15 ppm
Bilge Alarm should be so constructed that the alarm is always activated
whenever clean water is used for cleaning or zeroing purposes.
4.2.11
The accuracy of the 15 ppm Bilge Alarms should be checked at IOPP Certificate
renewal surveys according to the manufacturers instructions. Alternatively the
unit may be replaced by a calibrated 15 ppm Bilge Alarm. The calibration
certificate for the 15 ppm Bilge Alarm, certifying date of last calibration
check, should be retained onboard for inspection purposes. The accuracy checks
can only be done by the manufacturer or persons authorized by the manufacturer.
5. SPECIFICATION FOR
TYPE APPROVAL TESTING OF POLLUTION PREVENTION EQUIPMENT