New Measures against Oil Pollution Effective from October

MTMM (HONG KONG) LTD. The latest amendments to the MARPOL Annex I for the prevention of oil pollution are scheduled to come into effect on October 1, 2016, according to Marine Department of the Government of Hong Kong. The amendment regulation states that oil residue (sludge) tank for machinery space should be provided with a designated pump for disposal of the oil residue and the tank should have no discharge connections to the bilge system, oily bilge water holding tank, tank top or oily water separators. In addition, oil tankers of 150 gross tonnage and above should have an approved Ship-to-Ship (STS) Operation Plan. All oil tankers are required to fit with a stability instrument comprising hardware and software which is capable of verifying compliance with the intact and damage stability requirements in any operational condition. Shipowners, operators and coxswains of local oil tankers are required to observe and comply with the amendment regulation, according to the Marine Department.