IMCO Regulations for Tankers

The gravest area of concern in safety at sea today must be the tanker with its risk of collision, grounding, explosion and fire, and pollution. In February, 1978, IMCO organized a conference on Tanker Safety and Pollution Prevention which pro­duced the Protocols to two major conventions, the 1973 Marine Pollution Convention and the 1974 Safety of Life at Sea Convention.

Among the measures adopted were those which, when they come into force, will affect new and existing tankers. New Crudo carries of 20,000 dwt and above will be required to be fitted with protectively - located segregated ballast tanks (SBT), to­gether with crude oil washing (COW) and inert gas system. And for existing crude carriers of 40,000-dwt clean ballast tanks, SBT or COW will be required.

Crude oil washing will notonly make a significant contribution to pollution avoidance but also provides an economic advantage in terms of improved cargo out­turn, less contamination of oil cargoes by salt water and increased cargo-carrying ca­pacity. But the successful operation of tankers under this system requires a high de­gree of safety precautions in view of the risk of explosion. That's why when crude oil washing is operated it always requires the inert gas system.

Prevention of the accidents to tankers will be improved in a number of ways. On the navigation front, twin radar sets will be required on all tankers of 10,000 gross tons upwards each capable of independent operation. These tankers should have two remote steering gear control systems, each operable separately from the navigation bridge and the main steering gear of new tankers comprise two or more identical power units.

Tanker experts argue that about 80 per cent of all accidents are caused by hu­man errors. Sophisticated electronics by themselves will not prevent accidents -competent and able crews' are necessary to act on the information provided by the systems. That's why better training of crews is the best way to reduce hazards.

A number of important regulations designed to improve the inspection and certification of ships were also adopted. The Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certifi­cate must be issued for a maximum period of validity of five years, no extension of the five year period of validity permitted. Cargo ships are subject to periodical surveys at intervals not exceeding five years and, in addition, tankers of 10 years of age and over are subject to intermediate survey at least once between the periodical surveys.

Such safety requirements are already observed in several maritime countries.

 

П. Ех.1. Answer the following questions based on the text:

 

1) What are the main causes of growing marine pollution?

2) How are the open sea and coastal waters being contaminated?

3) What are the potential sources of marine pollution?

4) What does the pollution of the sea result in?

5) What is the attitude of people all over the world towards the marine pollution problem?

6) What is the principal cause of oil pollution?

7) What cargo was the Spanish supertanker Castillo de Bellver carrying?

8) What accident took place on board the ship?

9) When did it happen?

10) What did the fire result in?

11) What happened to the bow and stern sections of the tanker?

12) How many men were there on board the tanker at the time of the accident?

13) What happened to them?

14) How much oil spilled into the ocean?

15) What potential threat did the spillage present to the coastal waters and inland ar­eas?

16) How did the weather conditions influence the consequences of the oil spillage?

17) What did the aerial survey of the accident area show?

Ex.2. Translate the following statements into English:

 

1) Загрязнение морей и океанов все еще является одной из важнейших проблем человечества.

2) По меньшей мере. 6 млн. тонн нефти сбрасывается в океан ежегодно.

3) Загрязнение окружающей среды является угрозой для жизни людей, животных и растений.

4) Поэтому материалы Международной конвенции по предотвращению загрязнения с судов – очень важный документ.

5) Суда являются одним из источников загрязнения морей и океанов.

6) 35% нефтяных загрязнении производится с судов.

7) Остальные 65 % загрязнения окружающей среды вызваны естественным просачиванием, атмосферными осадками, производством в море, утечками с берега и т.д.

8) Только 3 % нефти попадает в океан из-за несчастных случаев.

9) Большая часть загрязнения с судов – это результат каждодневной работы, чистка грузовых танков, сбрасывание балластных вод и т.д.

10) Судовое оборудование для предотвращения загрязнения моря включает в себя систему фильтрации нефти, нефтеводяные сепараторы, отстойные танки и т.д.

11) Такое оборудование помогает избежать возможности морского загрязнения и сохранить миллионы тонн ценной нефти.

III. Составьте на английском языке текст телекса о том, что во время короткого перехода загорелся утилизационный котел. Назовите возможные причины возникновения пожара и Ваши действия по его устранению. Адрес: Mr. Johnson, British Petroleum, Operational Department, London.

МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ УКАЗАНИЯ

ДЛЯ ПОДГОТОВКИ К ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОМУ ЭКЗАМЕНУ