BULLETIN
Ship To Ship oil transfer operations: We would like to advise
Members of claims arising from poor cargo practices being
adopted on board tankers.
Category Operations
Issue date 27/01/2015
Area Worldwide
Further to our circular on 14 January 2015, we would like to advise cargo and ballast transfer procedures and duties of persons involved.
Members that the Club has recently experienced a number of claims In addition contingency plans and emergency procedures should
arising from poor cargo practices being adopted on board tankers be included and these should cover all possible emergencies and
during Ship To Ship (STS) operations. take into account the location of the operation and the resources
available.
On the back of these incidents, we would like to bring our Members’
attention to Chapter 8 of MARPOL Annex I. Whilst the regulations STS checklists as established in the STS operations plan should deal
stated apply to oil tankers of 150GT and above, engaged in the with the following stages of operation:
transfer of oil cargo between oil tankers at sea (STS operations), a) Pre-fixture information.
we also encourage our Members operating vessels outside these b) Before operations commence.
criteria but who engage in STS operations to incorporate these c) Before run-in and mooring.
operating procedures to assist with ensuring safe operations. d) Before cargo transfer.
e) Before unmooring.
An STS operation needs to be carefully planned right from its initial
stages with the following being of paramount importance: Amongst the claims received by the Club, the majority have involved
collisions or contacts between the two vessels involved in the
• Procedures for selecting a safe STS transfer area taking into STS operation whilst manoeuvring to come alongside or during
consideration traffic density, availability of good holding sailing. We would like to take this opportunity to kindly remind all
ground, weather conditions and local port regulations. our Members on the importance of establishing and training the
• Notification to the relevant local authorities in line with their ship’s crew on procedures to be adopted when engaged in such
reporting requirements. operations. These may include:
• Comparing the available parallel body lengths at loaded and
Any oil tanker involved in STS operations shall carry on board an STS
ballast draughts.
operation plan, approved by the Administration and in the working
language of the ship, prescribing how to conduct STS operations. • Ensuring that concerned sides of the vessels involved are clear
The STS operation plan should be developed taking into account of any overhanging projections.
the information contained in IMO’s “Manual on Oil Pollution, Section • Confirming that manoeuvring, berthing and mooring
I, Prevention” and the ICS and OCIMF “Ship To Ship Transfer Guide, arrangements between the two vessels have been agreed
Petroleum”. upon including the approach and the rendezvous position
taking into account the weather, traffic density, characteristics
The person in overall advisory control of STS operations shall be of the vessels involved etc.
qualified to perform all relevant duties, taking into account the • Ensuring that adequate and suitable fenders are being
qualifications contained in the two above mentioned publications. employed with confirmation on numbers, types and locations.
• Recommendations on avoiding berthing and unmooring/
An STS operations plan should include a step by step description of
sailing operations in hours of darkness, if feasible.
the entire STS operation including description of the manoeuvring
methods, mooring and unmooring procedures, description of the
BULLETIN
Ship To Ship oil transfer operations.
Further emphasis should be laid on establishing proper
communication channels at all levels of operation and ensuring
that all equipments that are to be involved in the operation
are available, ready and compatible. The compatibility of the
cargo handling equipments on the two vessels should be given
due importance with special consideration to the pumping
capacities of the two vessels involved. It has to be ensured
that the minimum pumping rate of the discharging vessel is
well within the maximum loading rate of the receiving vessel.
• We would like to recommend that Members concerned with
STS operations review their procedures for their fleet and
ensure suitable training is given to the crew involved. To assist,
reference can be made to the following publications:
• Manual on Oil Pollution, Section I (IMO).
• MARPOL.
• Ship To Ship Transfer Guide - Petroleum (ICS and OCIMF).
• International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals
(ISGOTT).
• Convention on International Regulations for Preventing
Collisions at Sea (COLREG), 1972 – (IMO).
