Protection of Fuel Tanks Safety ahead! - GL Group

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MARITIME SERVICES | MARPOL ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE. The Baltic Sea is an especially sensitive body of water protected by very strict rules. The map shows the pollution levels measured in 2004. Blue symbols mark deposits of accumulated waste. 10° 11° 12 ° 13 ° Kiel are too soft – after all, it is still permissible to dump almost all waste into the oceans. The only absolute “disposal ban” applies to one single material: plastic. In no form and in no region whatsoever is it permissible to “fall overboard”. Since MARPOL does not suffice for many legislators, a large number of regional, national and local laws have been issued to tighten up on the IMO requirements. Worldwide, it is inadmissible to dispose of land-based waste at sea. And materials with milk or meat remnants 34 nonstop 4/2006 Oil Chemicals REFUSE COLLECTION. When a cruise ship arrives, it needs to dispose of all of accumulated waste. Photo: look foto Waste Others Rostock must be handled with great care, owing to the danger of transmitting disease. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) has issued special recommendations for the Baltic region. With good reason. This sea is relatively shallow and, being almost landlocked, there is little exchange of water. Contamination is a particularly serious threat here, as shown by the repeated occurrence of algal blooms. For this reason, no waste incineration plants may be used on ships plying the Baltic. Although the HELCOM recommendations apply to all ships only in territorial waters, and outside the 12-nautical-mile zone only to ships sailing under the flags of the HELCOM contracting parties (Denmark, Estonia, the EU, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden), it is difficult to stay outside of territorial waters for any length of time when passing through the Baltic. Draconian Penalties The various laws are confusing; an easily understandable database or reference guide is sorely needed. So why not just throw the waste over the side? Who will ever find out? Usually, there is no ship in sight, and a few “good-looking lines” are quickly fabricated in the record books. Not everyone has the bad luck the crew of a chemical tanker experienced last year. Port inspectors had found meat products on board and sealed it into plastic bags. Once at sea again, the mariners remembered their appetite for steaks. They tore open the officially sealed packages and fried the meat. As bad luck would have it, one of the bags fell overboard and was washed up on the beach. It was then possible to identify the guilty party by means of the seal. A court sentenced the captain and owner to a total fine of about US$ 72,500 – quite a lot of money for a plastic bag and some fudged records. However, the penalties can be even more draconian. In the United Arab Emirates, marine pollution can cost up to US$ 270,000. For dumping radioactive material, even the Stralsund
Sassnitz 14 ° 15 ° death sentence may be imposed. Dramatic consequences may possibly ensue if one of those inconspicuous little fire detectors falls overboard by accident, because they often contain radioactive materials. Not only fines but also prison sentences are possible in the USA. At present, the captain of a reputable international shipping company is in jail. He is accused of having discharged oily bilge water over a period of five months through a so-called “magic pipe”. Decades of imprisonment are looming over him. For the shipping company, the offence will involve more work and added expense for a very long time to come. It will be blacklisted, which results in regular tours by external inspectors who check every single ship calling at a US port. Over and above the heavy penalties, large cruise liner companies have been forced to spend years implementing a comprehensive and strict environmental management system on board. Most shipping companies and their staff do observe the regulations – and not only because of the fines and the safety of crew and vessel. Environmental protection is increasingly becoming a matter of image. And yet there are still shipowners who do not see the point of spending money on ecological disposal methods. A strange attitude when one considers that the associated costs, for example for a container ship, hardly exceed the daily charter fee. An effective way of more or less forcing shipowners to conform is the so-called “no special fee” clause, according to which a ship must always pay for disposal in port, irrespective of whether it actually transfers its waste to a port reception facility or not. The disposal fee therefore forms an integral part of the harbour dues. This takes the financial advantage out of dumping waste at sea. So far, however, only a few ports have introduced this system. ■ NL For further information: The GL Academy regularly holds seminars on “Waste Management”. Ulrike Schodrok, Phone: +49 40 36149-195, E-Mail: academy@gl-group.com 55° Source: Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie 54° Photo: Hirlesteanu Constantin-ciprian - FOTOLIA MARPOL | MARITIME SERVICES RULES AND REGULATIONS MARPOL Marks the Minimum Standard MARPOL consists of an article section which contains general provisions and defi nitions of terms, and six annexes regulating certain regulations of shipping relevant to the marine environment. The Convention and Annex I became effective in 1983, with the other annexes coming into effect later, e.g. Annex VI as recently as May 2005. MARPOL I is aimed at guarding against oil pollution. For instance, before bilge water can be discharged overboard, its oil content must be measured and limited. MARPOL II and III are aimed at preventing marine pollution by noxious liquids or harmful substances carried in bulk or in packaged form. MARPOL IV limits the disposal of black water, e.g. sewage from the toilets or infi rmaries. Amongst other things, this annex demands that ships from a size of 400 GT or 15 persons on board must sail at a minimum speed of four knots when discharging black water, and also maintain a minimum distance from the coast. MARPOL V applies to solid ship wastes for all ship types and sizes, i.e. also to typical ´household leftovers`. Admissible disposal depends on the type of waste and the position of the ship. Moreover, masters of ships from 400 GT or with more than 15 persons on board must keep a record book on what waste was disposed of when and where. MARPOL VI is aimed at controlling air pollution through gaseous emissions by ships. The sulphur limit for fuel oil lies at 4.5 per cent, and in special emission control zones, like the North Sea and Baltic Sea, at 1.5 per cent. The ships` masters therefore have to keep a watchful eye on where they use what kind of fuel oil. Nevertheless, the general sulphur limit of 4.5 per cent has been chosen so high that it is easily observed. nonstop 4/2006 35
Page 1 and 2: The Magazine for Customers and Busi
Page 3 and 4: Dear Readers, The year 2006 will be
Page 5 and 6: News from the Maritime Services ECO
Page 7 and 8: VIETNAM Two New Offi ces November w
Page 9 and 10: MILESTONES New Agreement Hapag-Lloy
Page 11 and 12: Germanischer Lloyd’s Carefree Sof
Page 13 and 14: ments for cargo oil tanks, the prob
Page 15 and 16: Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 tanks, placing
Page 17 and 18: It gives technical advice for updat
Page 19 and 20: Cool Transport The shipping of peri
Page 21 and 22: Fortunately, the emergency service
Page 23 and 24: Fluids in Motion What can earthquak
Page 25 and 26: Photo: istockphoto.com ULTRASOUND.
Page 27 and 28: ed to gather more experience in age
Page 29 and 30: EAST ASIA | MARITIME SERVICES Quali
Page 31 and 32: BACKGROUND Finite Elements: Computi
Page 33: Waste Overboard? Proper waste dispo
Page 37 and 38: Dr Gottfried Braun, Quality Managem
Page 39 and 40: WINDENERGIEZIRKEL HANSE Bracing the
Page 41 and 42: This year it is 2,000 MW. So we tru
Page 43 and 44: © Maciej Dominik - FOTOLIA Just A
Page 45 and 46: Fotos: Istockphoto.com (2) INSPECTI
Page 47 and 48: Rules for Classifi cation and Const

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