POLLUTION PREVENTION

Effects of Oil and pollution on human life and marine life

Oil spills are the harmful release of oil into the environment, usually in the water,
sometimes killing area flora and fauna. Oil is the most common pollutant in the oceans.
More than 3 million metric tons of oil contaminates the sea every year. The majority of oil
pollution in the oceans comes from land. Runoff and waste from cities, industry, and rivers
carries oil into the ocean. Ships cause about a third of the oil pollution in the oceans when
they wash out their tanks or dump their bilge water. Examples of an oil spill would be things
like well blowouts, pipeline breaks, ship collisions or groundings, overfilling of gas tanks and
bilge pumping from ships, leaking underground storage tanks, and oil-contaminated water
runoff from streets and parking lots during rain storms. Marine oil spill is a serious
consequence of off-shore oil drilling and its oceanic transportation. It is an unfortunate by-
product of the storage and transportation of oil and petroleum is the occasional spill. Oil
spills are very difficult to clean up. Spilled oil poses serious threats to fresh water and
marine environments, affecting surface resources and a wide range of subsurface organisms
that are linked in a complex food chain that includes human food resources. Effects of Oil
spills – Oil spills have affected many people and many industries. They affect both the
economy and the environment. Some of the things affected are: (a) Marine life, (b) Local
industries (often tourist industry), (c) Fishing industry.

(a) Marine life – The adverse effects of oil spills on the marine environment are well known.
If spilled oil escapes the booms and skimmers reaching the shore, it contaminates the inter-
tidal zone and the beaches.

Drifting oil contaminates the feathers of seabirds and the fur of seals. In the birds, it clogs
and destroys the insulating and waterproofing properties of the feathers. As the bird tries to
maintain its body temperature, it will exhaust its fat reserves and become weakened. It is
almost impossible to replace these reserves because, in its weakened condition, whenever it
flies the bird has to carry as mush as 20% extra body-weight in sodden feathers. Also,
ingestion of oil during preening interferes with salt-excretion and may also have toxic side
effects. Even a small amount of oiling can have lethal effects. As well, oil transferred to the
surface of its eggs during incubation reduces their hatchability. The most vulnerable species
are diving birds.

The various types of freshwater and marine habitats that exist in nature have different
sensitivities to the harmful effects of oil contamination, as well as different abilities to
recuperate. Although some organisms may be seriously injured or killed very soon after
contact with the oil in a spill, other effects are more subtle and often longer lasting. In
addition, oil potentially can have catastrophic effects on birds and mammals.

(b) Local industries – Oil, dead fish and birds all get washed up on the shores and the oil
slick interferes in activities such as fishing, sailing, swimming etc. The local tourist industry
suffers as aesthetic beauty of sea shore is lost due to oil slick. Industries that rely on clean
seawater for routine operations can also suffer because operations have to be stopped while
the water is cleaned.

(c) Fishing industry – The fishing industry suffers badly when an oil spill occurs. Firstly
because the fish are often covered in oil, or have swallowed oil making them poisonous.
Also a large number of fish die, decreasing the number of fish that could have possibly been
caught.
Causes of Pollution.
Marine pollution at sea can occur as a result of:

 Stranding’s and collisions

 Lightering operations
 Normal operations such as tank washing and line flushing
 Deballasting
 Thermal expansion of oil in tanks and piping

Shipboard procedures to prevent Pollution

International Maritime Organisation is the international body which controls the marine
pollution under convention. IMO achieves this by adopting the “international Convention for
the Prevention of Pollution from ships, commonly known as “MARPOL”

Annex I of the MARPOL convention contains regulations for control of pollution by oil.

- There are requirements for the discharge of oil into sea which must be strictly complied
with.

- In order to comply with these requirements, various safe procedures and checklists
mentioned in Shipboard Safety Management system must be adhered to. Precautions
mentioned for Ballasting / de ballasting, de canting and tank cleaning operations must be
followed.

- Crude oil washing to be carried out to minimize oily wastes.

- Segregated ballast tanks monitored regularly.

Annex II of the MARPOL convention contains regulations for control of pollution by Noxious
liquid cargoes carried in bulk or tank washing from such cargoes.

- All operations on-board involving cargo, ballast and bunkers must be done in accordance
with applicable pollution regulations.

- Carrying out operations in accordance with vessels Procedures and Arrangement manual
(P&A manual) ensures that pollution regulations are complied with.

Levels of Cargo, Ballast and slop tanks should be monitored regularly to detect any
accidental loss. Spill pans and scuppers to be in place when required. Person on watch
should be aware of the operations and carry out check on pollution prevention procedures.

Cause of pollution in Ports

Marine pollution in port can occur as a result of:

1. Leaking hoses and loading arms.

2. Overflow from tanks
3. Equipment failure
4. Procedure failures e.g. setting of lines and valves.

Pollution prevention in Port

Safe watch keeping in the port is the key to accident free operations. A good watch keeper
is always monitoring the important parameters and maintains a high level of situational
awareness. It prevents the small error or malfunction from turning into disaster.

 Ship movement alongside must be monitored and kept within minimum safe margin
by tending moorings at regular intervals.
 All pipelines, valves and joints must be observed while handling cargo.
 Anti-pollution equipment should be in strict readiness.
 All scuppers must be closed to prevent a discharge over the side from deck. Any
scupper opened for draining rain water should not be left unattended.
 All valves and blanks must be checked prior to cargo operations.
 Valves not in use must be secured with positive identification.
 Sea valves not in use must be closed by double valves or better blanked off.
 If any oil is spilled cargo operations must stop and all involved warned by using
appropriate method or signal.
 Strict adherence to regular checks highlighted in ship shore safety checklist provide a
ready reference to watch keeper for necessary checks at required intervals.

Action in case of Pollution

In case of pollution or spillage

- Activate emergency alarm and notify the location of spill on PA.

- Stop any operations in progress.

- Implement the shipboard spill containment procedures as mentioned in SOPEP.

- Promptly notify the shore based response personnel.

- Report all relevant information to authorities as mentioned in your SOPEP.

- Activate clean up as required. No chemicals to be used for clean up without advise from
shore authorities.

Implementation of SOPEP

MARPOL Annex I Regulation 37 - Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan

Every oil tanker of 150 gross tonnage and above and every ship other than an oil tanker of
400 gross tonnage and above shall carry on board a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan
approved by the Administration.

Such a plan shall be prepared based on guidelines developed by the Organization and
written in the working language of the master and officers. The plan shall consist at least
of:

.1 the procedure to be followed by the master or other persons having charge of the
ship to report an oil pollution incident;
 .2 the list of authorities or persons to be contacted in the event of an oil pollution
incident;

.3 a detailed description of the action to be taken immediately by persons on board to

reduce or control the discharge of oil following the incident; and

.4 the procedures and point of contact on the ship for coordinating shipboard action with
national and local authorities in combating the pollution.

In the case of ships to which regulation 17 of Annex II of the present Convention also
applies, such a plan may be combined with the shipboard marine pollution emergency plan
for noxious liquid substances required under regulation17 of Annex II of the present
Convention. In this case, the title of such a plan shall be ''Shipboard marine pollution
emergency plan''.

All oil tankers of 5,000 tonnes deadweight or more shall have prompt access to
computerized shore-based damage stability and residual structural strength calculation
programs.

MARPOL Annex II Regulation 17 - Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan for Noxious
Liquid Substances

Every ship of 150 gross tonnage and above certified to carry noxious liquid substances in
bulk shall carry on board a shipboard marine pollution emergency plan for noxious liquid
substances approved by the Administration.

Such a plan shall be based on the Guidelines developed by the Organization and written in a
working language or languages understood by the master and officers. The plan shall
consist at least of:

.1 the procedure to be followed by the master or other persons having charge of the
ship to report a noxious liquid substances pollution incident;

.2 the list of authorities or persons to be contacted in the event of a noxious liquid

substances pollution incident;

.3 a detailed description of the action to be taken immediately by persons on board

to reduce or control the discharge of noxious liquid substances following the incident; and

.4 the procedures and point of contact on the ship for coordinating shipboard action
with national and local authorities in combating the pollution.

In the case of ships to which regulation 37 of Annex I of the Convention also applies, such a
plan may be combined with the shipboard oil pollution emergency plan required under
regulation 37 of Annex I of the Convention. In this case, the title of such a plan shall be
‘‘Shipboard marine pollution emergency plan’’.

Air pollution by Tanker operations

Air pollution onboard tankers may be caused by release of inert gas or cargo vapours into
atmosphere, accidental or intentional.

Few of reasons can be mentioned as:

 - The breathing or venting of loaded tanks
- Purging or gas free operations
- Loading or ballasting cargo tanks

Vapours collect in the ullage space and this mixture of vapours is displaced during loading,
ballasting, gas freeing and tank washing operations. The release of these hydrocarbon gas,
chemical gas and / or inert gas may be considered as air pollutants.

Control measures for Air pollution

Volatile Organic Management plan

A tanker carrying crude oil, to which MARPOL Annex VI, regulation 15.1 applies, shall have
on board and implement a VOC Management Plan.

Contents of a standard VOC plan

1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Regulations
1.2 General Characteristics of VOC

2 SHIP’S PARTICULARS, TANK ARRANGEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT

2.1 Ship Particulars

2.2 Cargo Tank Arrangements

2.3 Cargo Tank Venting Arrangements

2.4 Pressure Control Devices/Alarms and Their Settings

3 CONTROL PROCEDURES DURING CARGO LOADING

3.1 Best Practices for VOC Emission Control during Loading

3.2 Applicable Control Methods/Systems during Loading

4 CONTROL PROCEDURES DURING TRANIST

4.1 Best Practices for VOC Emission Control during Transit

4.2 Applicable Control Methods/System during Transit

5 CONTROL PROCEDURES DURING CARGO DISCHARGE/BALLAST AND COW

5.1 Control Methods/System during Cargo Discharge/Ballasting

5.2 Control Methods/Systems during COW

6 MONITORING AND CONTROL OF VOC RELEASE

7 TRAINING PROGRAM

8 DESIGNATED PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR VOC MANAGEMENT

9 SHIP DRAWINGS AND REFERENCES

 9.1 Ship Plans and Manuals

9.2 References

Some terminals are equipped with VECS (Vapour Emission Control System). Vessels are
provided with vapour return lines at manifold which can be connected to shore line’s
returning cargo vapours to shore for reclamation or incineration, preventing release of
displaced vapours while cargo operations alongside terminal.

Vapour emission control system is intended for analyzing the waste vapour gas for oxygen
gas content. The system also includes the pressure transmitter which can monitor the
pressure on the waste vapour line. This system consists of two cabinets; a detector cabinet
in which the pressure transmitter, oxygen sensor, flow alarm sensor, sample selector valve
and purge valve are included, and the monitoring & alarm panel on which the alarm unit,
oxygen indicator are provided. The detector panel in steel is installed on deck nearby the
vapour manifolds and the monitoring & alarm panel is mounted in the cargo control room
Garbage Disposal Regulations.