The Marine Environment Protection Committee
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Marine Environment Protection Committee - MEPC/Circular.365 – Interpretation of Requirements for Application of Hydrostatic Balance Loading in Cargo Tanks (Resolution MEPC.64(36)) – (Adopted 26 July 1999) - The Marine Environment Protection Committee

The Marine Environment Protection Committee

  1 The Marine Environment Protection Committee, at its forty-first session (30 March to 3 April 1998), noted that a large number of tankers of 25 years of age and over would potentially use the hydrostatic balance loading operational alternative which is permitted by MARPOL regulation I/13G(7), in order to continue to trade for another five years, and recognized that there was a need to develop a unified interpretation with the purpose of avoiding any potential problems which might arise with the hydrostatic balance loading.

  2 Subsequently, the Committee, at its forty-second session (2 to 6 November 1998), having considered the recommendation made by the Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases, at its third session, regarding IACS Unified Interpretation MPC 7 "Hydrostatic Balance Loading", agreed to circulate this Unified Interpretation to Member Governments, as set out in the annex, subject to the following clarifications:

  • .1 all ballast tanks should be assumed empty when calculating EOS1 and EOS2, whereas ballast water allocation may be considered when calculating EOS3; and

  • .2 it is understood that ballast water may be taken on board during the voyage in order to maintain the draughts necessary for compliance and to satisfy trim, stability, strength and other requirements.

  3 At its forty-third session (28 June to 2 July 1999), the Committee approved an IACS proposal to make a number of minor corrections to the original interpretations.

  4 As a result, this Circular includes these corrections and replaces MEPC/Circ.347. For ease of reference, the location of the amendments are marked in the right hand column with a vertical line. However, it should be noted that there is only one change to the text and one paragraph that has been moved causing certain paragraphs to be renumbered.

  5 Member Governments are invited to use the annexed Interpretation together with the above clarifications when applying the provisions of the Guidelines for approval of alternative structural or operational arrangements, as called for in regulation 13G(7) of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78 (resolution MEPC.64(36)), to tankers of 25 years of age and over referred to in regulation 13G(4) of Annex I to MARPOL 73/78.

Parent topic: MEPC/Circular.365 – Interpretation of Requirements for Application of Hydrostatic Balance Loading in Cargo Tanks (Resolution MEPC.64(36)) – (Adopted 26 July 1999)
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