5.2 System requirements
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Maritime Safety Committee - Resolution MSC.370(93) – Amendments to The International Code for The Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases In Bulk (IGC Code) – (Adopted on 22 May 2014) - Annex - Amendments to The International Code for The Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases In Bulk (IGC Code) - Chapter 5 — Process Pressure Vessels and Liquid, Vapour and Pressure Piping Systems - 5.2 System requirements

5.2 System requirements

  5.2.1 The cargo handling and cargo control systems shall be designed taking into account the following:

  • .1 prevention of an abnormal condition escalating to a release of liquid or vapour cargo;

  • .2 the safe collection and disposal of cargo fluids released;

  • .3 prevention of the formation of flammable mixtures;

  • .4 prevention of ignition of flammable liquids or gases and vapours released; and

  • .5 limiting the exposure of personnel to fire and other hazards.

  5.2.2 Arrangements: general

  5.2.2.1 Any piping system that may contain cargo liquid or vapour shall:

  • .1 be segregated from other piping systems, except where interconnections are required for cargo-related operations such as purging, gas-freeing or inerting. The requirements of 9.4.4 shall be taken into account with regard to preventing back-flow of cargo. In such cases, precautions shall be taken to ensure that cargo or cargo vapour cannot enter other piping systems through the interconnections;

  • .2 except as provided in chapter 16, not pass through any accommodation space, service space or control station or through a machinery space other than a cargo machinery space;

  • .3 be connected to the cargo containment system directly from the weather decks except where pipes installed in a vertical trunkway or equivalent are used to traverse void spaces above a cargo containment system and except where pipes for drainage, venting or purging traverse cofferdams;

  • .4 be located in the cargo area above the weather deck except for bow or stern loading and unloading arrangements in accordance with 3.8, emergency cargo jettisoning piping systems in accordance with 5.3.1, turret compartment systems in accordance with 5.3.3 and except in accordance with chapter 16; and

  • .5 be located inboard of the transverse tank location requirements of 2.4.1, except for athwartship shore connection piping not subject to internal pressure at sea or emergency cargo jettisoning piping systems.

  5.2.2.2 Suitable means shall be provided to relieve the pressure and remove liquid cargo from loading and discharging crossover headers; likewise, any piping between the outermost manifold valves and loading arms or cargo hoses to the cargo tanks, or other suitable location, prior to disconnection.

  5.2.2.3 Piping systems carrying fluids for direct heating or cooling of cargo shall not be led outside the cargo area unless a suitable means is provided to prevent or detect the migration of cargo vapour outside the cargo area (see 13.6.2.6).

  5.2.2.4 Relief valves discharging liquid cargo from the piping system shall discharge into the cargo tanks. Alternatively, they may discharge to the cargo vent mast, if means are provided to detect and dispose of any liquid cargo that may flow into the vent system. Where required to prevent overpressure in downstream piping, relief valves on cargo pumps shall discharge to the pump suction.


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