S.I. No. 305/1983 - Merchant Shipping (Fire Appliances -Application To Other Ships) Rules, 1983.

I, JAMES MITCHELL, Minister for Transport, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 427 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894 (inserted by section 11 of the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Act, 1952 (No. 29 of 1952), and section 10 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1966 (No. 20 of 1966), the Transport, Fuel and Power (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order, 1959 ( S.I. No. 125 of 1959 ) and the Tourism and Transport (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order, 1980 ( S.I. No. 11 of 1980 ), hereby make the following rules:—

1. (1) These Rules may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Fire Appliances — Application to Other Ships) Rules, 1983 and shall come into operation on the 1st day of December, 1983.

(2) In these Rules:—

"deadweight" means the difference in tonnes between the displacement of a ship at the summer load waterline and the lightweight of the ship;

"existing tanker" means any tanker which is not a new tanker;

"lightweight" means the displacement of a ship in tonnes without cargo, oil fuel, lubricating oil, ballast water and fresh water in tanks, stores, passengers and crew and their effects;

"new tanker" means a tanker—

( a ) for which the building contract was made after the 1st day of June, 1979; or

( b ) in the absence of a building contract, the keel of which was laid, or which was at a similar stage of construction, after the 1st day of January, 1980; or

( c ) the delivery of which was after the 1st day of June, 1982; or

( d ) which has undergone an alteration or modification of a major character;

(i) for which the contract was made after the 1st day of June, 1979; or

(ii) in the absence of a contract, the construction work of which was begun after the 1st January, 1980; or

(iii) which was completed after the 1st day of June, 1982;

"Reid vapour pressure" means the vapour pressure of a liquid as determined by laboratory testing in a standard manner in the Reid apparatus;

"tanker" means a cargo ship constructed or adapted for the carriage in bulk of liquid cargoes of a flammable nature.

2. These Rules apply in relation to tankers, other than tankers registered in the State, while they are within any port in the State:

Provided that these Rules shall not apply to—

( a ) chemical tankers having a valid Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk in compliance with the requirements of the IMO Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk; or

( b ) a tanker by reason of her being within a port in the State if she would not have been in any such port but for stress of weather or any other circumstance that neither the master nor the owner nor the charterer (if any) could have prevented.

3. Every new tanker of 20,000 tonnes deadweight or over to which these Rules apply, constructed or adapted to carry crude oil and petroleum products having a closed flashpoint not exceeding 60°C and the Reid vapour pressure of which is below that of atmospheric pressure, and other liquids having a similar fire hazard, shall be provided with a fixed inert gas system complying with the requirements of Rule 7 of these Rules.

4. On or after the 1st day of December, 1983, every existing tanker of 70,000 tonnes deadweight or over to which these Rules apply, constructed or adapted to carry the cargoes specified in Rule 3 of these Rules shall be provided with a fixed inert gas system complying with the requirements of Rule 7 of these Rules.

5. On or after the 1st day of May, 1985, every existing tanker of 40,000 tonnes deadweight or over but under 70,000 tonnes deadweight to which these Rules apply, constructed or adapted to carry the cargoes specified in Rule 3 of these Rules, and every existing tanker of 20,000 tonnes deadweight or over but under 40,000 tonnes deadweight to which these Rules apply, provided with tank washing machines having an individual throughput greater than 60 cubic metres per hour, shall be provided with a fixed inert gas system complying with the requirements of Rule 7 of these Rules.

6. Every tanker to which these Rules apply which operates a cargo tank cleaning procedure using crude oil washing shall be provided with—

( a ) a fixed inert gas system complying with the requirements of Rule 7 of these Rules; and

( b ) fixed tank washing machines.

7. Every fixed inert gas system provided in accordance with Rules 3, 4, 5 and 6 (a) of these Rules shall comply with the following requirements:—

( a ) the inert gas system shall be designed and operated so as to render and maintain the atmosphere of the cargo tanks, including slop tanks, non-flammable at all times, except when such tanks are required to be gas free. In the event that the inert gas system is unable to meet this requirement while the tanker is within any port in the State, the master or owner of the tanker shall forthwith report this failure to the port authorities of that port;

( b ) the inert gas system shall be capable of providing to the cargo tanks on demand a gas, or mixture of gases, so deficient in oxygen that the atmosphere within a tank may be rendered inert, that is to say, incapable of propagating flame;

( c ) the inert gas system shall eliminate the need for fresh air to enter a tank during normal operations, except when preparing a tank for entry by personnel;

( d ) empty tanks shall be capable of being purged with inert gas to reduce the hydrocarbon content of a tank after discharge of cargo;

( e ) the atmosphere in the cargo tanks shall be capable of being maintained inert during washing of the tanks;

( f ) during cargo discharge, the system shall be such as to ensure that the volume of gas referred to in paragraph (h) of this Rule is available. At other times sufficient gas to ensure compliance with paragraph (i) of this Rule shall be continuously available;

( g ) suitable means for purging the tanks with fresh air as well as with inert gas shall be provided;

( h ) the inert gas system shall have a capacity of at least 125 per cent. of the maximum rated capacity of the cargo pumps;

( i ) under normal running conditions, when tanks are being filled or have been filled with inert gas, a positive pressure shall be capable of being maintained at the tank;

( j ) exhaust gas outlets for purging shall be suitably located in the open air. The arrangement and positioning of such outlets in the cargo tanks deck from which gas emission can occur shall be such as to minimize the possibility of gas being admitted to enclosed spaces containing a source of ignition, or collecting in the vicinity of deck machinery and equipment which may constitute an ignition hazard. In every case, the height of the outlet above the deck and the discharge velocity of the gas shall be considered in conjunction with the distance of any outlet from any deckhouse opening or source of ignition;

( k ) a scrubber shall be provided which will effectively cool the gas and remove solids and sulphur combustion products;

( l ) at least two fans (blowers) shall be provided which together shall be capable of delivering at least the amount of gas stipulated in paragraph (h) of this Rule;

( m ) the oxygen content in the inert gas supply shall not normally exceed 5 per cent. by volume;

( n ) means shall be provided to prevent the return of hydrocarbon gases or vapours from the tanks to the machinery spaces and uptakes and prevent the development of excessive pressure or vacuum. In addition, an effective water lock shall be installed at the scrubber or on deck. Branch piping for inert gas shall be fitted with stop valves or equivalent means of control at every tank. The system shall be so designed as to minimize the risk of ignition from the generation of static electricity;

( o ) instrumentation shall be fitted for continuously indicating and permanently recording, at all times when inert gas is being supplied, the pressure and oxygen content of the gas in the inert gas supply main on the discharge side of the fan. Such instrumentation shall, where practicable, be placed in the cargo control room if fitted and in any case shall be easily accessible to the officer in charge of cargo operations. Portable instruments suitable for measuring oxygen and hydrocarbon gases or vapour and the necessary tank fittings shall additionally be provided for monitoring the tank contents;

( p ) means for indicating the temperature and pressure of the inert gas main shall be provided;

( q ) alarms shall be provided to indicate at least—

(i) high oxygen content of gas in the inert gas main;

(ii) low gas pressure in the inert gas main;

(iii) low pressure in the supply to the deck water seal, if such equipment is installed;

(iv) high temperature of gas in the inert gas main; and

(v) low water pressure to the scrubber;

and automatic shut-downs of the system shall be arranged on predetermined limits being reached in respect of sub-paragraphs (iii), (iv) and (v) of this paragraph;

(r) an instruction manual covering operational, safety and occupational health requirements shall be provided.

8. Where these Rules require that a particular fitting, appliance or apparatus shall be provided or carried in a tanker or that any particular provision shall be made, the Minister may permit any other fitting, appliance or apparatus to be provided or carried, or any other provision to be made in that tanker, if he is satisfied by trial thereof or otherwise that such other fitting, appliance or apparatus or provision is at least as effective as that required by these Rules.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 18th day of October, 1983.

JAMES MITCHELL,

Minister for Transport.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Rules implement the provisions of the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, concerning inert gas systems in respect of certain tankers.