The 58th Session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee approved a new regulation 8 of MARPOL Annex I on Prevention of Pollution During Transfer of Oil Cargo Between Oil Tankers at Sea
•The regulation will apply to cargo transfer operations carried out at sea on oil tankers of 150 gt and above. It will not apply to bunkering operations or transfer of Annex II cargoes.
•Ships intending to carry out such operations will have to have a STS Plan which will set out how such operations are to be carried out
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–and will have to be approved by the vessel's Administration at the first survey after entry into force of the new regulation. The regulation also provides for •notification to be provided to coastal state in whose territorial waters [or economic zone] the transfer will take place and records of such operations to be kept on board for 3 years.
The text will now go forward to MEPC
59 in July 2009 for formal adoption.