Revised Specifications
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Revised Specifications

 The International Conference on Tanker Safety and Pollution Prevention (TSPP Conference) convened by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in February 1978 adopted, inter alia, the Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, which modified the 1973 Convention (MARPOL 73/78). MARPOL 73/78 requires certain oil tankers to operate with dedicated clean ballast tanks (Regulation 13(9) and (10) of Annex 1). An oil tanker operating with dedicated clean ballast tanks must have adequate tank capacity dedicated solely to the carriage of clean ballast and the arrangements and operational procedures of the dedicated clean ballast tanks must comply with the requirements of the Administration which are based on the Specifications for Oil Tankers with Dedicated Clean Ballast Tanks adopted by the Conference in resolution 14 and as may be revised by the Organization (Regulation 13A of Annex I of MARPOL 73/78).

 The Conference requested the Organization to review and revise the Specifications, as necessary, in order that the revised Specifications should reflect the latest technology and practices which might be developed by the time of entry into force of the Protocol.

 The task of reviewing and revising the Specifications was carried out as a matter of urgency by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the Organization at its thirteenth and fourteenth sessions. In the course of its work, the MEPC found that there was a need not only to revise certain provisions of the Specifications but also to agree on interpretation of some of the provisions.

 The Assembly of the Organization, at its twelfth session, received and examined the recommendation made by the MEPC on this matter and, by its resolution A.495(XII) of 19 November 1981, adopted the revised Specifications for Oil Tankers with Dedicated Clean Ballast Tanks together with agreed interpretations of certain of the provisions of the revised Specifications. As stated in the resolution, the revised Specifications supersede the Specifications contained in the Annex to resolution 14 of the TSPP Conference.

 The attention of Governments is drawn to the fact that the Assembly urged them to establish, in time for the entry into force of MARPOL 73/78, requirements for the dedicated clean ballast tank arrangements based on the revised Specifications, and urged further that such requirements should not impose requirements over and above those laid down in the revised Specifications.


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