Every tanker which operates with dedicated clean ballast
tanks in accordance with Regulation 13(9) or (10) of Annex I of MARPOL
73/78 must be provided with an Operation Manual approved by the Administration.
The Manual must detail the system and specify operational procedures
(Regulation 13A of Annex
I of MARPOL 73/78), the purpose being not only to provide guidance
to the crew of the ship for the proper operation of the system but
also to provide information on the system and its operational procedures
for inspectors going on board for inspection in ports. The MEPC considered
it useful to standardize the format of the Manual with the indication
of the type of information to be contained in each section. The MEPC
accordingly developed a standard format for the Manual, which was
subsequently adopted by the twelfth session of the Assembly by resolution
A.495, together with the revised Specifications. It is hoped that
the standard format will help shipowners in preparing the Manuals
for their ships and assist Administrations in approving them.
The standard format contains:
-
(1) Standardized wording for the Introduction
section of the Manual;
-
(2) Index of the Manual;
-
(3) Eight or nine sections, depending on the type
of tanker, detailing the information or operational instructions to
be provided under each section as required by the revised Specifications
for Oil Tankers with Dedicated Clean Ballast Tanks (Assembly resolution
A.495(XII)).
Administrations may require information and operational
instructions to be included in the Manual in addition to those specified
in the standard format. Such information should be included in part
2 of the Manual. If no such information or operational instructions
are required, the Manual will consist of one part only.
Appendix 1 of the standard
format contains the general guidelines for operation procedures and
checklists for the purpose of sections 4 to 8 of the Manual.