5 Preventive Measures
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Marine Environment Protection Committee - MEPC.1/Circular.677 – Guide to Diagnosing Contaminants in Oily Bilge Water to Maintain, Operate and Troubleshoot Bilge Water Treatment Systems – (22 July 2009) - Annex – A Guide to Diagnosing Contaminants in Oily Bilge Water to Maintain, Operate and Troubleshoot Bilge Water Treatment Systems - Annex 4 – Detecting Particulates: Biological, Soot and Rouge (Iron Oxide Compounds) - 5 Preventive Measures

5 Preventive Measures

 ▸ Treatment and discharge of contaminated bilge water to a reception facility.

▸ For biological contamination, treat bilge tank(s) with a biocide.

▸ Hot water flush of OWS clean out tanks and piping that have sludge build-up.

▸ Cleaning of bilge and other affected areas to remove sludge and rust.

▸ Segregate soot from entering bilge (capture cleaning residues) and divert from the bilge. Repair exhaust leaks.

▸ Keep rust from ageing machinery and fittings from entering bilge.

▸ Tank coatings and pipe condition play a major role in the operation. Focus on bilge water sources and utilization of composite pipe materials to prevent issues caused by corrosion. Tank coatings should also be examined and maintained. This is particularly important in low point collections areas.

▸ Segregation of nutrient and contamination sources: Check for and replace leaky sewage and cooling (sea suction) pipes.

▸ Retrofit modular post-OWS (before but not in line with (i.e. full flow) the OCM) particle filters.

▸ Pre-treat soot containing [cleaning] water before entry to bilge or segregate sooty water resulting from machinery cleaning.


Copyright 2022 Clasifications Register Group Limited, International Maritime Organization, International Labour Organization or Maritime and Coastguard Agency. All rights reserved. Clasifications Register Group Limited, its affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective officers, employees or agents are, individually and collectively, referred to in this clause as 'Clasifications Register'. Clasifications Register assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable to any person for any loss, damage or expense caused by reliance on the information or advice in this document or howsoever provided, unless that person has signed a contract with the relevant Clasifications Register entity for the provision of this information or advice and in that case any responsibility or liability is exclusively on the terms and conditions set out in that contract.