2.18 Table 1 – Means of Access for Ballast and Cargo Tanks of Oil Tankers, Paragraph 2.2
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1464/Rev.1 - Unified Interpretations of SOLAS Chapters II-1 and XII, of the Technical Provisions for Means of Access for Inspections (Resolution MSC.158(78)) and of the Performance Standards - Annex - 2 Technical Provisions for Means of Access for Inspections (Resolution MSC.158(78)) - 2.18 Table 1 – Means of Access for Ballast and Cargo Tanks of Oil Tankers, Paragraph 2.2

2.18 Table 1 – Means of Access for Ballast and Cargo Tanks of Oil Tankers, Paragraph 2.2

Parent topic: 2 Technical Provisions for Means of Access for Inspections (Resolution MSC.158(78))

Interpretation

  1 Permanent means of access between the longitudinal continuous permanent means of access and the bottom of the space should be provided.

  2 The height of a bilge hopper tank located outside of the parallel part of the ship should be taken as the maximum of the clear vertical distance measured from the bottom plating to the hopper plating of the tank.

  3 The foremost and aftmost bilge hopper ballast tanks with raised bottom, of which the height is 6 m and over, a combination of transverse and vertical MA for access to the upper knuckle point for each transverse web, should be accepted in place of the longitudinal permanent means of access.

Technical background

 Interpretation 2: The bilge hopper tanks at fore and aft of cargo area narrow due to raised bottom plating and the actual vertical distance from the bottom of the tank to hopper plating of the tank is more appropriate to judge if a portable means of access could be utilized for the purpose.

 Interpretation 3: In the foremost or aftmost bilge hopper tanks where the vertical distance is 6 m or over but installation of longitudinal permanent means of access is not practicable, permanent means of access of combination of transverse and vertical ladders provides an alternative means of access to the upper knuckle point.

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