1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its eighty-sixth
session (27 May to 5 June 2009) and the Marine Environment Protection
Committee, at its fifty-ninth session (13 to 17 July 2009), noted
that there were concerns that the practice of the physical blending
of MARPOL regulated cargoes on board during the sea voyage for the
purposes of creating new product blends presents clear hazards for
the safety of the ship and protection of the marine environment. Having
considered the proposal by the Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases
(BLG), at its thirteenth session, the Committees agreed that such
practices should be prohibited and that mandatory provisions should
be developed in that respect under the auspices of both Committees.
2 Until the matter can be further discussed in
detail by the BLG Sub-Committee and approved by the Maritime Safety
Committee and the Marine Environment Protection Committee, physical
blending refers to the process whereby the ship’s cargo pumps
and pipelines are used to internally circulate two or more different
cargoes within the ship with the intent to achieve a cargo with a
different product designation. This circular does not preclude the
master from undertaking cargo transfers for the safety of the ship
or protection of the marine environment.
3 As an interim measure, pending the adoption
of such mandatory provisions, the Committees have agreed to issue
this circular with the aim of bringing the attention of all stakeholders,
to the above referred decision.
4 Member Governments are invited to bring the
content of the circular to the attention of all interested parties.