Regulation 15 - Arrangements for oil fuel, lubricating oil and other flammable oils

 The use of oil fuel having a flashpoint of less than 60°C but not less than 43°C may be permitted, e.g, for feeding the emergency fire pumps engines and the auxiliary machines which are not located in the machinery spaces of category A, subject to the following:

• .1 fuel oil tanks except those arranged in double bottom compartments should be arranged outside of machinery space of category A;

• .2 provisions for the measurement of oil temperature should be provided on the suction pipe of the oil fuel pump;

• .3 stop valves and/or cocks should be provided to the inlet side and outlet side of the oil fuel strainers; and

• .4 pipe joints of welded construction or of circular cone type or spherical type union joint should be applied as much as possible.

• 1 Machineries and piping systems for the usage of fuel oil having a flashpoint of 43°C or less should comply with the following:

  • .1 provisions for the measurement of oil temperature should be provided on the suction pipe of oil fuel pump;

  • .2 stop valves and/or cocks should be provided to the inlet side and outlet side of the oil fuel strainers; and

  • .3 pipe joints of welded construction or of circular cone type or spherical type union joint should be applied as much as possible.

• 2 Reference is made to IACS requirement M 24 "Requirements concerning use of crude oil or slop as fuel for tanker boilers."

• 1 The provision of this paragraph applies to fuel oil tanks having a capacity of 500 l and above.

• 2 The controls for remote operation of the valve for the emergency generator fuel tank should be in a separate location from other valves for tanks in machinery spaces.

• 1 Air and overflow pipes and relief valves should discharge to a position where there is no risk of fire or explosion from the emergence of oils and vapour and should not lead into crew spaces, passenger spaces nor into special category spaces, closed ro-ro cargo spaces, machinery spaces or similar spaces.

• 2 The requirement for overpressure protection should be applied only to filling pipes served by pumps on board.

 For valves, fitted to oil fuel tanks and which are under static pressure, steel or modular cast iron may be accepted. However, ordinary cast iron valves may be used in piping systems where the design pressure is lower than 7 bar and the design temperature is below 60°C.

• 1 The provision of regulation II-2/15.2.5 applies to lubricating oil tanks except those having a capacity less than 500 l and storage tanks on which valves are closed at normal operation mode of the ship. Relaxation from this provision may be given, on a case-by-case basis, where it is determined that an unintended operation of a quick closing valve, on the oil lubricating tank, would endanger the safe operation of the main propulsion and essential auxiliary machinery.

• 2 Suitable oil collecting arrangements for leaks should be fitted below hydraulic valves and cylinders.