Page: 1 of 9 4.1. SCOPE This section provides operating instructions and procedures to be complied with in order to ensure that discharging operations are conducted safely and in accordance with the best practices in the industry. 4.2. RESPONSIBILITY: The Master is responsible for: Ensuring that the requirements contained in this section are complied with. Providing clear guidelines to the Chief Officer for preparing discharge and COW plans. Verifying and approving the discharge and COW plans prepared by Chief Officer after ensuring that they are in compliance with ship specific manuals such as loading manuals, company policies and best practices in the industry. Ensuring that the cargo documentation especially pumping logs, protests, time logs and terminal documents are prepared accurately. The Chief Officer is responsible for issuing Standing Orders and Night Orders for cargo operations, preparing the discharge & COW Plan, lining up the vessel for discharging and supervising the discharge and COW operations. The OOW is responsible for making themselves familiar with the cargo plans and executing the discharge & COW Plan under the supervision of the Chief Officer and for proper record keeping. 4.3. PROHIBITIONS On no account shall the vessel s permissible load lines be submerged. Stress and stability limitations recommended by the Approved Loading Manual shall not be exceeded at any stage of voyage, cargo or ballast operations. Cargo pumps shall not be operated in excess of their designed maximum working parameters. 4.4. PLANNING 4.4.1. General Master shall confirm compliance with company UKC policy at berth, in the channel and approaches to berth. 4.4.2. Voyage instructions Information provided in the voyage order and discharge instructions shall be thoroughly studied. In addition to guide to port entry, other necessary information for the port of discharging should be obtained from the ship s Agents, such as:
Page: 2 of 9 Number and Size of shore connections Depth at berth and maximum permissible draft Maximum discharging rate allowed COW restrictions if any Which side alongside Ship or Shore gangway Special terminal requirement such as line displacement, water plug etc Any draft restriction Any UKC requirement imposed by the terminal Any manifold height restriction Any trim restriction Clear written instruction regarding line displacement by cargo shall be taken prior arrival port and same included in discharge plan. In case, terminal requirement includes a water plug, Master shall contact office for further instructions. Marine Superintendent will check with charterers, obtain necessary LOI and provide approval on case to case basis. A through risk assessment shall be prepared by the vessel for the following cases: If vessel is discharging special cargo such as high density cargo (e.g. CBFS) Water plug by vessel Very high H2S cargo (earlier prepared RA may be reviewed) Where necessary, a Management of change procedure shall be initiated by vessel. Detailed Discharge and COW plan shall be prepared after considering following: Disport rotation Optimum utilization of cargo pumps Port restrictions, if any COW requirement including COW of heavy weather ballast tanks Cargo segregation (double valve / vapour segregation) Heating requirement, Requirement from VOC Management Plan Permissible limits of stresses, stability, draft and trim This plan should be sent to office for review and approval by Marine Superintendent. Calculations shall be made, to ensure that during any stage of discharging, the vessel stays within the permissible limits of stresses, stability, draft and trim. Minimum manpower required for Connection of hoses, Commencement, Discharging, Crude Oil Washing, and Disconnection of hoses shall be clearly defined in the Discharge & COW plan.
Page: 3 of 9 4.4.3. Pre-discharge meeting Prior arrival port, a meeting shall be carried out to discuss the discharge operations. The Master shall chair the meeting. All Officers (except for those on watch), Chief Engineer, Deck Cadets, Bosun, ABs, OS, and the Pump man are required to attend the meeting. A copy of the discharge plan must be provided to the Chief Engineer for his information. The Chief Engineer must discuss the planned discharging operation with the Engine room personnel. The agenda of the meeting, as a minimum, shall cover the following issues: 1. Cargo discharge & COW plan and risk assessment if any 2. Grades of cargo segregation and Contamination issues; 3. Nature of cargo; 4. Sampling procedures; 5. Any defects in the cargo / ballast system; 6. Watch schedule (in compliance with rest periods); 7. Discharge sequence, Crude Oil Washing planned and Max discharge rate 8. Special terminal requirements including mooring requirements (e.g. CBM mooring) 9. Requirement for pumps 10. Critical stages of the discharge operations 11. LOP s to be issued (including for free pratique requirement) 12. Other operations expected - Bunkering / Stores / Surveys / Vetting inspections An entry has to be made in Deck Log book once the meeting is carried out. 4.4.4. Pre arrival checks: Chief Officer shall ensure that Section-A of Disport checklist is complied with at least 24 hrs prior arrival discharge port. Master shall communicate compliance with this section to office. Cargo pipelines should be tested to the normal working pressure prior every discharge operation. In this case the normal working pressure is defined as the maximum expected discharge pressure the vessel would attain during the corresponding discharge. In situations where vessels are involved in frequent discharge operations, such pressure testing shall be carried out to the maximum expected discharge pressure, at periodic intervals as per master s discretion however not exceeding 3 months. Should an oil leakage occur from pipe work on deck, the affected sections must be drained down and not used again until the leakage has been repaired. Cargo pump trips to be tested from all available locations & same to be logged in Port Log for Tankers. If H2S or other gases are present in the ullage space of cargo tanks terminal shall be informed of same atleast 48hrs prior arrival or as per voyage orders. Cargo lines in pump room and on deck should be confirmed well drained. In the case of heated cargo if the lines are not drained this can result in clogging of the lines.
Page: 4 of 9 Cargo lines shall be lined up to avoid pressurization caused from high ambient temperatures experienced during the voyage. 4.5. DISCHARGE PROCEDURE In addition to this chapter, refer to Ch 13 for additional instructions for handling high H2S cargo and refer to Ch 10 for handling high pour point cargo and high vapour pressure cargo. 4.5.1. Prior discharge Upon arrival disport, Ship shore safety meeting shall be conducted between the Loading master and the Chief Officer. Ship / shore safety checklist shall be filled and totally adhered to prior and during discharging operation. Chief Officer shall confirm with the terminal regarding the discharge sequence, discharge rate (initial /bulk) and Crude oil washing requirement. This shall be recorded in the ship shore safety checklist. If H2S or other gases are present in the ullage space of cargo tanks, then it should be informed to terminal and other personnel boarding the vessel. Cargo tank high level alarm system and independent high level alarm system shall be tested and ensured in good operating condition. Discharge port checklist section B should be complied with. Refer to Chapter 11 for sampling and gauging. Before connecting hoses / chicksons, vessel s manifolds must be positively identified by a flag or name board to facilitate easy identification by the shore personnel. Only crew designated by the vessel management team may operate shipboard cranes. Operating signals will be in accordance with the Code of Safe Working Practices. Crane operation checklist shall be complied with. When lifting cargo hoses using vessel's equipment, the OOW shall: Be present at manifold to ensure safe operation; Stop operation if he considers it might endanger the vessel, personnel or environment. Deck officer shall give Engine Room a minimum of one-hour notice for cargo plant requirements including IG. The turbine should be started by gradually opening the steam valve. The speed should be kept between 100-200 RPM to warm up the turbine for approx 25 minutes or as specified in maker s manual. If no abnormal sound or vibration noted, rpm can be gradually increased. Cautions while using COPs: Never throttle the suction valve in any case during the operation as trouble may occur due to dry operation Be aware that when a centrifugal pump is operated without discharge, most of the power changes into heat and as a result, temp of the liquid in the pump casing rises to the boiling
Page: 5 of 9 point causing seizure of interior of the pump. Cargo valve line up including sea chest valves and overboard valves and IG line up must be crosschecked by at least two Deck Officers in order to prevent one-man error. An entry must be made in the Port log that this has been carried out. IG plant should be started early and kept ready. Refer to ch 6 for Inert Gas operations. Hose connection / disconnection must be carried out in the presence of deck officer. The officer must satisfy himself that cargo hoses or loading arms are in good condition and that all connections are fully bolted using all bolt holes available, before discharge commences. If there is any doubt about the condition of shore hoses/loading arms this must be brought to the attention of the terminal representative and if necessary a Note of Protest raised before commencing operations. Prior Hose disconnection OOW to ensure that the hoses are drained. MSDS must be consulted, PPE identified and precautions adopted as per the hazards identified. Chief Officer and terminal representative or cargo surveyor shall accurately measure, calculate and agree Cargo on board and the results recorded in forms Ullage report. 4.5.2. Discharging Over the Tide Where it is required to use a berth when the nominated quantity of cargo will cause the vessel to arrive alongside at a draught exceeding the maximum allowable draught for the berth, it may be possible for the vessel to berth and discharge sufficient cargo before the next low water, thus enabling her maintain her minimum UKC requirement. This procedure may be adopted where all parties concerned accept the risk involved and agree to adopt mitigating procedures to ensure that the vessel can be discharged in good time to maintain her minimum UKC, or be removed from the berth to a position where she can maintain her minimum UKC. The discharging plan and the Risk assessment should be sent for office review and approval. Letter of protest shall be issued to the terminal with office consultation for insufficient depth at berth. Following to be considered when doing risk assessment for over the tide cargo operations: 1. Inaccurate draft measurement. 2. Delay in Pilot boarding. 3. Delay in berthing. 4. Failure of mooring equipment. 5. Failure/Delay of Ship Shore Access. 6. Hose handling crane failure. 7. Delay in gauging. 8. Delay in sampling. 9. Delay in calculation. 10. Delay due to discrepancies on cargo matters (Free water, Difference in quantities, Quality issues, and temperature issues) 11. Failure of IG System. 12. Failure of Boiler / COP Plant / FRAMO. 13. Terminal restriction.
Page: 6 of 9 14. Terminal un-anticipated Back Pressure (Shore tank Ullage space). 15. Main Engine non in state of readiness. 16. Cargo system leakages. 17. Shore side leakages. 18. Inaccuracies in tidal information/calculations. 19. Weather aspects (Wind speed, lightning, rain leading to delayed start or stoppage) 20. Mooring equipment failure. 21. Pilot delay for unberthing. 22. Escort Tug Delay. 23. Time to abort operations and call pilot. 4.5.3. DURING DISCHARGE / COW / BALLAST OPERATIONS 4.5.3.1. Commencement of Discharge OOW shall be positioned on deck near the manifold area on commencement of discharge. Manifold valves should be opened only after it has been confirmed that both vessel and the terminal are ready to commence operations. Be aware of the possibility that backflow from pressurised shore lines (from full shore tanks) may lead to cargo tank overflow. Hence, the pumps should be kept on roll prior to opening up the manifold valve. When starting cargo or ballast pumps Duty Engineer shall be in direct contact with Deck Officer. Prior handing over control of the pumps to CCR, RPM of the pumps should be gradually increased to the specified minimum. When vessel is ready to commence discharge and terminal ready to receive, the Chief Officer shall start the cargo pumps slowly. Once the vessel and the terminal have verified the integrity of the respective cargo handling systems and equipment, and have ascertained correct line-up, then the cargo pump RPM can be increased gradually, till either the maximum permitted pressure at the manifold is reached or the maximum safe RPM, or discharge pressure of the pumps is reached. In case of leak or defective line detection, officer in charge shall immediately stop transfer operations and advise terminal personnel. Operations shall not be resumed until the leak has been arrested and measures taken to prevent it from recurring. Once the discharging rate has been increased to maximum agreed rate, OOW shall satisfy himself that no defects / leaks exist on the deck or in the pump room before returning to the cargo control room. Refer to Annex 1 Centrifugal Pumps Guidance 4.5.3.2. During discharging The Chief Officer shall prepare night order with specific instructions that are not contained in the Discharge & COW Plan / Standing orders. The OOW must complete a safety round of the deck and if possible in the pumproom prior taking over a watch. The Cargo Control Room must be kept manned throughout the discharging operation. In case of leak from cargo line or pumps, OOW shall inform Chief Officer (if time permits), stop cargo and advise terminal.
Page: 7 of 9 OOW must comply with the discharge & COW plan. If there are any deviations, he shall inform chief officer. Relevant entries should be made in port log. Ballasting must start at the planned stages and the operation must be monitored throughout discharging. Regular monitoring of discharging, COW and ballasting operations shall be carried out and the following checklists adhered to: Section C of Discharge port checklist Ship shore safety checklist Pump room entry permit Hourly monitoring record COP / Ballast pump monitoring record IG records COW record Pumping log Port log Crude oil washing shall be carried out strictly in compliance with COW manual. Refer to chapter 7 for COW. To avoid a pressure surge in COW lines, branch and root valves need to be closed and opened slowly while under pressure. The OOW shall be aware of the load on the boiler and the effect on it, brought about by a change in the RPM of the pumps. The RPM of the pumps should be changed in a phased and gradual manner. When cargo pumps are in operation, then bearing and casing temperatures shall be recorded on Hourly monitoring record. In case the temperature reaches the manufacturer's recommended maximum limit, then pump operation shall be suspended and the cause investigated. When 2 or more centrifugal pumps are operating in parallel, then the pump with the lower throughput will invariably have liquid re-circulating within its casing, which in turn can lead to a rise in the casing temperature of this pump. The pump throughputs need to be carefully balanced to prevent such a situation from developing. All efforts shall be made to utilize vessel's cargo pumps in such a manner that cargo discharge is concluded in shortest possible time, consistent with safety, capacity of pumps and the receiving facilities. Chief Officer shall ascertain from the receiving terminal regarding the maximum shore line pressure permitted at the vessel s rail. Every effort shall be made to maintain this pressure. The ullages of all cargo tanks (including non-designated tanks) and ballast tanks shall be monitored on hourly basis to ascertain that the stresses are kept within limits. The draft, trim and stress obtained should be compared with the discharge plan to check whether the operation is proceeding according to the plan. In case of any deviation from the plan, OOW shall alert Chief Officer immediately. Hard copies from Loadicator shall be printed every 4 Hours and filed.
Page: 8 of 9 If cargo operations are stopped for any reason the line-up should be re-checked prior to the recommencement. In case of heated cargo, the lines should be drained / stripped back to the cargo tank if there is any stoppage to avoid clogging of cargo in the lines. Sufficient trim should be maintained for COW and stripping operations. Comply with trim requirement provided in COW manual. Procedure for line up and use of vacuum pumps shall be clearly mentioned in Chief Officer s discharge plan or standing orders. 4.5.4. Upon completion of discharging: On completion of discharge, lines and tanks shall be stripped as dry as possible to ensure maximum cargo outturn. Line stripping shall not be neglected in the interest of reducing discharge time. Upon completion of discharge and line stripping, ROB survey should be carried out in the presence of cargo surveyor or terminal representative. OOW or Chief Officer shall accompany the surveyor. Office should be alerted if any liquid ROB is found. Hoses shall be disconnected only after the ROB survey is completed and confirmed that all nominated cargo has been discharged. Till disconnection of hoses, cargo pumps & stripping pumps shall be kept standby. Pumping log is an important document and it should be counter signed by the terminal representative. Comply with section D of Discharge port checklist. Records To avoid duplication, if charterer provides cargo forms, vessels do not require to use equivalent company form. Following documents related to cargo discharging must be dispatched to office and copies of these documents must be retained on board for three years: Notice of Readiness (OP-TKR-01) Ship / Shore safety checklist (OP-TKR-08) Proof of sample delivery Ullage Report (OP-TKR-15) Receipt for Cargo Documents Slop certificate if applicable (OP-TKR-13) Pumping log (OP-TKR-14) OBQ / ROB certificate (OP-TKR-17) Time Sheet (OP-TKR-12) All Letters of Protests issued and received
Page: 9 of 9 Terminal Satisfaction Report (OP-TKR-24) Hourly Monitoring Record (OP-TKR-26). Discharge port checklist (OP-TKR-05) Pump room entry permit (OP-TKR-33A) Pump room entry Log (OP-TKR-33B) COP / Ballast pump monitoring record (OP-TKR-18) IG records(op-tkr-29) COW record (OP-TKR-09) Port log (OP-TKR-32) Crane operation checklist (OP-TKR-27) COW plan (Form OP-TKR-07)