MARINE OPERATIONS.

Terminologies.
Ballast: Water carried instead of cargo in order to stabilize an empty vessel.
Time spent not carrying cargo is time “in ballast”.
Bareboat charter: An arrangement whereby a vessel is leased for a certain
period. Under a bareboat charter, the charterer has to cover crew and
operating expenses.
Bill of Lading: A document that establishes the terms of a contract between
a shipper and a transportation company. It serves as a document of title,
a contract of carriage and a receipt for goods.
Bunker: Ship’s fuel, either diesel (in the case of vessels with motor
propulsion) or heavy fuel oil (in the case of vessels with turbine
propulsion).
C & F: Carriage and freight. This means that the cost of the cargo and the
freight to move it to the destination is included (it excludes insurance.)
Charter Party: Contract agreement between ship-owner and carrier
specifying the lease terms for a voyage or hire period.
Company Security Officer (CS0): The person designated by the Company
for ensuring that a ship security assessment is carried out; that a ship
security plan is developed, submitted for approval, and thereafter
implemented and maintained, and for liaison with port facility security
officers and the ship security officer.
DWT (Dead-Weight Tonne): A measure (normally in metric tons) of a ship’s
carrying capacity, including bunker oil, fresh water, crew and provisions.
FOB: Free on Board. The cargo is loaded onto the ship at no charge to the
owner.
Freight Rate: The agreed freight charge, normally measured by metric ton
of cargo, cubic meter of cargo, dead-weight ton per month or days.

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 Port Facilities Security Assessment.
The persons carrying out the assessment shall have appropriate skills to
evaluate the security of the port facility. Those involved in a PFSA should
be able to draw upon expert assistance in relation to:
 Knowledge of current security threats and patterns.
 Recognition and detection of weapons, dangerous substances and
devices.
 Recognition, on a non-discriminatory basis, of characteristics and
behavioural patterns of persons who are likely to threaten security.
 Techniques used to circumvent security measures.
 Methods used to cause a security incident.
 Effects of explosives on structures and port facility services.
 Port facility security.
 Port business practices.
 Contingency planning, emergency preparedness and response.
 Physical security measures e.g. fences.
 Radio and telecommunications systems including computer systems
and networks.
 Ship and port operations.

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 Security Management Systems.
The figure below shows a typical security management systems.

Risk Assessment.
A risk assessment should entail a careful examination of what, in the
range of operations, could cause harm, with a view to deciding whether
the precautions are adequate, or whether more should be done to minimize
accidents and ill health on board ship.
The type of questions that should be answered when carrying out a risk
assessment are as follows:
What can go wrong?

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An identification of the hazards and accident scenarios, together with
potential causes and outcomes.
How bad and how likely?
An evaluation of the risk factors.
Can matters be improved?
An identification of risk control options to reduce the identified risks.
What is the effort involved and how much better would the result be?
A determination of the benefit and effectiveness of each risk control option.
What action should be taken?
An identification of the appropriate course of action to deliver a safe
activity based on the hazards, their associated risks and the effectiveness
of alternative risk control options.

Permit to Work Systems.

A Permit to Work system is a formal written system that is used to control
certain types of work. It delivers a risk based approach to safety
management and requires personnel to undertake and record risk
assessments in the development of a safe system of work.
A Permit to Work system should comprise the following steps:
 Identify the task and location.
 Identify the hazards and assess the risks.
 Ensure appropriate competency of personnel who will carry out the
work.
 Define the risk control measures – state the precautions and
personal protective equipment needed.
 Determine communication procedures.
 Identify a procedure and initiate a Permit to Work.
 Obtain formal approval to perform the work.

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  Carry out a pre-work briefing.
 Prepare the work.
 Carry out the work to completion.
 Return work site to a safe condition.
 Complete the process, keeping records for audit purposes.

Pre-Arrival Exchange of Information.

Before the tanker arrives at the terminal, there should be an exchange of
information on matters such as the following:
 Exchange of security information.
 Tanker to Appropriate Competent Authority information.
 Tanker to Terminal information.
 Terminal to tanker information.
In regard to tanker to terminal information wherever possible, the following
information should be sent at least 24 hours prior to arrival:
 Name and call sign of ship.
 Country of registration.
 Overall length and beam of ship and draught on arrival.
 Estimated time of arrival at designated arrival point.
 Ship’s displacement on arrival. If loaded, type of cargo and
disposition.
 Maximum draught expected during and upon completion of cargo
handling.
 Any defects of hull, machinery or equipment that could adversely
affect safe operations or delay commencement of cargo handling.
 Any requirement for tank cleaning and/or gas freeing.

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  Whether crude oil washing is to be employed and, if so, confirmation
that the pre-arrival check-list has been satisfactorily completed.
 Ship’s manifold details, including type, size, number, distance
between centers of connections to be presented. Also products to be
handled at each manifold, numbered from forward.
 Advance information on proposed cargo handling operations,
including grades, sequence, quantities and any rate restrictions.
The terminal should ensure that the ship has been provided with relevant
port information as soon as practicable. For example:
 Depth of water at chart datum and range of salinity that can be
expected at the berth.
 Maximum permissible draught and maximum permissible air
draught.
 Availability of tugs and mooring craft together with any terminal
requirements on their usage.
 Details of any shore moorings that will be provided.
 Which side to be moored alongside.
 Number and size of hose connections and manifolds.
 Whether a Vapour Emission Control (VEC) system is in use.
 Inert gas requirements for cargo measurement.
 Closed loading requirements.
 For jetty berths, arrangement of gangway landing space or
availability of terminal access equipment.
 Advance information on proposed cargo specification, handling
operations or changes in existing plans for cargo operations.
 Any restrictions on crude oil washing procedures, tank cleaning and
gas freeing, that are applicable.

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  Advice on environmental and load restrictions applicable to the
berth.
 Facilities for the reception of slops, oily ballast residues and garbage.
 Security levels in effect within the port.

Ship –Board Operations.

All cargo operations should be carefully planned and documented well in
advance of their execution. The details of the plans should be discussed
with all personnel, both on the ship and at the terminal.
Before commencement of any loading or discharging operation, the ship’s
cargo pipelines and valves should be set as per the required loading or
discharging plan by a Responsible Officer and checked, independently, by
other personnel.
To avoid pressure surges, valves at the downstream end of a pipeline
system should not be closed against the flow of liquid, except in an
emergency.
The incorrect operation of pumps and valves can produce pressure surges
in a pipeline system. These surges may be sufficiently severe to damage
the pipeline, hoses or metal arms. One of the most vulnerable parts of the
system is the ship-to-shore connection.
It is therefore important to check that all such valves (butterfly and non-
return) are fully open when they are passing cargo or ballast.

Loading Procedures.
The responsibility for safe cargo handling operations is shared between the
ship and the terminal and rests jointly with the Master and the Terminal
Representative.

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Before starting to load cargo, the Responsible Officer and the Terminal
Representative should formally agree that both the tanker and the
terminal are ready to do so safely. The agreement should designate those
circumstances in which operations must be stopped immediately. The
following safeguards should be maintained throughout loading:
A Responsible Officer should be on watch and sufficient crew should be
on board to deal with the operation and security of the tanker. A
continuous watch of the tank deck should be maintained.
The agreed ship-to-shore communications system should be maintained
in good working order.
At the commencement of loading, and at each change of watch or shift, the
Responsible Officer and the Terminal Representative should each confirm
that the communications system for the control of loading is understood
by them and by personnel on watch and on duty.
The standby requirements for the normal stopping of shore pumps on
completion of loading, and the emergency stop system for both the tanker
and terminal, should be fully understood by all personnel concerned.
Prior to the commencement of loading, the inert gas plant should be closed
down and the inert gas pressure in the tanks to be loaded reduced unless
simultaneous loading and discharge of cargo is to take place.
When all necessary terminal and tanker valves in the loading system are
open, and the ship has signified its readiness, loading can commence. The
initial flow should be at a slow rate.
Whenever possible, this should be by gravity and to a single tank, with the
shore pumps not being started until the system has been checked and the
ship advises that cargo is being received in the correct tank(s).

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When the pumps have been started, the ship/shore connections should
be checked for tightness until the agreed flow rate or pressure has been
reached.
A sample of the cargo should be taken as soon after the commencement of
loading as possible. This will allow the product’s visual quality to be
checked to ensure the correct grade is being loaded. This should be done
before opening up subsequent tanks for loading.
Throughout loading, the ship should monitor and regularly check all full
and empty tanks to confirm that cargo is only entering the designated
cargo tanks and that there is no escape of cargo.
The loading rate should not be substantially changed without informing
the ship.
After the completion of loading, a Responsible Officer should check that
all valves in the cargo system are closed, that all appropriate tank openings
are closed and that pressure/vacuum relief valves are correctly set.
The generally accepted method for controlling electrostatic generation in
the initial stages of loading is to restrict the velocity of oil entering the tank
to 1 meter/second until the tank inlet is well covered and all splashing
and surface turbulence in the tank has ceased.

Discharging Procedures.
Before starting to discharge cargo, the Responsible Officer and the
Terminal Representative must formally agree that both the tanker and the
terminal are ready to do so safely.
Throughout pumping operations, no abrupt changes in the rate of flow
should be made.
Ships using an inert gas system (IGS) must have the system fully
operational and producing good quality (i.e. low oxygen content) inert gas

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at the commencement of discharge. The IGS must be fully operational and
working satisfactorily throughout the discharge of cargo or deballasting.
Cargo discharge must not be started until:
 All relevant cargo tanks, including slop tanks, are common with the
inert gas (IG) main.
 All other cargo tank openings, including vent valves, are securely
closed.
 The IG main is isolated from the atmosphere and, if a cross
connection is fitted, also from the cargo main.
 The IG plant is operating.
 The deck isolating valve is open.
Shore valves must be fully open to receiving tanks before the tanker’s
manifold valves are opened. If there is a possibility that, owing to the
elevation of the shore tanks above the level of the ship’s manifold, pressure
might exist in the shore line and no non-return (check) valves are fitted in
the shore line, the ship must be informed and the tanker’s manifold valves
should not be opened until an adequate pressure has been developed by
the pumps.
Discharge should start at a slow rate and only be increased to the agreed
rate once both parties are satisfied that the flow of oil to and from
designated tanks is confirmed.
Throughout discharging, the ship should monitor and regularly check all
full and empty tanks to confirm that cargo is only leaving the designated
cargo tanks and that there is no escape of cargo.
During discharge, the flow of cargo should be controlled by the tanker in
accordance with the agreement reached with the terminal. The discharge
rate should not be substantially changed without informing the terminal.

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 Terminal Management and Organization.
Terminals should seek assurance that ships visiting their berths comply
with applicable international, national and local marine regulations.
Terminals should have a written, comprehensive and up to date Terminal
Operating Manual. The Terminal Operating Manual is a working document
and should include procedures, practices and drawings relevant to the
specific terminal.
Terminals should have procedures in place to manage the exchange of
information between the ship and the terminal, before the ship berths.
This will ensure the safe and timely arrival of the ship at the berth, with
both parties ready to commence operations.
Terminals should provide sufficient manpower to ensure that all
operational and emergency conditions can be conducted in a safe manner,
taking into account:
 Effective monitoring of operations.
 Size of the facility.
 Volume and type of products handled.
 Number and size of berths.
 Number, type and size of ships visiting the terminal.
 Degree of mechanization employed.
 Amount of automation employed.
 Tank farm duties for personnel.
 Fire-fighting duties.
 Liaison with port authorities and adjacent or neighbouring marine
terminal operators.
 Personnel requirements for port operations including pilotage,
mooring boats, line handling and hose handling.

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  Fluctuations in manpower availability due to holidays, illness and
training.
 Personnel involvement in emergency and terminal pollution
response.
 Terminal involvement in port response plans, including mutual aid.
 Security.

Terminal Operations.
Pre-arrival communication involves terminals should provide ships
visiting their berths with information on all pertinent local regulations and
terminal safety requirements.
Mooring equipment should be appropriate for the sizes of ship using the
berths. The equipment provided should allow the ship’s mooring
arrangements to hold the ship securely alongside the berth in the weather
and tidal conditions expected at the berth.
Responsibility for the provision of safe ship/shore access is jointly shared
between the ship and the terminal. All ship and shore gangways should
meet the following criteria:
 Clear walkway.
 Continuous handrail on both sides.
 Electrically insulated to eliminate continuity between ship and
shore.
 Adequate lighting.
 For gangways without self-levelling treads or steps, a maximum safe
operating inclination should be established.
 Lifebuoys should be available with light and line on both ship and
shore.

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All shore gangways should also meet the following additional criteria, as
appropriate:
 Remain within deflected fender face when in the stored position.
 Provide for locking against motion in the stored position.
 Permit free movement after positioning on the ship.
 Provide backup power or manual operation in the event of primary
power failure.
 Be designed for specified operating conditions known to the berth
operating personnel.
A ship’s gangway consists of a straight, lightweight bridging structure
provided with side stanchions and handrails. The walking surface has a
non-slip surface or transverse bars to provide foot grips for when it is
inclined. It is rigged perpendicular to the ship’s side and spans between
the ship’s rail and the working deck of the berth.
Lighting levels should meet national or international engineering
standards as a minimum. Particular consideration should be given to
lighting of the following areas:
 Berth or jetty-head working areas.
 Access routes.
 Berth or jetty perimeters.
 Boat landings.
 Mooring dolphins and walkways.
 Stairways to elevated gantries.
 Emergency escape routes.
 Lighting of water around berth to detect spillage and possibly
unauthorized craft.
Fire safety at marine terminals is provided through overlapping levels of
protection as follows:
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  Prevention and isolation.
 Detection and alarm facilities.
 Protection equipment.
 Emergency and escape routes.
 Emergency planning.
 Evacuation procedures.
Fire safety at marine terminals requires an appropriate balance between
good design features, safe operational procedures and good emergency
planning.
The specification for the detection and alarm systems on terminals
transferring crude oil and flammable hydrocarbon liquids will depend on
a number of factors that include the following:
 The commodities or products transferred.
 Tanker size and number berthed per year.
 Pumping rates.
 The proximity of hazardous equipment with respect to other
equipment or hazards, i.e. equipment spacing, electrical area
classification.
 The proximity of tankers to the terminal and to hazardous terminal
equipment.
 The proximity of the terminal to residential, commercial or other
industrial properties.
 The installation of emergency isolation valves.
 The number and nature of fixed fire extinguishing systems that are
connected to detection and alarm systems.
 Whether the terminal is continuously manned or periodically
unmanned.

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  The ability of the emergency response unit at the terminal or within
the terminal’s organization to provide a timely and effective response.
 Proximity to any outside emergency response units, and their
capacity, availability and time of response.
 Requirements imposed by local regulatory bodies.
 The desired degree of protection beyond regulatory requirements.
 The degree of effective protection that a particular manufacturer’s
detection and alarm system offers.

Evacuation and Personnel Escape Routes.

Terminal facilities and sea island structures should have at least two
separate evacuation routes from all occupied or work areas and from
berthed ships.
If escape routes cannot be led clear of sources of probable fire, the route
should be protected, where practicable, by fire walls/barriers or heat
shields and should afford personnel protection from exposure to burning
hydrocarbons on water, on the topside of loading/unloading facilities, or
on shore.
Evacuation routes should be designed, and maintained, obstacle free in
order to eliminate the need for personnel to jump into water in order to
reach an area of refuge.
All terminals should be designed or modified to provide adequately for the
emergency evacuation of personnel via boat access.
Every terminal and sea island installation should be equipped with
lifesaving appliances for use in evacuation and rescue, such as life buoys,
personal flotation devices for every person located at the site and, where
appropriate, life rafts or life boats. Personal flotation devices should be
located in prominent and accessible positions.

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