Oil Spill Risks From Tank Vessel Lightering (1998) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 1-8
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Risks can be reduced even further through measures that enhance sound lightering standards and practices, support cooperative industry efforts to maintain safety, and increase the availability of essential information to shipping companies and mariners. Only continued vigilance and attention to safety initiatives can avert serious accidents involving tankers carrying large volumes of oil.
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Service vessels may be all-purpose tankers, tankers equipped specifically for lightering, integrated tug-barge units equipped specifically for lightering, or standard all-purpose tug-barge units. LIGHTERING SAFETY AND SPILL RECORD Even though an immense amount of information is available on maritime accidents in general, it is difficult to collect reliable data on the history of oil spills related to lightering in U.S.
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laws and regulations. The USCG oversees lightering operations outside port areas through six general mechanisms: vessel design requirements, operational procedures, personnel qualifications, oil spill contingency planning and equipment requirements, vessel inspection, and monitoring.
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, but no separate lightering standards have been established for inland trade despite its unique characteristics, such as the extensive use of barges and the frequent transport of specialized refined products. The OCIMF and ITOL lightering guidelines leave little room for improvement, with the exception of a few details concerning the characteristics of the safest vessel designs and equipment.
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Industry organizations, such as the American Waterways Operators, or cooperative organizations modeled on the Industry Taskforce on Offshore Lightering should develop standards and guidelines for inshore lightering operations. This document could either supplement or incorporate appropriate sections of the Oil Companies International Marine Forum guidelines for offshore operations.
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The Oil Companies International Marine Forum should recommend limited operating parameters for modern double-hull tankers used as ships to be lightered to accommodate excessive freeboard (up to about 85 feet) when the cargo tanks are empty, a condition that can degrade the integrity of the mooring between the ship to be lightered and the service vessel.
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From page 7... ...
Navy to select locations for weather buoys and to tailor weather data and forecasts to support operations in both designated lightering zones and traditional lightering areas. The National Weather Service should take on this task as a priority to improve the delivery of weather information for offshore operations.
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From page 8... ...
The U.S. Coast Guard should develop, or hire a private contractor to develop, an accurate, comprehensive computer database on maritime oil spills that can be searched and sorted by pertinent variables, including the causes of accidents.
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