Transport Publications TP 10783 E
2.1 Authorities
All persons or organizations responsible for managing transfer operations, in excess of 500 cubic metres in a single event, should notify Prairie and Northern Region, Marine in Ottawa , via NORDREG or the nearest Coast Guard Radio Station, of plans for oil transfer operations in Arctic waters.
2.1.1 Regulations
The following regulations apply to all transfers of petroleum oil products in Canadian waters, as shown in Diagram 2.1.
- Arctic Shipping Pollution Prevention Regulations ( ASPPR ), under the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act ( AWPPA ): This covers ship standards and activities in waters north of the 60th parallel, and east of the 141st meridian, for 100 nautical miles seaward, or an equidistant line between Canada and Greenland, and as defined in Section 3 of the AWPPA (Shipping Safety Control Zones).
- Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Regulations ( AWPPR ), under the AWPPA . This covers the shipowner's liability provisions regarding spillage of waste.
- Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations ( OPPR ), under the Canada Shipping Act ( CSA ) -- this applies to all Canadian waters.
2.1.2 Enforcement and Penalties
To ensure that regulations governing the transfer of oil and petroleum products are enforced:
- Pollution Prevention Officers, may inspect any ship or facility in the prescribed Shipping Safety Zones, to determine compliance with the ASPPR and OPPR ;
- Persons or ships found guilty of offences, described in Sections 18 and 19 of the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act, are liable for fines ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 depending on the nature and duration of the offence;
- All ships must be covered for pollution spills and are liable to the extent provided by regulations.
- Persons or ships that discharge a pollutant in contravention of any regulation made pursuant to section 656 of the Canada Shipping Act are guilty of an offence or indictable offence, and are liable to fines up to $1,000,000, to imprisonment, or both. There are provisions under the same Act, concerning reporting of discharges, non-compliance with a direction of a Pollution Prevention Officer, and detention of ships;
Diagram 2.1
2.2 Vessels and Terminals
Any vessel engaged in oil transportation, transfer or storage in the Arctic should be subject to the following conditions:
- Designed, constructed, and suitably equipped for the task and conditions;
- Operated by competent qualified persons;
When transfers are made from bulk oil storage tankers:
- If Ship Safety Certificates have expired, transfers should be carefully checked and supervised; and
- Tankers should receive or discharge oil only from shore installations that are safe and that comply with Federal, Provincial, and/or Territorial regulations and standards.
2.3 Lifesaving Considerations
The following equipment should be readily available for quick deployment, or depending on prevailing conditions, worn:
- Life buoys, and other lifesaving equipment; for quick deployment (Note: powder/rocket type line throwers should not be used).
- Approved PFD s and appropriate cold weather clothing for personnel working on barges and work boats, which may be used during ship to shore or vice-versa transfers.
2.4 Safety
The following safety guidelines should be observed:
- "No smoking/no naked lights or flames" warning signs should be posted.
- Announcements of an impending transfer should be made, on board the vessel(s) and at shore facilities on public address systems.
- All operations personnel should be versed and rehearsed in emergency procedures and in the use of fire fighting equipment.
- Sufficient personnel and relief crews should be available to deal with intended transfer operations and to allow for sufficient rest and food breaks, and
- Ground faults found on the main switchboard should be traced and isolated immediately to prevent arcing;
- Use an Insulating Flange, in accordance with the "International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals";
- When loading crude oil of an unknown flashpoint, or products with known low flashpoints (jet B), routine checks for flammable gas concentrations should be made near tank vents, using approved test devices. If high readings for this product are recorded on deck, operations should be suspended, until gas accumulation clears to a safe level;
- Routine checks for gas concentration should be carried out during all ship-to-ship transfer operations;
- Radiated energy from HF radios and radar antennae can cause arcs or heat which can affect nearby ship superstructures, causing an ignition hazard. During ship-to-ship transfer, if high gas concentrations exist, these systems and equipment should be used with caution;
- SATCOM antennae and positioning systems are normally not classified as explosion proof electrical equipment, therefore gas concentrations should be carefully checked before satellite terminals are operated on vessels transferring volatile cargoes;
- During ship-to-ship transfer, main engines on both vessels should remain on "Standby", for the entire operation period:
- engine's exhausts should be monitored for sparks,
- spark arrestors should be checked prior to arrival,
- boiler soot blowing should not be carried out during transfers;
- For barge transfers, and where appropriate, forward and aft emergency towing wires should be deployed over the opposite side of the vessel from the hose manifold in use and available for immediate use;
- Routine checks should be made of mooring arrangements and fenders, as well as gangways and nets, if in use;
- A minimum wind speed of 5 knots is required when transferring high volatile products (gasoline and jet B); and
- Petroleum fuel cargoes for the North should be tested to ensure adherence to Canadian General Standard Board ( CGSB ) or more stringent standards, especially relative to flash point and use of Static Dissipator Additive ( SDA ) in various jet and diesel fuels.
2.5 Fire Fighting and Emergency Equipment
The following guidelines for fire fighting and the use of emergency equipment should be observed:
- Fire fighting equipment should be prepared for rapid deployment before commencing transfer;
- A fire extinguisher should be readily available, and a fire hose should be rolled out on deck at instant readiness, close to the manifold in use.
- For barge transfers, fire fighting equipment and resources on accompanying tugs and at terminals should be in a state of readiness; and
- When conditions are expected to remain below freezing during the transfer period, fire and foam lines on open decks and unheated areas should be kept dry to prevent freeze up.
2.6 Contingency Procedures
Contingency procedures are vital in the event of an oil spill. Therefore:
- A "Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan" should be available in compliance with the "Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations" under the Canada Shipping Act; and
- Regular drills should be held for the operations crew, especially when new members join.
2.7 Weather and Local Ice Conditions
Weather and local ice conditions should be considered during a transfer. Therefore, during a transfer period:
- Local and regional weather forecasts and ice charts should be obtained, where available;
- Weather and ice conditions should be monitored constantly throughout the transfer period; and
- Transfer operations personnel should have suitable clothing for the prevailing conditions, and should not be exposed to severe weather conditions or other hazards for lengthy periods. Therefore, in these circumstances, the deck watch should be relieved more frequently.
2.8 Lighting
- Supplier and recipient facilities should be supplied with adequate lighting, particularly at the respective manifolds or fuelling stations, and over the ship side;
- Work boats involved in sealift transfers should be equipped with spotlights for hose inspections and related work; and
- Flashlights and other portable and fixed lighting apparatus, should be designed and constructed according to approved specifications for operation in flammable or explosive gas areas.
2.9 Shoreside Considerations
The area in which the transfer is to take place should be checked to ensure:
- The hose landing and handling area is free of obstructions and hazards; and
- Manifolds, bollards, and deadmen on the beach or shoreline are adequate, and clearly marked for high visibility.
2.10 Communications
Good communications are essential for a smooth transfer operation, and are vital in a crisis situation. Therefore:
- The Transfer Supervisor should have the capability, for "full break-in" to the radio system or network, where possible, or a radio channel dedicated exclusively to the transfer operation;
- During transfer of volatile, low flashpoint products, hand-held radios should be used which:
- are intrinsically safe,
- have a VHF or UHF band, with adequate range, and
- are on a channel or frequency agreed to by suppliers and recipients,
- Fresh batteries should be installed before the transfer commences, and replacements should be available to ensure continuous operation of the radios throughout the transfer period (Note: Battery life is shortened by cold weather conditions);
- All personnel using radios should be on the SAME channel or frequency (this should be verified);
- For bunkering operations, there should be adequate communications between the deck bunkering station and machinery control room;
- The following standard signals should be used in all transfer operations:
- STANDBY TO START TRANSFER
- START TRANSFER
- SLOW DOWN TRANSFER
- STAND BY TO STOP TRANSFER
- STOP TRANSFER
- EMERGENCY STOP OF TRANSFER.
2.11 Control
To ensure accessibility:
- Emergency controls for fuel transfer pumps should be installed at the deck bunkering station; and
- Controls, running lights, and discharge pressure gauges for cargo pumps should be visible and accessible at main deck level.
NOTE The bunker transfer pump controls at the deck bunkering station apply to vessels that normally supply bunkers, i.e., this does not apply to vessels receiving bunkers, or to vessels supplying bunkers in an emergency or on a one-off basis.