Section 250-RICR-140-25-2.8 - Ballasting of Oil-Carrying VesselsA. The owner and operator of an oil-carrying vessel shall take the following precautionary measures prior to and during the ballasting operation: 1. The transfer of cargo shall be completed and all hose riser valves closed and connections blanked.2. If ballast is to be pumped in, whether through deck lines or bottom line, valves on the lines used are set first; then the valves to the tanks to be ballasted shall be opened; the necessary valves in the pump rooms, except seacocks, shall be set next; and cargo or ballast pumps shall be started before opening seacocks.3. If ballasting is done by gravity, ballast shall be pumped in first for ten (10) minutes in accordance with the procedure outlined above in § 2.8(A)(2) of this Part to clear all bottom lines of oil.4. When ballasting has started, all tanks shall be inspected to see that only the tanks intended are receiving ballast.5. The same attention shall be given to ballasting as to topping-off tanks when loading cargo.6. When completing the loading of ballast, seacocks shall be closed before stopping the pumps.B. The provisions §§ 2.8(A)(1), (2), (3), and (6) of this Part shall not apply to any oil carrying vessel whose ballast piping system and ballast pumps are wholly independent and not connected to the cargo system.250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-140-25-2.8
Amended effective 5/2/2018
Amended effective 7/20/2022