Changes to the requirements for the carriage of blends of petroleum oil and bio-fuels
LR issues Alert Lloyd's Register issues Statutory Alert regarding Changes to the requirements for the carriage of blends of petroleum oil and bio-fuels as follows:The 62nd session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 62) agreed that from September 1, 2011, bio-fuel/petroleum oil blends should be carried in accordance with new Guidelines for the Carriage of Blends of Petroleum Oil and Bio-fuel. These are contained in IMO Circular MEPC.1/Circ.761.The Guidelines define bio-fuels as: ethyl alcohol (ethanol), fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), vegetable oils (triglycerides) and alkanes (C10-26), linear and branched with flashpoint of either 60ºC or less or more than 60ºC. Further bio-fuels identified as falling under the scope of the Guidelines will be listed in a new Annex 11 of the MEPC.2/Circular.The Guidelines split bio-fuel blends and requirements for their carriage into three bands, as follows:Band 1: bio-fuel blends containing 75% or more of petroleum oil These can be carried as an oil cargo under MARPOL Annex I. However, when carrying such bio-fuel blends, Oil Discharge Monitoring Equipment (ODME) shall be in compliance with Regulation 31 of Annex I and should be approved for the mixture being transported. If the ODME is not capable of monitoring the bio-fuel ...
Read more