What is lightering

This will also ensure safe cargo transfer operation. It is imperative to understand what cargo is to be transferred from one vessel to another. Compatible cargo equipment must be kept readily available for the operation. Cranes and Derricks should be in working order with their max loads tested and certified, wet cargo transfer hoses should be of relevant size with matching connector couplings and should be of sufficient length and have been tested to max liquid pressure limits.

Dangers of transferring harmful cargoes must be made aware to all involved in the operation. Handling such cargoes require special equipment and protective gear. For example, personnel working for large oil tankers Lightering off the US Gulf coast that are usually involved with cargo transfers and which may contain high levels of harmful Hydrogen Sulphide choose to work in a vapour free environment or the crew members of large bulkers carrying out a coal discharge at sea and the crew of the smaller lighter vessels must use equipment that detect harmful levels of methane in the cargo.

Use of inert gas as fire fighting medium and other similar methods of overcoming emergency situations must be well outlined and understood by the personnel. So a constant vigilant check should be maintained by all involved parties for the weather forecasts and all communication recorded appropriately. Dry Cargo ships may have to stop the cargo operation batten down their hatches during rain adding to additional delays. Weather clauses are hence included in the contract note to protect all parties from paying up either demurrage or despatch.

Maritime organisations such as ICS or OCIMF and others from around the world have helped in improving industrial safety and have aided in disseminating quality education through a variety of guidelines and recommendations. Companies, too, have them in their management system and so do the port authorities.

It should be kept in mind that both the vessels involved in the Lightering operation may have different operating procedures and a varied set of personnel handling the operation. Hence, it is strongly implied that all such personnel involved in the cargo transfer operation must be alert and non-complacent to the generic safety procedures on board. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority.

The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader. The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight.

Tags: tanker operations. Bikram Pal Singh — is a professional mariner and blogger. He has sailed extensively serving on various Oil tankers and Offshore Vessels. Zira US English. Oliver British. Wendy British. Fred US English.

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Although no pipeline ruptures from lightering have been reported, the proliferation of pipelines could increase the risk of spills in the future.

Governmental responsibility for oversight of these pipeline is shared by several agencies NRC, b. Department of Transportation regulates approximately 13, miles of transmission lines i. Department of the Interior, regulates approximately 4, miles of production pipelines associated with platform production systems.

In state waters, the OPS regulates transmission lines, and the states regulate production pipelines. The USCG is responsible for declaring pipeline hazards to navigation.

The most expedient approach to improving the quality and quantity of pipeline information available to mariners may be for the MMS, in cooperation with OPS and ITOL, to identify priority areas for immediate charting ITOL has already requested this assistance [Caruselle, ]. The information should be updated at least every two years. Regulators might also consider establishing "pipeline-free" zones in both designated and traditional lightering areas, similar to the LOOP anchorage areas.

These designations would assure mariners that specific areas are, and will continue to be, free of underwater obstructions and, therefore, provide safe anchorages.

To regulate certain lightering activities in the U. Both kinds of zones were established in following a rule-making process to implement the provisions of OPA The designated lightering zones are for single-hull tankers that cannot enter U.

The USCG has also established general regulations for lightering that apply to all vessels using the lightering zones. Prohibited zones e. So far, these zones are the only ones established for offshore lightering in the United States. All other lightering takes place in traditional lightering areas, which are used because the locations are convenient for operators and they do not create unsafe conditions.

The USCG may require the use of a certain location or prohibit the use of an unsafe location. Increasing USCG control over lightering might provide some additional safeguards, but the current regulations require that designated lightering zones in the Gulf of Mexico be at least 60 miles offshore.

Thus, as currently structured, the zone concept would not be appropriate for the east and west coasts, where inshore lightering is more common. No safety problems have arisen in either of these busy locations.

For inshore lightering, the committee believes there is no overriding need for changing the traditional system of lightering in established anchorages. Some regions where lightering activity is new or growing, however, may require attention. The COTP in Long Island Sound, for example, plans to propose that the USCG establish regulated navigation areas under the district commander to enable officials to designate locations and minimum standards for the entire area.

However, COTP authority to approve and monitor inshore lightering appears to ensure safety. For offshore lightering i. Nevertheless, the COTP's authority to require notification and to regulate all vessels that eventually enter U. The committee recognizes that establishing lightering zones offshore would have both positive and negative effects on safety. On the positive side, the USCG could set safety standards with enforceable regulations and could prevent operators with questionable standards from engaging in lightering.

On the negative side, operators have noted that some safety problems are created by having to work within a designated zone that limits their flexibility on the high seas. For example, if a vessel drifts out of a zone during lightering, regulations could force it to unmoor before a lift is completed and moor again after reentering the zone.

In this situation, the regulations could create hazards instead of preventing them. The risks of environmental damage from lightering are related, in part, to the proximity of the operation to environmentally sensitive areas. In some regions, this problem can be addressed by prohibiting lightering in or near sensitive areas. The prohibited zones in the Gulf of Mexico are good examples. Some individuals have suggested that prohibited zones be established in other regions to lower risks under certain circumstances.

In coastal waters and harbors, the USCG and other local authorities already have ample power to prohibit operations that could threaten sensitive environments. In international waters, however, U.

At present, lightering activity is substantial and widespread only in the Gulf of Mexico. The limited and familiar operations off. Increased offshore lightering in the future could warrant a further evaluation of the benefits of designating formal prohibited zones.

The committee identified one apparent problem related to geographical constraints on lightering in the Gulf of Mexico. The traditional lightering areas sometimes become congested, and, as pipelines and platforms become more numerous in the Gulf, space is sometimes at a premium. The industry has asked if waivers could be requested from the local COTP to allow vessels engaged in lightering to drift through a prohibited zone when this is judged to be safer than turning or separating the vessels.

The law currently prohibits certain vessels 9 from coming within 60 miles of shore, and the COTP cannot grant waivers except in an emergency. There is a formal procedure for applying for exemption at a higher level 33 CFR An extension of the COTP's authority to grant waivers in certain nonemergency situations may be a reasonable way to handle situations that could deteriorate and increase the risk of spills.

Existing standards and guidelines have provided a solid foundation for lightering safety. However, the committee identified several aspects of vessel design, operations, and equipment that could be improved. First, lightering operations are safer when vessels have long parallel mid-bodies, an adequate number of well placed mounting points for fenders and enclosed chocks for mooring lines, and engines that enable controlled slow-speed operations.

Second, all operators should use mooring lines with synthetic tails to absorb shock, adhere to appropriate standards when inspecting and testing hoses, and remain vigilant during their use. Third, the freeboard on very large STBLs should be limited. A comprehensive approach to this problem would be to work toward an international agreement allowing modifications to the ballasting system.

Regardless of whether and how these issues are addressed, industry standards and guidelines will continue to be voluntary. Based on the site visits by committee subgroups as well as the personal experience of various committee members, the committee recognizes that some vessels especially STBLs and equipment used in lightering will fail to meet the best standards and practices. For this reason, lightering operators must remain vigilant in reviewing the condition and characteristics of STBLs prior to lightering.

This provision applies to vessels retired under OPA 90 and vessels built without double hulls after the enactment of OPA Gaps in the information available to mariners about local weather conditions on all coasts and the locations of oil pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico could be filled.

The obvious remedy is for federal agencies to improve data collection and dissemination. A cost-effective approach might be for federal officials to meet with lightering companies and cooperative organizations to identify priorities and the best ways to meet them. At present, the number of designated lightering zones or prohibited zones seems to be adequate, but one aspect of the current regulations could be improved.

COTPs should have the authority to grant waivers allowing vessels engaged in lightering to depart from designated lightering zones when it would be safer than maneuvering or separating the vessels. Caruselle, P. Letter from Paul A. Chevron Shipping Company.

Internal guidance document used by Chevron, San Francisco. Gulf Coast—Galveston Zone. Houston: ITOL. Ship to Ship Transfer Guide Petroleum. Minding the Helm: Marine Navigation and Piloting. Washington, D. Improving the Safety of Marine Pipelines. The safety record of lightering the transfer of petroleum cargo at sea from a large tanker to smaller ones has been excellent in U. The lightering safety record is likely to be maintained or even improved in the future as overall quality improvements in the shipping industry are implemented.

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. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

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No thanks. Page 51 Share Cite. Vessels and Special Systems. Page 52 Share Cite. Vessel Design. Page 53 Share Cite. To minimize this problem, companies have reduced the lightering weather window when 5 Intact stability refers to the stability of an undamaged vessel. Page 54 Share Cite. Engine Capabilities. Page 55 Share Cite. Emergency Equipment. Mooring Equipment, Fenders, and Transfer Equipment. Page 56 Share Cite.

Page 57 Share Cite. Mooring Systems. Page 58 Share Cite. Figure 3—1 Recommended mooring arrangements for offshore lightering. Page 59 Share Cite. Page 60 Share Cite. Page 61 Share Cite. Page 62 Share Cite. External Factors. Page 63 Share Cite.