Environmental Compliance

Question 1

What is IMO?

Answer 1

International maritime organisation

Question 2

What is MARPOL?

Answer 2

Maritime pollution

Question 3

Inside special areas, any discharge of oil or oily mixtures is prohibited except when:

Answer 3

The ship is underway
The oil content in the effluent without dilution does not exceed 15ppm
The ship has an oily water separating filter with an oil discharge monitoring and control system

Question 4

What does an oil discharge monitoring and control system do?

Answer 4

It will monitor the levels of oil in discharge. If levels exceed allowed 15ppm, an alarm will sound and the discharge will be automatically stopped from going in the sea.

Question 5

Name special areas.

Answer 5

Baltic sea
North west european waters
Mediterranean sea
Black sea
Gulf
Gulf of aden 
Caribbean 
Southern african waters

Question 6

Outside special areas, any discharge of oil or oily mixtures is prohibited except when:

Answer 6

The ship is underway
The oil content in the effluent without dilution does not exceed 15ppm
The oily mixture is processed through approved oil filtering equipment

Question 7

What are the most common sources of oily water contamination?

Answer 7

Bilges
Fuel systems
Oil systems
CPP systems

Question 8

How can we minimise the risk of oil entering the bilge?

Answer 8

Keep machinery spotless so leaks are easy to spot
Monitor lub oil ready use tanks and investigate losses
No surfactants to be used
AFFF only in real fire risk situations
Eductors to be manned when in operation
Maximise the use of shoreside facilities when along side

Question 9

What should you do if an oil spill occurs?

Answer 9

Inform the OOD when alongside or OOW when at sea immediately

Question 10

What is bilge?

Answer 10

Spillage/leakage that accumulates at the bottom of the hull

Question 11

What is sullage?

Answer 11

Left over liquid after bilge has been sent through a separator

Question 12

What is the purpose of the bilge system?

Answer 12

Used to separate water and oil and discharge oil to sullage tanks and water overboard

Question 13

What is the purpose of the sullage system?

Answer 13

Retains dirty/waste oil/fuel until it can be properly discharged ashore

Question 14

What is the purpose of eductors?

Answer 14

Used for emergencies only. They remove quantities of fluid eg oil/fuel from bilges very quickly

Question 15

How do we operate an eductor?

Answer 15

Open the dischard overboard valve
Open the motive water valve supplied from the HPSWM
Open the bllge

Question 16

Who’s permission is needed to use the eductor

Answer 16

MEO

Question 17

What is black water?

Answer 17

Drainage and waste from WCs, urinals, WC scuppers and medical compartments.

Question 18

What is grey water?

Answer 18

Drainage and waste from bathrooms, galleys, dishwashers, laundry and sinks.

Question 19

What are the regulations for black water discharge?

Answer 19

Over 12 NM from shore: no treatment necessary
Between 4-12 NM from shore: IMO approved system been used to comminute and disinfect
Within 4NM from shore: IMO approved sewage treatment plant in operation

Question 20

What are the regulations for the discharge of grey water?

Answer 20

No regulations except must be out of port.

Question 21

What are the hazards associated with sewage?

Answer 21

Typhoid
Hepatitis
Gastro-enteritis

Question 22

Explain the operation of a STP.

Answer 22

Raw sewage enters the course screen via a macerator. This removes large particles. The waste then enters the aeration compartment. The aeration diffuser passes oxygen through the waste. Bacteria will then digest the waste. Undigested waste separates and sinks to the bottom and digested waste floats on top. The air lift pimp transfers digested waste to the settlement hopper where heavy sludge will sink to the bottom and a clear liquid (effluent) floats on top. The effluent then moves to the chlorine contact tank, where it is disinfected, and then moves to the collection tank. Grey water is added to the collection tank which dilutes the concentration of chlorine and disinfects the grey water. This is now clean enough to discharge overboard via the discharge pump. Sludge from the settlement hopper is returned to the aeration compartment via an air lift pump to be further broken down.

Question 23

What are the main levels of hydrogen sulphide and their hazards?

Answer 23

0.03 ppm - detectable by odour (smell of rotten eggs)
70-150 ppm - kills sense of smell, irritates eyes, throat and lungs
700-1000 ppm - unconsciousness
Over 1000 ppm - Immediate unconsciousness and death in seconds

Question 24

What will cause hydrogen sulphide to be produced?

Answer 24

When the air supply fails, the microorganisms that digest the waste will die, releasing hydrogen sulphide.

Question 25

What are the advantages of a sewage treatment plant?

Answer 25

Reduce the number of ship side openings
To simplify pipe runs
Heads and bathrooms can be lower in the ship
Heads and bathrooms can be used in dry dock
The ship can operate in anti-pollution areas
It is easier to close down in CBRN conditions

Question 26

What hazards are associated with STP’s?

Answer 26

Dangerous chemicals
Dangerous gasses
Raw sewage

Question 27

Why is it important to keep bilges empty?

Answer 27

Content of bilges can be toxic and flammable and therefore cause fire and health hazards.

Question 28

What methods are available to empty the bilge?

Answer 28

Bilge system, sullage system, eductors.

Question 29

What is collect, hold and transfer?

Answer 29

Fully automated system whereby sewage is collected in large tanks with a storage capacity of about 12 days, before being discharged either at sea (over 12 NM from shore) or to a shore facility.

Question 30

How is sewage prevented from turning anaerobic in a CHT system?

Answer 30

A recirculating pump and ejector will circulate the waste between the two holding tanks to keep it aerated and aerobic.

Question 31

How does the level switch work in the initial collection tank?

Answer 31

The switch will float on the contents of the tank. When the tank is full, the switch will make contact with the top, completing the circuit to the transfer pump. This will then transfer the contents to the holding tanks.

Question 32

What is high and low location?

Answer 32

High location - waste is pumped to a high location on ship, used to connect to shore side facilities to discharge waste.
Low location - waste is pumped to a low location on ship, used to discharge waste into the sea.

Question 33

What hazards are associated with a CHT system?

Answer 33

Chemicals
Gasses
Raw sewage

Question 34

What precautions must be used when dealing with sewage systems?

Answer 34

Medical protection
Personal hygiene standards
PPE
Monitor atmosphere

Question 35

What is the hazard associated with methane?

Answer 35

Flammable and at risk from explosion

Question 36

What are the hazards associated with chlorine?

Answer 36

If inhaled, can burn lungs are be fatal.

Question 37

What is the VPS and what will it consist of?

Answer 37

Vacuum pumping system consisting of diesel or electric pumps, manifolds and hoses used to pump black and grey water to the shore facility. Used instead of mechanical pumps as there is less moving parts therefore less risk of getting blocked and needing maintenance.

Question 38

What is the minimum PPE needed when working with sewage?

Answer 38

Gloves
Mask
Goggles
Overalls

Question 39

What is the motive force of the eductor?

Answer 39

The HPSW system.

Question 40

When alongside for less than 72 hours, who is usually responsible for discharging waste to a shore facility?

Answer 40

Contractors

Question 41

When alongside for more than 72 hours, who’s responsible for discharging waste to a shore facility?

Answer 41

The crew.