Tank cleaning chemicals – new IMO regulations
The IMO is changing regulations in order to cut down on the number of chemicals on their list of approved tank cleaning products. Wilhelmsen Ship Service has accumulated useful knowledge over many decades through being confronted daily with a variety of problems associated with tank cleaning. Access to this vast experience can be made available to you through dealing with our trained professionals in our global network.
Tank cleaning is a vital factor governing the success of ships operations. Ship owners and traders recognize the importance of efficient tank cleaning products and procedures to improve ship management efficiency, reduce operational costs and promote safety at sea.
Annex II of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) MARPOL 73/78 regulations relates to the discharge of Noxious Liquid Substances and will present challenges to ship owners and traders, by placing restrictions on the types of cleaning additives allowed in tank washing operations. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) MARPOL 73/78 ANNEX II regulates the discharge of Noxious Liquid Substances and the use of chemicals that are used for tank cleaning purposes.
IMO has changed the approval criteria for tank-cleaning chemicals. For future products no perfume or colouring agents will be allowed in tank-cleaning chemicals that will be discharged to sea inside the shore limits as listed in the MARPOL 73/78 ANNEX II .All tank-cleaning products approved to MEPC./Circ.363 prior to 1 January 2007 need to be re-evaluated based on criterias outlined in MEPC1/Circ. 590. All IMO approved products evaluated through MEPC./Circ.363 before 1 January 2007 ceased to be valid on 1 August 2010. The new and revised regulation MEPC 2 /Circ.15 came into force on this date.
All cleaning additives evaluated and found to meet the requirements of paragraph 13.5.2 of Annex II of MARPOL 73/78 are consolidated into annex 10 of the MEPC.2/Circular 15.
Wilhelmsen Ship Service with its Unitor Chemical tank cleaning product range is in full compliance to paragraph 13.5.2 of Annex II of MARPOL 73/78 and all of our products are listed accordingly in MEPC 2 / Circ.15 annex 10. All Unitor Chemical tank cleaning products can be used as outlined in these documents.
Source: Wilhelmsen Ship Service