Guide To Making Cargo Operation On Oil Tankers Safer

Crude oil and most petroleum products are transported through sea voyage on oil tanker ships. These liquid substances are extremely hazardous. They are flammable as well as toxic to the human body. This is why operations of these vessels on broad water require special directives for safety and legal issues. If you are managing an oil cargo business, get a copy of ISGOTT.

get a copy of ISGOTT

Purpose of ISGOTT

The International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals was first published in 1978 by  the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), and the ‘International Oil Tanker and Terminal Safety Guide’, by the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF). It was reviewed and the fifth edition was published in 2006 to ensure that it continues to reflect current best practices and legislation.

For a safe journey till the destination, crew members involved in the operation must know all the essential guidelines as a part of their duties. 

• Close the doors

Carrying crude oil can increase temperature and humidity in the accommodations. This might trigger some people on the board to get some fresh air. As per the safety rule, they must close all the openings because the fume of oil can result in an explosion.

• Shut natural ventilation

It is pleasant to take natural air while traveling on the water. However, such a practice is risky because the air can take the vapor outside the room. This may result in polluting the atmosphere of the vessel’s path. Even if someone opens a window for a short time, he must close it again before continuing daily chores.

•  Shut cargo tank lid

When the ship sails on the rough water, there may be lots of shaking. An open lid of the oil tanker can spill the liquid overboard. An oil spill is toxic to natural habitat in the ocean. It can also catch fire in the areas where there are drops of oil.

Besides taking care of the oil tanker as per the guidelines of ISGOTT, workers also wear safety gear. They must avoid smoking and using static electricity charge in the tank.

Learn More About The International Code Of Signals

The International Code of Signals (ICS) is an system of codes and signals which is recognized international that can be sent by using flag, lamp, radio and blinkers. The code comprises of an established alphabet with all the 26 English letters and ten digits. This signal code also has a spoken form of the alphabet, that can be used to distinguish between letters like B or D (Bravo for “B” and Delta for “D”). A total of 40 different flags are used in here which includes alphabet, numerals, repeaters, as well as codes. This international signals code is inspired by the ancient Morse code communication style. Such pieces of communication such as Oscar flag (“O” flag) are basically used when all other methods have failed.

ICS became effective on 1^st January, 1969. The code can be effectively used when a ship needs to communicate with another ship without using a radio. Often times, when a ship get lost or gets low in power suffers communication failure. In such scenarios, other alternative ways should be looked for to communicate with nearby vessels. In usual scenarios, when a ship uses the code, you can assume that the vessel is in some kind of danger or has some kind of communication problems.

The International Code of Signals is used by boats and water vessels to get in touch for the purpose of navigational and safety related matters. The signals such as Oscar flag can be used individually or as combinations of different flags to form combined meanings. Messages such as “My vessel is disabled” or “You are running into danger” can be sent using the code.