Tanker Familiarization Environmental Regulations and Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under MARPOL Annex I, what is the maximum oil content allowed in bilge water discharged outside special areas?
- 10 parts per million (ppm)
- 15 parts per million (ppm) (Correct answer)
- 25 parts per million (ppm)
- 50 parts per million (ppm)
Correct answer: 15 parts per million (ppm)
MARPOL Annex I allows discharge of bilge water with oil content not exceeding 15 ppm outside special areas.
Question 2: Which U.S. federal agency primarily enforces the Clean Water Act (CWA) provisions affecting tanker operations in U.S. waters?
- Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Correct answer)
- National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
- Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
Correct answer: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The EPA is the primary federal agency responsible for enforcing the Clean Water Act, including oil discharge prohibitions affecting tankers.
Question 3: What document must a tanker maintain to record all overboard discharges and transfers of oily mixtures?
- Cargo Record Book
- Oil Record Book (Correct answer)
- Pollution Prevention Log
- Deck Logbook
Correct answer: Oil Record Book
MARPOL requires tankers to maintain an Oil Record Book (Part II for cargo/ballast operations) documenting all oily discharges and transfers.
Question 4: The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) requires tank vessels operating in U.S. waters to have a Vessel Response Plan (VRP) that can address a worst-case discharge of how much oil?
- The average cargo load
- The maximum cargo capacity (Correct answer)
- The total capacity of the largest tank
- The combined capacity of all cargo tanks
Correct answer: The maximum cargo capacity
OPA 90 requires VRPs to address worst-case discharge scenarios equal to the vessel's maximum cargo capacity.
Question 5: Which MARPOL Annex specifically regulates the prevention of pollution by noxious liquid substances (NLS) carried in bulk?
- Annex I
- Annex II (Correct answer)
- Annex III
- Annex IV
Correct answer: Annex II
MARPOL Annex II governs pollution prevention for noxious liquid substances (NLS) carried in bulk aboard chemical tankers.
Question 6: A tanker operating in a MARPOL Special Area is generally subject to what stricter rule regarding operational discharges?
- Discharges limited to 5 ppm
- Zero discharge of oily mixtures is required (Correct answer)
- Discharges must be approved by port state
- Discharges allowed only during daylight hours
Correct answer: Zero discharge of oily mixtures is required
In MARPOL Special Areas (e.g., Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea), zero operational discharge of oily mixtures from cargo areas is required.
Question 7: Under U.S. regulations, which entity must approve a tank vessel's Vessel Response Plan before the vessel can operate in U.S. waters?
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) (Correct answer)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- State environmental agency
Correct answer: U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
The U.S. Coast Guard reviews and approves Vessel Response Plans required under OPA 90 for tank vessels operating in U.S. waters.
