10.2 Arrangement of oil fuel, lubricating oil and other flammable oil
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - International Codes - HSC 2000 Code - International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft, 2000 – Resolution MSC.97(73) - Chapter 10 - Auxiliary systems - PART A - GENERAL - 10.2 Arrangement of oil fuel, lubricating oil and other flammable oil

10.2 Arrangement of oil fuel, lubricating oil and other flammable oil

  10.2.1 The provisions of 7.1.2.2 apply to the use of oil as fuel.

  10.2.2 Oil fuel, lubricating oil and other flammable oil lines shall be screened or otherwise suitably protected to avoid, as far as practicable, oil spray or oil leakages onto hot surfaces, into machinery air intakes or other sources of ignition. The number of joints in such piping systems shall be kept to a minimum. Flexible pipes carrying flammable liquids shall be of an approved type. footnote

  10.2.3 Fuel oil, lubricating oils and other flammable oils shall not be carried forward of public spaces and crew accommodation.

  Oil fuel arrangements

  10.2.4 In a craft in which oil fuel is used, the arrangements for the storage, distribution and utilisation of the oil fuel shall be such as to ensure the safety of the craft and persons on board and shall at least comply with the following provisions.

  10.2.4.1 As far as practicable, all parts of the oil fuel system containing heated oil under pressure exceeding 0.18 N/mm2shall not be placed in a concealed position such that defects and leakage cannot readily be observed. The machinery spaces in way of such parts of the oil fuel system shall be adequately illuminated.

  10.2.4.2 The ventilation of machinery spaces shall be sufficient under all normal conditions to prevent accumulation of oil vapour.

  10.2.4.3 Location of fuel tanks shall be in accordance with 7.5.2.

  10.2.4.4 No oil fuel tank shall be situated where spillage or leakage therefrom can constitute a hazard by falling on heated surfaces. Reference is made to the fire safety requirements in 7.5.

  10.2.4.5 Oil fuel pipes shall be fitted with cocks or valves in accordance with 7.5.3.

  10.2.4.6 Every fuel tank shall, where necessary, be provided with savealls or gutters to catch any fuel which may leak from such tanks.

  10.2.4.7 Safe and efficient means of ascertaining the amount of oil fuel contained in any oil fuel tank shall be provided.

  10.2.4.7.1 Where surrounding pipes are used, they shall not terminate in any space where the risk of ignition of spillage from the sounding pipe might arise. In particular, they shall not terminate in public spaces, crew accommodation or machinery spaces. Terminations shall be provided with a suitable means of closure and provision to prevent spillage during refuelling operations.

  10.2.4.7.2 Other oil-level gauges may be used in place of sounding pipes. Such means are subject to the following conditions:

  • .1 In passenger craft, such means shall not require penetration below the top of the tank and their failure or overfilling of the tanks will not permit release of fuel.

  • .2 The use of cylindrical gauge glasses shall be prohibited. In cargo craft, the Administration may permit the use of oil-level gauges with flat glasses and self-closing valves between the gauges and fuel tanks. Such other means shall be acceptable to the Administration and shall be maintained in the proper condition to ensure their continued accurate functioning in service.

  10.2.4.8 Provision shall be made to prevent overpressure in any oil tank or in any part of the fuel system, including bunkering pipes and any filling pipes served by on-board pumps. Any relief valves and air or overflow pipes shall discharge to a safe position where there is no risk of fire or explosion from the emergence of oils and vapour, shall not lead into crew spaces, passenger spaces, special category spaces, ro-ro spaces (other than open ro-ro spaces), machinery spaces or similar spaces. For fuel of flashpoint less than 43°C such valves and pipes, shall terminate with flame arresters in accordance with the standards developed by the Organization.footnote

  10.2.4.9 Oil fuel pipes and their valves and fittings shall be of steel or other approved material,footnote except that restricted use of flexible pipes shall be permissible in positions where the Administration is satisfied that they are necessary.footnote Such flexible pipes and end attachments shall be approved fire-resisting materials of adequate strength and shall be constructed to the satisfaction of the Administration.

  Lubricating oil arrangements

  10.2.5 The arrangements for the storage, distribution and utilisation of oil used in pressure lubrication systems shall be such as to ensure the safety of the craft and persons on board. The arrangements made in machinery spaces and, whenever practicable, in auxiliary machinery spaces shall at least comply with the provisions of 10.2.4.1 and 10.2.4.4 to 10.2.4.8 except that:

  • .1 this does not preclude the use of sight-flow glasses in lubricating systems provided they are shown by test to have a suitable degree of fire resistance;

  • .2 sounding pipes may be permitted in machinery spaces if fitted with appropriate means of closure; and

  • .3 lubricating oil storage tanks with a capacity of less than 500 l may be permitted without remote operated valves as required in 10.2.4.5.

  Arrangements for other flammable oils

  10.2.6 The arrangements for storage, distribution and utilisation of other flammable oil employed under pressure in power transmission systems, control and activating systems and heating systems shall be such as to ensure the safety of the craft and persons on board. In locations where means of ignition are present, such arrangements shall at least comply with the provisions of 10.2.4.4 and 10.2.4.7 and with the provisions of 10.2.4.8 and 10.2.4.9 in respect of strength and construction.

  Arrangement within machinery spaces

  10.2.7 In addition to the requirements of 10.2.1 to 10.2.6, the oil fuel and lubricating oil systems shall comply with the following:

  • .1 Where daily service fuel tanks are filled automatically or by remote control, means shall be provided to prevent overflow spillages.

  • .2 Other equipment which treats flammable liquids automatically, such as oil fuel purifiers, which, whenever practicable, should be installed in a special space reserved for purifiers and their heaters, shall have arrangements to prevent overflow spillages.

  • .3 Where daily service oil fuel tanks or settling tanks are fitted with heating arrangements, a high-temperature alarm shall be provided if the flashpoint of the oil can be reached due to failure of the thermostatic control.


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