The Brazilian Director of Ports and Coasts (DPC) has recently issued Ordinance No.32 regarding the transfer of oil between vessels within port areas.

The new requirements are effective from 1

^st

July 2010 and state that the service provider must ensure that either of the following requirements is complied with.

(a)  Before starting the operation of transferring oil from one vessel to another, oil contention barriers must be placed in position around the vessels involved; or(b)  Maintain a dedicated vessel on the spot, equipped with sufficient oil containment barriers and staffed with qualified personnel, in order to respond to any oil spill incident during the operation.

Whilst at anchor and transferring oil at night, the requirements of point (a) must be complied with. In situations where for any reason, it is not possible to enforce either of the above requirements a technical alternative that offers the same efficiency should be presented to the Harbour Master, Delegate or Agency of that jurisdiction. Such a proposal may be considered on a case by case basis in conjunction with the DPC.

Source of information:

Pandibra-McLintock Services Ltda