The UK Club has received the following update from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) regarding BilgMon 488 Alarm and Oil Content Meters.

QUOTE

Recently, Marine Safety Detachment (MSD) Port Canaveral Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) identified MARPOL deficiencies related to the 15-ppm Bilge Alarm system of the Oily Water Separators (OWS) onboard four separate ships. They discovered that the entries in the Oil Record Book (ORB) did not correspond to the Bilge Alarm Data being displayed by the bilge alarm / oil content meter. The 15-ppm Bilge Alarm is required to record date, time, alarm status and the operating status of the 15-ppm Bilge Separator. The recording device should also store this data for at least eighteen months and be able to display or print a protocol for official system inspections as required by IMO Resolution MEPC.107(49), REVISED GUIDELINES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR POLLUTION PREVENTION EQUIPMENT FOR MACHINERY SPACES OF SHIPS. In each case, PSCOs issued a deficiency on the Port State Control Report of Inspection (Form B) requiring that each vessel needed to verify the validity of the entries in the Bilge Alarm data log against the entries in the ORB. The deficiencies found were required to be rectified to the satisfaction of Recognized Organization, Flag Administration, and the U.S. Coast Guard prior to the vessels' departure from port.

UNQUOTE

If Members have any questions on the above, please get in touch with your usual Club contact.