Issue 47

"A busy year is planned for OCIMF."

Director's Log

Happy New Year to you all, if it is not too late to say that.

We will see a lot of the hard work completed by the OCIMF committees and Secretariat in 2016 being delivered in 2017. We have already released the OVID programme membership changes which broaden OVID participation to non-member companies. 2017 will be particularly busy for our publications. We’ll soon be releasing a number of information papers including Linked Ship/Shore Emergency Shutdown Systems; Inert Gas Systems and Industry Expectations for the Provision of Marine Terminal Information and Port Regulations, and Tanker Management and Self Assessment (TMSA3) will be available in April. A busy year is planned for OCIMF.

The Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR), the first IMO committee meeting of 2017, considered a joint INTERTANKO/OCIMF submission. OCIMF and INTERTANKO spent much of 2016 refining the submission, which will help tanker masters to correctly record terminal flush water in their oil record books. This is a good example of how OCIMF and other non-governmental organisations can work together. You can read more about this paper, and other items of interest from the PPR, in the 'News from the IMO' section below.

Stay safe,

Andrew Cassels

Director OCIMF

Do you have news that you'd like to share with our readers? If so email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Captain Steve Dalton (third from left) with staff of the UKMTO Dubai.

Maritime Security Snippets

Operation Atalanta

The European Union announced in December that Operation Atalanta would be extended to the end of 2018, after which the mission is expected to stop. Along with other industry bodies, OCIMF will work to prepare for the end of the operation now.

UK Marine Trade Operations (UKMTO) Dubai

OCIMF bids farewell to Captain Steve Dalton, who has ended his secondment as MNLO to UKMTO Dubai from Shell. The membership is extremely grateful for Steve’s dedication to the task and the valuable support he provided to UKMTO. OCIMF expects to appoint a new MNLO shortly. The UKMTO Officer in Command, Commander Peter Harriman, also completed his three-year tour last year; OCIMF wishes him well for the future.

International Maritime Bureau (IMB)

The IMB published their annual report on 10 January 2017.

The report shows:

• The number of sea kidnappings increased despite a global reduction in piracy.
• More crew were kidnapped at sea in 2016 than in any of the previous ten years.
• The IMB recorded 191 incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea.

The full report can be found here.

Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (SHADE) meeting

The 39th SHADE meeting was held in Bahrain 29–30 November 2016 and was attended by the Operational Commanders from CMF, NATO and EUNAVFOR.

Items discussed included:

• Recent attacks on merchant vessels.
• Evolving threats: from transnational and non-state actors, regional conflicts, etc.
• End of Operation Shield.
• Reduction of future naval engagement.

All Commanders stressed the need for continued engagement and communication to counter the increasingly complex threats to maritime security.

For further information, please contact OCIMF Security Adviser Russell Pegg at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Can you help improve maritime security?

Security is an important and growing area of concern for OCIMF and we are seeking new members to join the Maritime Security Sub-committee and Cyber work group.

The Maritime Security Sub-committee (MSSC) meets three times a year to share information and experience on maritime security related issues that affect OCIMF member companies. The next meeting of the MSSC is on 8 February 2017.

The Cyber work group (CWG) is a new group that was set up in response to increasing concern from members about threats from cyber-attack. The next meeting of the CWG is on 7 March 2017.

OCIMF member companies who would like to be represented on either MSSC or CWG are invited to contact OCIMF Security Adviser Russell Pegg at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

News from the IMO

The 4th Session of the Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) Sub-Committee was held at IMO headquarters in London from 16-20 January.

This was not a busy meeting and more time was spent on working group output than plenary decisions, which only took two days to complete. Emissions to air and sea and MARPOL categorisation issues dominated discussion. The points of particular interest to OCIMF members were as follows:

Terminal flush water

OCIMF introduced paper PPR 4-15, co-sponsored by INTERTANKO, which further proposed a Unified Interpretation of terminal flush water; how it should be categorised and recorded in the oil record book. There was clear support for the paper and it will be submitted to the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 71 for approval. If approval is granted, the paper will then be sent for final drafting and inclusion within MARPOL.

Global sulphur cap 2020

Following the confirmation at MEPC 70 that the global low sulphur fuel cap would be introduced in 2020, the subject of implementation challenges was discussed. It was agreed that regional availability of sufficient volumes of compliant fuel by 2020 may present challenges and would need consideration. There was not much enthusiasm for a transition period following the introduction on 1 January 2020, but it was recognised that there may be issues around:

• Initial transition.
• Impact upon machinery systems.
• Verification issues and mechanisms.
• Necessity for regulatory amendments or guidelines.

It was agreed to invite submissions to MEPC 71 that comment on the scope of the proposed new output, including suggestions for the workplan.

Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) Chemical Code

The OSV Chemical Code was completed at PPR 4 and it includes backloading of contaminated liquids. The Code will now be referred to MEPC and the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) before final ratification at Assembly in November 2017.

IMO Programme 2017

* Exact dates to be confirmed

IMO – 50 Years Working Together

The IMO, IOPC Funds and ITOPF (supported by a number of industry NGOs including OCIMF) launched an exhibition in January to mark the achievements that have been made in oil spill prevention and response in the last 50 years.

The IMO wanted to show how industry and government bodies have successfully worked together to improve environmental safety. OCIMF’s SIRE programme and the International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals (ISGOTT) are included as examples of positive pollution prevention measures.

SIRE and OVID identification cards

OCIMF is updating the photo requirements for all SIRE and OVID inspectors.

OCIMF accredited inspectors use identification cards to prove their identity to vessel crews before they board the vessel. The photo on the card should match the inspector’s current appearance and reflect the inspector’s professionalism. From 31 January 2017, inspectors will be asked to follow guidelines similar to global passport photo standards when submitting their photo. A short list of requirements will be attached as an appendix to accreditation guidelines and linked to the SIRE and OVID inspector registration web pages.

Existing photos will still be valid until an inspector either renews their accreditation or asks for a new identification card. It is expected that all inspector photos will comply with the new guidelines within two years.

SIRE New Inspector courses 2017

The Ship Inspection Report Programme (SIRE) is offering the following New Inspector courses in 2017.