Section 107

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(a) Petroleum vessels.-- (1) Hoisting of flag on arrival: - The master of every vessel carrying Petroleum Class 'A' or Petroleum Class 'B' in bulk or cases as cargo on board shall, on arrival at the Port, hoist flag 'B' of the International Code of Signals at the fore and shall during the day keep such flag flying and during the night exhibit a red light visible all around the compass at the fore where it can best be seen. (2) Exhibition of red flag by harbour craft:- Every harbour craft carrying petroleum shall exhibit, during the day, a large square red flag in such a position as may be visible all round the compass and during the night a red light visible all round the compass. (3) Berthing of vessels:- Vessels carrying Petroleum in bulk shall normally be berthed in the special oil berth and shall not be piloted in to the port on the strength of the flood tide or taken out on the strength of the ebb tide: Provided that in exceptional causes when oil berths are not available, owing to dredging operations or to lack of vacantoil berths, vessels carrying Petroleum in bulk as cargo on board may be berthed in other berths, subject to the previous permission in writing of the Chairman of the Board. (4) Precautions to be taken in berthing vessels amongst other shipping etc- No vessel carrying Petroleum in bulk as cargo on board shall be taken amongst other shipping (unless proceeding to an oil berth or to another berth according to the direction of the Deputy Conservator of the Ports or berthed at a berth other than oil berth or allowed to enter the Dry Dock until her master produces a certificate granted by an officer appointed by the Central Government in this behalf that such officer has examined the tanks with the aid of a vapour testing instrument and that the vessel is free from dangerous vapour and is in a fit stage to enter the dock. (5) Other precautions: (i) No vessel carrying Petroleum class 'A' in bulk shall load or discharge general cargo unless all the tank hatches are effectively closed. (ii) No member of the crew of any harbour craft going along side a vessel carrying petroleum shall have in his possess on matches or any other inflammable material. (iii) No harbour craft containing Petroleum Class 'A' shall cast off in such manner as may involve risk of collision when other vessels are manoeuvring in the vicinity. (iv) The master or any other person for the time being in charge of any vessel having Petroleum on board shall take effective measure for preventing the escape of Petroleum from the vessel by leakage or otherwise. (v) No vessel shall approach within 60 meters of any vessel discharging dangerous Petroleum in bulk in the Port of Cochin except with the previous permission of the Deputy Conservator obtained in writing and in confirmity with any direction that may be issued by him in that behalf. This rule shall not apply to vessels with a pilot on board and manoeuvring in tuning basin in Ernakulam channel opposite to oil jetties- (vi) The oil barges used for bunkering vessels in the Port shall be seaworthy, manned, equipped and employed in accordance with the Petroleum Rules, 1937 as amended from time to time. Responsible deck and engine room officers of the ship shall supervise the operation and take all necessary safety precautions on board the vessel receiving oil bunkers. (vii) Armoured hose shall be used to connect the valves on board to the pipeline on shore and all the connections shall be made completely leak proof and mechanically and electrically continuous before the discharge or loading of Petroleum in bulk is commenced. (viii) All pipes and other appliances used in the landing and loading of Petroleum in bulk shall be free from leakage. (ix) The owner, agent or master of the bulk oil vessel shall take all due precautions for the prevention of accident by fire in landing or loading of petroleum in bulk. (x) The owner, agent or master of the bulk oil vessel shall take adequate steps to prevent any person under his control from smoking at or near the place where Petroleum in bulk is being landed or loaded and to prevent any person engaged in such landing or loading from carrying, fuses, matches or any appliances whatsoever for producing ignition. (xi) Iron or steel hammers or other instruments capable of causing a spark shall not be used for the purpose of opening or closing the hatches or tank lids of a Petroleum ship, or shall be chipping of iron rust or paint be carried on in the vicinity. (xii) During the time any bulk vessel is in the Port, a responsible officer and engineer of the vessel must always be on board, night and day to carry out and give effect to the provisions of these rules. In the absence of the master, the senior deck officer on board shall be the responsible officer. When loading or discharging is proceeding or about to be started it is absolutely essential that the master or chief officer and either the chief or the second engineer must be on board and see that every necessary precaution is taken for the safety of the vessel and her cargo and during all such time the engines, boilers and machinery shall be maintained in working order so that the vessel may be moved as soon as steam can be raised, if so required by the Deputy Conservator of the Port. (xiii) Throughout the period that Petroleum is being landed or loaded the pipelines and other fitments on the oil jetty shall be under constant supervision of a responsible officer of the Port fire services, in addition to the fire float standing by the tanker. (xiv) When the landing or loading of Petroleum has been commenced such landing or loading shall be proceeded with, due deligence, and if it is discontinued, the tanks and holds of the Petroleum ship shall immediately be closed. (xv) Admission to the enclosure (on Ernakulam for-shore) within which the exchange pit and the like are situated and to the Ernakulam oil jetties shall if the Chairman of the Board so directs, be regulated by means of premises which shall, on application, be issued by and officer authorised by him in this behalf, to such of the public as have business to transact within the above premises in somewise connected with the purposes services or work of the Port. Persons carrying fuses, matches or any appliances whatsoever for producing ignitions shall not be permitted to enter the premises mentioned in the above sub-regulation. (b) Bulk oil vessel discharging and loading dangerous petroleum at the Port of Cochin. (1) Notice to Deputy Conservator-Before any Petroleum Class 'A' is landed or loaded, the owner, agent or master of the bulk oil vessel shall give due notice to the Deputy Conservator. (2) Place of loading or discharging- Petroleum Class 'A' in bulk shall be loaded or discharged at the Ernakulam oil jetties only except under special circumstances as provided in sub-regulation (a) (3) (3) Ventilation of holds etc.- Before any Petroleum Class 'A' contained in casks, barrels or other containers is landed, the holds of a bulk oil vessel having on board such containers shall be thoroughly ventilated, and after all Petroleum Class 'A' has been removed from any bulk oil vessel the holds and tanks shall be rendered free from inflammable vapour. (4) Discharge of Petroleum - (i) Petroleum Class 'A' may be discharged day or night subject to the provision of sub-regulation (b) (6) but such discharge must commence before sunset; and should anything occur during such discharge alter sunset to necessitate a repair to the plant pipes or connection such discharges shall be discontinued until after sunrise-Provided that tank ships have been connected to shore pipe lines, and they have commenced discharge of Petroleum Class 'B' in bulk or flushed the pipelines by pumping water before sunset they may thereafter commence discharge of Petroleum Class 'A' in bulk even through discharge of petroleum Class 'A' is actually commenced after sunset. (ii) Bulk oil vessel; which confirm to the requirements of Appendix "I" shall be permitted to discharge Petroleum by steam from their own boilers or by internal combustion engines placed in a position remote from cargo holds and pump rooms. (iii) In bulk oil vessel which conform to the requirements of Appendix "I" and whose cargo pump is driven by electric motor, the electric motor shall be or approved design and its connection shall be isolated from the cargo pump by a gas-tight bulk-head of sufficient height to preclude the possibility of inflammable vapour entering the motor compartment. A gas-tight gland shall be fitted where the driving shaft passes through the bulk head. (5) Precautions while raising steam on board- In the event of its being necessary to interrupt pumping in order to raise steam on board, the oil pipes in the vicinity of the vessels shall be flushed with water and the valve on pier head shall be closed before the boiler fires are lighted. (6) Restriction on use of electric power:- The use of electric power while loading or discharging Petroleum Class 'A' is not permitted unless the vessel's electrical installations complies with Lloys' or other approved society's requirements for electric fitting for ships carrying oil having a flashing point less than 65°C.(6) Restriction on use of electric power:- The use of electric power while loading or discharging Petroleum Class 'A' is not permitted unless the vessel's electrical installations complies with Lloys' or other approved society's requirements for electric fitting for ships carrying oil having a flashing point less than 65°C. (7) By-pass valve- Every vessel discharging Petroleum Class 'A' shall be fitted with a by-pass valve on the discharge side of the pump having a connection back to the ships tanks. (8) Use of fire or light- From the time when the holds or tanks of a bulk oil vessel are first opened for the purpose of loading or landing Petroleum Class 'A' until such time as all Petroleum Class 'A' shall have been loaded into or removed from such holds or tanks and the holds or tanks shall have been securely closed down, and in the case of landing, rendered free from inflammable vapour as required by this regulations, there shall be no fire or artificial light on board such ships or at or near the place where the Petroleum Class 'A' is being loaded or landed. Provided that his sub-regulation shall not prohibit boiler fires in the case of vessels confirming to the requirements of Appendix "I". Provided also that this sub-regulation shall not prevent the use of lamps, heaters, cookers or other similar type of safe apparatus, electric or otherwise, so designed, constructed and maintained as to be incapable of igniting inflammable vapour. (9) Prohibition of smoking etc., - The owner, agent or master, of the bulk oil vessels shall take adequate steps to prevent any person under his control from smoking at or near the place where petroleum Class 'A' is being landed or loaded and to prevent any person engaged in such landing or loading from carrying fuses, matches or any appliances whatsoever for producing ignition. (10) Precautions while loading and discharging- (i) Armoured hose shall be used to connect the valves on board to the pipeline on shore and all the connections shall be made completely leak proof mechanically and electrically continuous before the discharge or loading of Petroleum in bulk is commenced. (ii) All pipes and other appliances used in the landing and loading of Petroleum Class 'A' in bulk shall be free from leakage. (iii) When a ship has finished discharging or loading Petroleum other than Petroleum Class 'C', the pipelines shall be immediately emptied of Petroleum by pumping water through the line. (iv) The Chief inspector of Explosives may by written order grant exemption in any particular case from the provisions of sub-regulation 10 (i) and (ii), if he is satisfied with any other means other than armoured hose systems which will ensure leak proof continuity mechanically and electrically. (11) Loading or landing to be done diligently:- When the landing or load ing of petroleum Class 'A' has been commenced, such landing or loading shall be proceeded with, due diligence and if it is discontinued, the tanks and holds of the Petroleum ship shall immediately be closed. (12) Precaution of escape of petroleum:- No Petroleum Class 'A' shall be discharged or allowed to escape into the waters of the Port. (13) Precautions against fire:- (i) The owner, agent or master of a bulk oil vessel shall take all due precautions for the prevention of accident by fire in landing or loading petroleum Class 'A'. (ii) Iron or steel hammers or other instruments capable of causing a spark shall not be used for the purpose of opening or closing the hatches or tank lids of a petroleum ship nor shall be chipping of iron rust or paint be carried on in the vicinity. (iii) Fires and lights other than electric filament lamps or self: - contained electric lamps, heaters cookers or other similar type of safe apparatus, so designed, constructed and maintained as to be incapable of igniting inflammable vapour shall not be used upon the quay upon which Petroleum Class 'A' is being landed or loaded or upon which Petroleum Class 'A' is lying. (iv) Throughout the period that Petroleum Class 'A' in bulk is being landed or loaded the pipelines and other fitments on the oil jetty shall be under constant supervision of a responsible officer of the Port fire services, in addition to the fire float standing by the tanker. (14) Distance between Petroleum vessels:- Two or more Petroleum ships shall not, except for purpose of transhipment, lie within 30 metres of one another unless in the opinion of the Deputy Conservator of the Port it is impracticable to maintain such distance. (15) Responsible officer to be on board: - During the time any bulk vessel is in the Port, a responsible officer and engineer of the vessel must always be on board, night and day, to carry out and give effect to the provisions of this regulation. In the absence of the master, the senior deck officer on board shall be the responsible officer. When loading or discharging is proceeding or about to be started, it is absolutely essential that the master or chief officer and either the chief or the second engineer must be on board and see that every necessary precaution is taken for the safety of the vessel and her cargo and during all such time the engines, boilers and machinery shall be maintained in working order so that the vessel may be moved as soon as steam can be raised, if so required by the Deputy Conservator of the Port. (16) Other precautions: - (i) Every vessel having Petroleum other than fuel oil on board as cargo, whilst moored in the Port, shall keep the end of a wire having an eye, laid out to the water's edge at the bow and shore to enable a tug to take hold in case of emergency. (ii) Every vessel having Petroleum other than fuel oil on board as cargo when discharging or loading or while-hatches are open shall have her all fire hoses connected and all fire extinguishing appliances ready for immediate use and if the Petroleum being loaded or discharged or stowed in the holds is Petroleum Class 'A' all awning shall be furled. (17) (i) Admission to enclosed oil jetties:- Admission to the enclosures (on Ernakulam foreshore) within which the exchange pit and the like are situated and to the Ernakulam oil jetties shall, if the Chairman of the Board so directs, be regulated by means of permits which shall on application, be issued by an officer authorised by him in this behalf, to such of the public as have business to transact within the above premises in somewise connected with the purposes, services or works of the Port. (ii) Persons carrying fuses, matches or any appliances whatsoever for producing ignitions shall not be permitted to enter the premises mentioned in sub-regulation 17(1). (c) Packed Petroleum and its products.-- (1) Landing of packed Petroleum:- Packed Petroleum and its products shall be landed at jetties provided for the purpose or in barges or lighters, and only at such places as the Deputy Conservator of the Port may direct. A list of Petroleum Class 'A' and its products and other inflammable liquids flashing below 23°C is given in Appendix "j". This is, however, for guidance only and is not exhaustive. Any other commodity which (by virtue of its composition and property) is capable of being classified under the categories of dangerous Petroleum and its products or other inflammable liquids flashing below 23°C shall be dealt with according to the sub regulations set down herein. (2) Notice before discharge of consignment:- Steamer agents of ves sels having packed Petroleum and its products for discharge at the Port shall advise in writing the Deputy Conservator of the Port and the Traffic Manager of the Port at least a week in advance of the vessel's expected date of arrival. Similar notices should be given both by the shippers and the steamer agents in the case of consignment for shipment. (3) Other restrictions on landing and shipment of packed Petroleum and its products. Not more than five thousand litres of Petroleum Class 'A' and thirty thousand litres of Petroleum Class 'B' and its products shall be landed or shipped at the wharf by any one particular vessel. (i) All packed Petroleum landed shall, as far possible, be immediately removed by the importer as landed, outside the wharf premises and in order to enable this, the importer shall see that he is ready in all respect (with the necessary documents, conveyances) to effect delivery of the goods, before the landing is commenced, provided that the Traffic Manager, may at his discretion, allow the landing of packed Petroleum, evethough the importer is not ready to clear the goods when there is sufficient accommodation available in the Board's Petroleum shed for the storage of the goods landed and in such cases the goods shall be transported and stored in the Petroleum shed as landed with all due precaution. (ii) No packed Petroleum shall be brought into the wharf premises for shipment unless the exporter shall have first produced a certificate from the vessel on which it is to be loaded, indicating readiness to receive the same; and all packed Petroleum brought into the wharf premises shall forthwith be put on board the vessel on which it is to be loaded and in order to enable this, the exporter shall see that he is ready in all respects (with the necessary documents etc.) to effect shipment, as the goods are brought in. (4) Permission prior to landing or shipment of Petroleum and its products:- No imported petroleum or its products shall be landed except with the permission of the Deputy Conservator of the Port and the Collector of Customs. Similarly, no Petroleum or its products shall be shipped by vessels or loaded into lighters for shipment without the prior permission of the Deputy Conservator. The specific written permission of the Traffic Manager should also be obtained before packed petroleum and its products are discharged at or brought for shipment to the Willington Island wharves. (5) Petroleum rules to be complied with:- Petroleum and its products shall be contained in receptacles complying with the provisions of rules 27 or 28 of the Petroleum Rules, 1937 as the case may be. (6) Receptacles to be free from leakage etc.:- No Petroleum or Petroleum product contained in casks, drums, or other receptacles shall be landed or shipped unless such receptacles are free from leakage and are of such strength and construction as not to be liable to be broken or to leak except in case of gross carelessness or extraordinary accident. The steamer agents in the case of import and the shippers in the case of exports should furnish a certificate to the effect that the receptacles comply with the above rules. (7) Time of loading and discharging:- Vessels shall not normally load or discharge packed Petroleum and its products except between the hours of sunrise and sunset. In exceptional case, discharging or loading may be permitted with the prior written permission of the Deputy Conservator or Traffic Manager, as the case may be, under the conditions laid down in the said permission. (8) Precautions:- (i) Special arrangements to maintain a throughly efficient watch and ward shall be made by the ship and all necessary precautions against fire or smoking shall be strictly observed whilst the vessel is at the wharf berth. Similar arrangements shall be made on shore as well. Every care shall be taken to safeguard the ships at the adjoining berths. A clearance of at least 15 meters should be maintained between the vessel handling petroleum and its products and the vessels at the adjoining berths unless in the opinion of the Deputy Conservator of the Port, it is impracticable to maintain such distance in which case the clearance may be reduced to not less that 7.5 meters. (ii) An officer serving on board the vessel who holds a certificate of competency, not lower than that of second mate, should be on duty at the hatch from which any Petroleum and its products are being discharged or into which they are being shipped, until the discharge or shipments is completed. On shore, the operations should be conducted under the immediate supervision of an officer of the port not lower in rank than an Assistant Wharf Superintendent. (iii) No fire, naked light of any description, and no smoking shall be allowed within 15 meters of the vessel handling Petroleum or its products. (iv) No inflammable cargo other than packed Petroleum or other Petroleum products shall be landed or shipped at the same time. (v) No person engaged in handling or loading Petroleum or its products shall carry fuses, matches or any other appliances for producing ignition or explosion. (vi) Buckets containing dry sand shall be placed convenient points; the fire pumps with foam connection shall stand by on either side of the vessel handling Petroleum and its products. (vii) The master, owner or agent of the vessel and or the importer or exporter, as the case may be, shall, in every case provided that a cooper and solderer are in attendance throughout the time while any packed Petroleum is being landed or shipped at the Willington Island wharves. (9) Leaky receptacles:- The steamer agents and the shippers shall see that the receptacles are carefully examined, and no leaky receptacles are landed or shipped. In the case or imports, any leaky receptacles found shall be kept a side on board and shall not be landed along with sound ones. After the sound receptacles are completely landed are either removed to the Petroleum shed or cleared from the wharf premises, the contents of the leaky receptacle shall be transferred into sound containers in lighters on the offside of the vessel, under the supervision of the Preventive Officer on duty on board the discharging vessel. The steamer agents shall have to do this at their own risk and expense. These receptacles shall then and only then, be landed and transported carefully to the Petroleum shed or cleared from the wharf premises, as the case may be. In the case of cargo for shipment, it should be brought into the wharf premises, only if the receptacles comply, with sub-regulations (5) and (6) and are in sound conditions. The contents of any leaky receptacles should be transferred into sound container outside the wharf premises to the satisfaction of the Assistant Wharf Superintendent on duty before it is taken into the wharf premises. (10) Approval by Deputy Conservator:- In respect of discharge or shipment of packed Petroleum and its products, by means of cargo lighters, the boat and their equipment must be approved by the Deputy Conservator and his written permission to conduct such operations must be obtained in advance of the vessel's expected date of arrival. When harbour craft are used for the landing or shipment of Petroleum Class 'B' the quantity of such Petroleum afloat in harbour craft at any time should in no case exceed eighty thousand litres and not more than twelve harbour craft of which not more than six shall be wooden harbour craft should be used for the purpose at the same time. In the case of Petroleum Class 'A' the limit afloat in harbour craft is restricted to thirty thousand litres. (11) Other requirements:- (i) All harbour craft and sailing vessels carrying packed Petroleum and its products, shall proceed only under tow within the Port limits. Landing and shipping operations shall be conducted without delay. Harbour craft containing such Petroleum are not permitted to idle alongside any vessels. (ii) The requirements of sub-regulations (8) and (9) shall also be complied with in respect of vessels handling dangerous Petroleum overside in the stream. (iii) During the loading or discharge of packed Petroleum and its products at any hatch, on other cargo shall be handled at the hatch. (iv) Not more than twelve thousand litres of packed Petroleum may be shipped into or landed from sailing vessel transhipped from another vessel into a sailing vessel. (v) General cargo and Petroleum Class 'A' may be loaded into or discharged from, any vessel simultaneously, provided that they are contained in seperated holds; but when Petroleum Class 'A' is being loaded into or discharged from a vessel no other cargo should be loaded into or discharged from such vessel. (vi) No Petroleum Class 'A' shall be in actual transit in the harbour between sunset and sunrise otherwise than in railway wagons, that is such Petroleum should not be handled in any way at night nor lie afloat in harbour craft in the Port, at night. (vii) The Port's foam generator shall always be in position at the point of landing of any Petroleum Class 'A' before the landing commences and while it is in progress. (viii) No harbour craft containing Petroleum Class 'A' shall be in transit in deep channels used by seagoing vessels either in Ernakulam Channel anywhere near a vessel entering or leaving the Port or shifting from one berth to another inside the Port. (ix) While handling of Petroleum Class 'A' is in progress, no cooking fires, smoking or lights of any descriptions other than electric lights complying with Rules 105 of the Petroleum Rules 1937 shall be allowed anywhere on board the vessel. (x) Leaky receptacles containing Petroleum shall not be discharged from a vessel into a harbour craft containing sound receptacles. (xi) Where harbour crafts are used, not more than ten thousand litres of dangerous Petroleum shall be loaded into any one harbour craft. (xii) Petroleum Class 'A' imported shall not be put into a harbour craft without the prior consent of the Deputy Conservator. In order therefore, to avoid possible delay to vessels carrying Petroleum Class 'A', the agents of such vessels shall make early arrangements with the Deputy Conservator for the disposal of their cargo of Petroleum Class 'A', (xiii) Petroleum Class 'A' intended for shipment shall not be put into harbour craft without the permission of the Deputy Conservator of the Port and until the vessel by which such Petroleum is intended to be shipped is ready to receive it. (12) Prevention of escape of petroleum:- (a) All due precuations shall be taken at all times to prevent any escape of Petroleum during transport especially into any drain, sewer, harbour, river or water course. (b) Master etc, of Petroleum vessel responsible for damage:- The master, owner and agent of a Petroleum vessel shall be liable for any damage whatsoever caused to cargo or property belonging to the Board. (c) Heavy Petroleum:- Notwithstanding anything contained in the proceeding regulations, if the master or agents of a ship produces a certificate that any Petroleum on board is heavy Petroleum it may be discharged in the same manner as ordinary cargo. Provided that the sampling officer may at any time require a sample of any of the Petroleum to be delivered to him with a view of having it tested.