33 CFR subchapter O (parts 151 through 157) contains additional design, equipment, and operations requirements relating to pollution prevention for vessels that carry oil.
(a) The regulations in this subchapter contain requirements for materials, design, construction, inspection, manning, and operation of tank vessels, including handling and stowage of cargo and duties of officers and crew. However, vessels certificated as passenger, cargo, and miscellaneous vessels, whose principal purpose or use is not the carriage of flammable or combustible liquid cargo in bulk, may be granted a permit to carry limited quantities of flammable or combustible liquid cargo in bulk in the grades indicated:
(1) Passenger vessels:
(i) Grade E in an integral tank; and
(ii) Grade E in a portable tank, including a marine portable tank (MPT), in accordance with subpart 98.30 or 98.33 of this chapter.
(2) Cargo vessels:
(i) Grades D and E in an integral tank; and
(ii) Grades D and E and certain specifically named Grade C in a portable tank, including an MPT, in accordance with subpart 98.30 or 98.33 of this chapter.
(3) Miscellaneous vessels, such as cable, salvage, pile-driving and oil-drilling-rig vessels:
(i) Grades B, C, D, and E in a fixed independent or integral tank authorized by the Commandant; and
(ii) Grades D and E and certain specifically named Grade C in a portable tank, including an MPT, in accordance with subpart 98.30 or 98.33 of this chapter.
(b) [Reserved]
(c) The vessels and services to which each regulation applies are indicated by letters in the heading of the section or paragraph. The first letter or two letters indicate the type of vessel and the letter or letters following the oblique line indicate the waters in which such vessels may operate. These letters are described as follows:
(1) “T” signifies a tankship.
(2) “B” signifies a tank barge when it precedes an oblique line; or it signifies service on bays, sounds, and lakes other than the Great Lakes when it follows an oblique line.
(3) “ALL” signifies service on all waters.
(4) “O” signifies service on ocean waters.
(5) “C” signifies services on coastwise waters.
(6) “L” signifies service on Great Lakes waters.
(7) “R” signifies service on river waters.
(d) This subchapter is applicable to all U.S.-flag vessels indicated in column 2 of table 2.01-7(a), except as follows:
(1) Any vessel operating exclusively on inland waters which are not navigable waters of the United States.
(2) Any vessel while laid up and dismantled and out of commission.
(3) With the exception of vessels of the U.S. Maritime Administration, any vessel with title vested in the United States and which is used for public purposes.
(e) This subchapter shall be applicable to all foreign flag vessels carrying combustible or flammable liquid cargo in bulk while in the navigable waters over which the United States has jurisdiction, except that:
(1) A vessel of a foreign nation signatory to the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, which has on board a current valid Safety Equipment Certificate, or a vessel of a foreign nation having inspection laws approximating those of the United States, together with reciprocal inspection arrangements with the United States and which has on board a current valid certificate of inspection issued by its government under such arrangements, in either case, shall be subject only to the requirements of § 35.01-1 and the safety and cargo handling requirements in subparts 35.30 and 35.35 of this subchapter. In addition, these vessels shall report marine casualties occurring while they are in the navigable waters of the United States as required by subpart 35.15.
(2) A foreign flag vessel, except a public vessel, which operates on or enters the navigable waters of the United States, or which transfers oil in any port or place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, must comply with the provisions of § 31.10-21a and subparts 32.53, 32.59 and 34.05 of this chapter, as applicable.
(f) Notwithstanding the exceptions previously noted in paragraph (e) of this section, foreign vessels of novel design or construction, or whose operation involves potential unusual risks, shall be subject to inspection to the extent necessary to safeguard life and property in United States ports, as further provided by § 2.01-13 of subchapter A (Procedures applicable to the Public) of this chapter.
(g) Manned barges carrying any of the cargoes listed in table 30.25-1 will be considered individually by the Commandant and may be required to comply with the requirements of subchapter O of this chapter, as applicable, as well as the requirements of this subchapter.
(h) Subpart 30.30 contains procedures for evaluating vessel personnel licensing and certification programs of foreign countries which license or certificate personnel serving on tank vessels that enter or operate in U.S. navigable waters and ports.