It supplements existing guidance in the International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals (ISGOTT), by addressing activities and procedures that are either outside the scope of ISGOTT, or that are conducted differently on F(P)SOs, which often have multiple operations taking place at the same time.
This book will be essential for F(P)SO operators, as well as anyone involved in their design and management, OCIMF claimed.
“Fundamental differences exist between the operation of an F(P)SO and a tanker,” explained OCIMF director, Rob Drysdale. “Available industry guidance for conventional tankers, such as ISGOTT, is not always suitable for F(P)SOs because it does not address the safe management of the concurrent activities undertaken by F(P)SOs.
“This new book includes guidance on how to safely manage the isolation of tanks from active systems, hot and cold work in tanks, tank inspections and the routine removal of sediments from cargo spaces,” he added.
This is the first of two books OCIMF is releasing for the offshore sector this year; the second, ‘Guidelines for Offshore Tanker Operations’, provides guidance on safe mooring and cargo transfer between offshore terminals and offtake tankers and will be published later this year.
Both books are released under the stewardship of OCIMF’s Offshore Marine Committee. The committee’s chair, Tim Coombs, welcomed the publication, saying “This is good news for all those involved with F(P)SO facilities. As these guidelines are adopted, these facilities should become safer and more reliable.”
‘Cargo Guidelines for F(P)SOs’ was released on 6th July. 2018 and is available to buy from Witherby Publishing Group (www.witherbys.com).