HELCOM RECOMMENDATION 7/8

adopted 12 February 1986, having regard to Article 13, Paragraph b) of the Helsinki Convention

supplements HELCOM Recommendation 1/2

RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING THE APPLICATION BY THE BALTIC SEA STATES OF IMO RESOLUTION A.586 (14) - REVISED GUIDELINES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR OIL DISCHARGE MONITORING AND CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR OIL TANKERS AS AMENDED BY IMO RESOLUTION MEPC. 24 (22) AND AMENDMENTS TO IMO RESOLUTION A.393 (X) ON INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCE AND TEST SPECIFICATIONS FOR OILY-WATER SEPARATING EQUIPMENT AND OIL CONTENT METERS AS CONTAINED IN IMO RESOLUTION MEPC. 24 (22)

THE COMMISSION,

RECALLING the provisions of Regulation 4 of Annex IV to the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1974, (Helsinki Convention), concerning the discharge of oil,

RECALLING ALSO HELCOM Recommendation 1/2 concerning the application by the Baltic Sea States of IMO Resolution A.393 (X) - Recommendation on International Performance and Test Specifications for Oily-Water Separating Equipment and Oil Content Meters,

RECOGNIZING that the Assembly of IMO has adopted, at its fourteenth session, Resolution A.586 (14) - Revised Guidelines and Specifications for Oil Discharge Monitoring and Control Systems for Oil Tankers,

RECOGNIZING ALSO that IMO'S Marine Environment Protection Committee has adopted, at its twenty-second session, Resolution MEPC. 24 (22) containing amendments to IMO Resolutions A.586 (14) and A.393 (X),

NOTING that Administrations of the Baltic Sea States, pursuant to Sub-paragraph 6 of Paragraph A of Regulation 4 of Annex IV to the Helsinki Convention should approve oil discharge monitoring and control systems,

NOTING ALSO that Administrations of the Baltic Sea States, pursuant to Sub-paragraph 3.b) (V) of Paragraph B of Regulation 4 of Annex IV to the Helsinki Convention should approve oily-water separating and filtering systems,

RECOMMENDS that the Governments of the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention:

a)     should apply the Revised Guidelines and Specifications for Oil Discharge Monitoring and Control Systems for Oil Tankers, contained in the Annex to IMO Resolution A.586 (14) as amended according to Annex 1 to IMO Resolution MEPC. 24 (22);

b)     should apply the Amendments to the Recommendation on International Performance and Test Specifications for Oily-Water Separating Equipment and Oil Content Meters, contained in Annex 2 to IMO Resolution MEPC. 24 (22);

c)     should establish testing programmes in accordance with the aforesaid IMO Resolutions and exchange information and experience gained when carrying out testing;

d)     should utilize the form of "Certificate of Type Approval for Oil Content Meters Intended for Monitoring the Discharge of Oil Contaminated Water from the Cargo Tank Areas of Oil Tankers" attached to the Annex to IMO Resolution A.586 (14);

e) should recognize such certificates issued under the authority of a Government of another Baltic Sea State as having the same validity as certificates issued by them; and

f)   should consult one another in case an oil content meter passes a test in one Baltic Sea State, and fails a test of a similar nature in another Baltic Sea State with a view to coming to an agreement which could be mutually acceptable.