Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations

10 (1) A fuel tank on a fishing vessel that is separate from the hull shall comply with the following rules:

• (a) it shall be made of steel or other suitable material the strength of which is equivalent to that of steel;

• (b) where a fuel tank is made of material other than steel and the vessel is a steel vessel, the fuel tank shall be efficiently isolated from the steel structure of the vessel;

• (c) where a fuel tank is made of steel, the steel plating shall have a minimum thickness calculated in accordance with the following table:

  Capacity of tank in litres	Minimum thickness of steel plating in millimetres
  More than 114 and not more than 1 364	3
  More than 1 364 and not more than 4 550	5
  More than 4 550	6

• (c.1) where a fuel tank is made of material other than steel, the material used for plating shall be of such thickness as to provide a strength equal to or greater than the strength of the steel plating required in accordance with paragraph (c);

• (c.2) subject to paragraph (c.3), where the capacity of a fuel tank is more than 114 L, the tank is made of steel and the thickness of the plating is the thickness set out in Column I of an item of the table to this paragraph, the tank shall be fitted with stiffeners so that the unsupported flat surfaces of the tank do not exceed, in square metres, the area set out in Column II of that item:

  	Column 1	Column 2
  Item	Thickness of steel plating in millimetres	Unsupported flat surface area in square metres
  1	3	0.28
  2	5	0.56
  3	6	0.84

• (c.3) where the thickness of the tank plating is intermediate to any set out in the table to paragraph (c.2), the unsupported flat surface area shall be calculated by interpolation and, where such thickness exceeds 6 mm, the unsupported flat surface shall be calculated in accordance with that table by extrapolation;

• (c.4) subject to paragraphs (c.5) and (c.6), where the capacity of a fuel tank is more than 114 L, the tank is made of material other than steel and the thickness of the tank’s plating is such as to provide a strength equal to or greater than the strength of steel plating having a thickness set out in Column I of an item of the table to paragraph (c.2), the tank shall be fitted with stiffeners so that the unsupported flat surfaces of the tank do not exceed, in square metres, the area set out in Column II of that item;

• (c.5) where the thickness of the tank plating made of material other than steel is such as to provide a strength equal to the strength of steel plating referred to in the table to paragraph (c.2) and is intermediate to any set out in that table, the unsupported flat surface area shall be calculated by interpolation;

• (c.6) where the thickness of the tank plating made of material other than steel is such as to provide a strength that exceeds the strength of 6 mm of steel, the unsupported flat surface area shall be calculated in accordance with the table to paragraph (c.2) by extrapolation;

• (d) where the length or breadth of a fuel tank is greater than 1.22 m, baffle plates shall be fitted inside the tank in sufficient numbers that the distance between baffle plates or between a baffle plate and a side plate is not greater than 1.22 m;

• (e) a fuel tank having a capacity exceeding 1 364 L and not exceeding 4 550 L shall be fitted with a suitable clean-out door, and a fuel tank having a capacity of more than 4 550 L shall be fitted with a manhole door;

• (f) where the capacity does not exceed 114 L it may be constructed of material that is less than 3 mm in thickness, but when such tank is to be used for gasoline and has a capacity exceeding 23 L and is made of material of less than 3 mm in thickness that is not corrosion resistant, it shall be galvanized inside and outside by the hot-dipped process after construction is completed;

• (g) mass produced cylindrical gasoline drums having a capacity exceeding 23 L and not exceeding 227 L may be used as fuel tanks without alteration if they

  • (i) have been galvanized inside and out and are constructed of steel plate having a thickness of not less than 1.5 mm, corrugated to give extra strength, and

  • (ii) do not weigh less than 32 kg when empty if they have a capacity of approximately 205 L;

• (h) a fuel tank having a capacity exceeding 114 L shall be tested hydrostatically on completion to a head of at least 2.44 m above the crown or to the maximum head to which the tank will be subjected, whichever is the greater, such tests shall be witnessed by an inspector, but in the case of any tank of a capacity not exceeding 1 364 L the inspector may, when it is not practicable for him to witness the test, accept a written statement from the manufacturer certifying that the hydrostatic test described in this paragraph has been carried out and that no defects were revealed; and

• (i) seams shall be welded, brazed or double riveted, but soldered joints may be used on a tank having a capacity of not over 114 L if the solder has a melting point of not less than 427°C.

(2) A fuel tank that is not separate from the hull of a fishing vessel shall be considered as part of the hull, taking into consideration the strength requirements of the vessel and the possibility of contamination of oil fuel with water, but the standards of construction and testing shall not be less than those set out in this section for a fuel tank that is separate from the hull.

(3) Where the capacity of a fuel tank exceeds 114 L, it shall be provided with the following:

• (a) a filling pipe that

  • (i) is at least 38 mm inch in internal diameter,

  • (ii) leads from the top of the tank to the weatherdeck, the connection through the deck being watertight,

  • (iii) is fitted with a screwed brass plug or cap, and

  • (iv) is made sufficiently flexible to absorb any vibration or sinkage of the tank; and

• (b) a vent or breather pipe that

  • (i) leads from the top of the tank to a safe height and location above the weather deck and is clear of all openings into the hull or deck house,

  • (ii) has the end covered with wire gauze and turned down through an angle of 180 degrees,

  • (iii) has a weathertight deck connection,

  • (iv) may have two or more vent pipes branching off from the pipe leading to the deck if that pipe is increased in diameter to maintain the required cross sectional area, and

  • (v) shall, for each tank, be,

    • (A) where the only exit for overflow is the vent pipe, not less in internal diameter than the filling pipe, and

    • (B) where the overflow can take place from the filling pipe and the arrangements are such that supply nozzles cannot plug the filling pipe, not less in internal diameter than one-fifth of the internal diameter of the filling pipe.

(4) Glass tubing shall not be used on a fishing vessel as a gauge glass on a fuel tank having a capacity of more than 114 L or on any fuel tank that contains fuel having a flashpoint of less than 52°C (Pensky-Marten closed cup), but flat glass gauges of a type approved by the Board may be used on any fuel tank if fitted with self-closing cocks or valves.

(5) Where glass tubing is used as a gauge on a fuel tank on a fishing vessel, the gauge shall be fitted with a cock or valve at the top and at the bottom.

(6) Where a drain valve or cock is provided on a fuel tank on a fishing vessel, it shall have a standard screwed outlet that shall be kept plugged with a screwed plug whenever the cock or valve is not in use.

(7) The piping from any fuel tank on a fishing vessel shall be fitted at the tank with a valve or cock that is capable of being operated from outside the compartment in which the tank is situated.

(8) Where a new or existing fishing vessel is equipped with an oil-fired power boiler for main or auxiliary steam, each valve or cock fitted to a fuel tank shall be so controlled that it is capable of being shut off from a position that is

• (a) outside the compartment in which the fuel tank is situated; and

• (b) always accessible in the event of fire taking place in the compartment in which the fuel tank is situated.

(9) The means of control of a valve or cock referred to in subsection (8) shall consist of

• (a) an extended spindle;

• (b) a self-closing valve actuated by a trip wire; or

• (c) any other suitable device.

(10) Where an aluminum fuel tank is fitted on a fishing vessel, all valves, fittings and piping fitted to the fuel tank shall be of a material compatible with aluminum.