republic-os/legal/us/code/title-46/chapter-37/section-3705.md

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LegalText	46 U.S.C. § 3705	Crude oil tanker minimum standards	us	united_states_code	code_section	46	SHIPPING	37	CARRIAGE OF LIQUID BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES	3705	46 U.S.C. § 3705	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc46@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t46/s3705	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml	cfe9485531f94e5009f0272ce4239e9d4c9a329f2e00193920f289669ac97b5a	eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f	881b22e8f5c35b68fb76a5e71c6ce32d63f252ec82a2f3bf1ca6a6581978a563	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

46 U.S.C. § 3705 - Crude oil tanker minimum standards

Text

(a) A new crude oil tanker of at least 20,000 deadweight tons shall be equipped with—

(1) protectively located segregated ballast tanks;

(2) a crude oil washing system; and

(3) a cargo tank protection system consisting of a fixed deck froth system and a fixed inert gas system.

(b) An existing crude oil tanker of at least 40,000 deadweight tons shall be equipped with—

(1) segregated ballast tanks; or

(2) a crude oil washing system.

(c) An existing crude oil tanker of at least 20,000 deadweight tons but less than 40,000 deadweight tons, and at least 15 years of age, shall be equipped with segregated ballast tanks or a crude oil washing system.

(d) An existing crude oil tanker of at least 20,000 deadweight tons shall be equipped with an inert gas system. However, for a crude oil tanker of less than 40,000 deadweight tons not fitted with high capacity tank washing machines, the Secretary may grant an exemption if the vessel’s owner can show clearly that compliance would be unreasonable and impracticable due to the vessel’s design characteristics.

(e) A crude oil tanker engaged in transferring oil from an offshore oil exploitation or production facility on the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States shall be equipped with segregated ballast tanks, or may operate with dedicated clean ballast tanks or special ballast arrangements. However, the tanker shall comply with other applicable minimum standards of this section.

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 523; Pub. L. 115–232, div. C, title XXXV, § 3544(b), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2325.)

Notes

Historical and Revision Notes Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 3705(a)46:391a(7)(A) 3705(b)46:391a(7)(D) 3705(c)46:391a(7)(E) 3705(d)46:391a(7)(F) 3705(e)46:391a(7)(M) Section 3705 requires compliance with certain minimum standards by a crude oil tanker, which is self-propelled. In general, the minimum required standards are consistent with those international standards that have been adopted as Protocols to the 1974 Safety of Life at Sea Convention and the 1973 Marine Pollution Convention. Section 3705(a) requires new crude oil tankers of 20,000 deadweight tons or above to have protectively located segregated ballast tanks, a crude oil washing system, and a specified cargo tank protection system. Section 3705(b) requires existing crude oil tankers of 40,000 deadweight tons or above to have segregated ballast tanks or a crude oil washing system. Compliance may be delayed until June 1, 1985 for smaller tankers that have dedicated clean ballast tanks. Section 3705(c) requires existing crude oil tankers of 20,000 deadweight tons or above, but less than 40,000 deadweight tons, that are 15 years or older, to have segregated ballast tanks or a crude oil washing system by January 1, 1985 or if less than 15 years old, by the date on which it reaches 15 years of age. Section 3705(d) requires existing crude oil tankers of 20,000 deadweight tons or above, to install an inert gas system. An exemption for crude oil tankers of less than 40,000 deadweight tons not fitted with high-capacity tank washing machines may be granted by the Secretary, only if it is demonstrated that compliance would be unreasonable and impracticable due to the vessel’s design characteristics. Section 3705(e) requires existing crude oil tankers of 20,000 deadweight tons or above, engaged in the transfer of oil from Outer Continental Shelf oil exploitation or production facilities, to have segregated ballast tanks or be operated with dedicated clean ballast tanks or special ballast arrangements.

Editorial Notes

Amendments2018—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–232, § 3544(b)(1), struck out par. (1) designation after “(b)”, redesignated subpars. (A) and (B) of former par. (1) as pars. (1) and (2), respectively, and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “Compliance with paragraph (1) of this subsection may be delayed until June 1, 1985, for any tanker of less than 70,000 deadweight tons that has dedicated clean ballast tanks.” Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–232, § 3544(b)(2), struck out “before January 2, 1986, or the date on which the tanker reaches 15 years of age, whichever is later” before period at end.