S.L. 499.12 Art. 28Conditions of stay in Grand Harbour for a tanker certified gas-free and/or inert and checklists.

(1) Throughout a tanker’s stay in a repair facility, the following procedures shall be ensured by a competent person:

(a) on arrival at such facility the relevant checklists as specified in Schedule B shall be completed;

(b) before commencing repair work and not less than once every twenty-four hours thereafter - but in any case immediately after the tank pressure system has been topped up with inert gas - a competent person accompanied by a responsible ship’s officer shall, together, check that the oxygen level at several different levels well within every inerted compartment has not risen above a maximum of 8% by volume, that the pressure is maintained at a minimum of 100mm on the water gauge and that the water level in the deck water seal remains satisfactory;

(c) that the gas-tight seals of all cargo compartment openings remain effective and tight;

(d) throughout the tanker’s stay in Grand Harbour, no inerted space may be opened to atmosphere except for the briefest period needed to accomplish oxygen testing, ullaging or sampling;

(e) the repair facilities shall provide whenever necessary, a continuous supply of water to the deck water seal and inert gas of a suitable quality from a shore inert gas generator. In any case, prior to commencement of any repair, connection must be made between the facility’s inert gas generator and the tanker's inert gas delivery main;

(f) all connections, cables and procedures used to provide an additional electricity supply to a ship from shore, shall be in strict conformance with all the requirements of the Relevant Instruments, including approved means being provided at any terminal board in the ship to which a shore electricity supply is connected, so as to prevent the shore supply from being connected to the switchboard whilst it remains connected to the ship’s generators;

(g) work permits in respect of hot work, cold work, electrical work and entry permits should not generally have a validity period in excess of twelve hours. In the event that the complexity of the required work necessitates the issuance of more than one permit, care shall be taken to ensure that the issuance of a permit for subsequent work does not negate the safety conditions of any earlier permits;

(h) in the event that for any reason whatsoever, the conditions described in paragraphs (b) to (f) cannot be maintained, the Authority must be immediately informed by the person in charge of the operation and all work on the tanker must cease until such time as these prescribed conditions are properly restored. The Authority may order that the tanker must leave Grand Harbour forthwith.

(2) Any person who fails to comply with any directive given by the Authority in the exercise of its powers according to the provisions of subregulation (1), shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine (multa) not exceeding eleven thousand and six hundred and forty-six euro and eighty-seven cents (11,646.87) for each offence, and in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine (multa) not exceeding one thousand and one hundred and sixty-four euro and sixty-nine cents (1,164.69) for every day during which the offence continues.