PSC deficiency code 14104: Oil filtering equipment
Area 14 Pollution prevention (MARPOL)
This code covers the equipment that lets a ship discharge treated bilge water at sea: the oily water separator (OWS), the 15 ppm bilge alarm and the valve that stops or recirculates the flow when the alarm trips. Inspectors want to see it work, and they want to see that the crew can run it.
What the inspector looks at
Expect a request to start the system, often with bilge water rather than sea water.
- The OWS starts and runs, and the crew can explain the line-up
- The 15 ppm monitor reads, alarms and operates the stopping or three-way valve when tested
- Calibration of the bilge alarm is in date per the maker's documentation
- No bypass: overboard piping, flanges and blanks are as shown in the drawings, without temporary hoses or connections
- The fresh water flushing line to the sensor can't be used to dilute the sample during discharge
- The equipment matches the type-approval certificate and the IOPP supplement
Common findings
- Oily water separator not operational
- 15 ppm bilge alarm not working, no alarm when tested
- Three-way valve does not recirculate on alarm
- Bilge alarm calibration certificate expired
- Crew not familiar with operation of OWS
- Flexible hose connection found on OWS overboard line
- Sample line to monitor blocked
The rule behind it
MARPOL Annex I, regulation 14, requires oil filtering equipment that keeps the oil content of the discharge at or below 15 ppm, and for larger ships an alarm with automatic stopping. Equipment fitted on newer ships has to meet IMO resolution MEPC.107(49), which also sets requirements for the alarm to record its status. Operations are recorded in the Oil Record Book.
Action codes you are likely to see
Small defects such as a blocked sample line, cleared while the inspector is on board, get 10. A system that works but has an expired calibration often gets 16 or 17. When the OWS can't be demonstrated, the alarm doesn't stop discharge, or there's evidence of a bypass, it may be treated as a ground for detention (30), and an inspector may expand the inspection into MARPOL operations generally. See action taken codes.
How to close it
Repair the separator and alarm, with a service report from the maker or an authorised service company where parts or calibration are involved. Renew the calibration certificate, remove any unauthorised connections and seal flanges where the company's procedures call for it. Demonstrate the system to the inspector or the RO and record the test. Retrain the engine crew and log it. Keep the service report, calibration certificate and test record with the Form B.