(1) The new chapter 8 applies to oil tankers of 150 GT and above and requires any oil tanker involved in oil cargo STS operations to have on board a plan prescribing how to conduct STS operations (the STS Plan), which must be approved by the flag State Administration.
(2) Notification to the relevant coastal State is required not less than 48 hours in advance of the scheduled STS operations, although some relaxation to this rule is allowed in certain, very specific, cases. The regulations are not intended to apply to bunkering operations. (3) There are consequential amendments to the IOPP Certificate, the Supplement to the IOPP Certificate and the Oil Record Book.
