SHIP TO SHIP OPERATIONS GAIN NOTORIETY IN BRAZIL

By: Vanessa dos Santos Luna. Asistente del Departamento de Trafico de Embarcaciones y Asistencia y Rescate

What are Ship To Ship (STS) operations and where do they occur?
STS operations are those where cargo is transferred between oil, gas or chemical tankers. In Brazil they are carried out in Brazilian Jurisdictional Waters (AJB) and can take place with vessels moored in ports or terminals, anchored in the port area, and anchored or moving in the open sea.

Background
In Brazil and in the world, the transfer of oil and its derivatives through STS operations has been carried out for a long time, but the national demand grew since the second decade of the 2000s, due to the increase in oil production and exports, the overloading of ports and terminals, the restriction of draught and the increase of vessels' size.

Advantages
While operations grow, waiting time decreases and, consequently, the permanence of vessels in ports is reduced, impacting the logistics of maritime transport and contributing to the realization of new studies in different port areas or open sea. The efficiency of this type of operation has become progressively relevant, since it allows the increase in oil export flow operations, mainly to China, leading to more and more new interested parties seeking to carry them out.

Regulation
Internationally, vessels involved in STS operations must comply with the provisions of the following publications:

  • MARPOL Convention 73/78, in Chapter 8 of Annex I, as amended by IMO Resolution MEPC 186 (59)
  • IMO Manual on Oil Pollution, in Chapter 6 - Section I, IMO
  • Ship To Ship Transfer Guide for Petroleum, Chemicals and Liquefied Gases (STS) of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF); and
  • International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals (ISGOTT) of ICS and OCIMF

On a national level, the Maritime Authority's regulations on vessel traffic and permanence in AJB - NORMAM-08 of the Directorate of Ports and Coasts (DPC) include specific procedures for this type of operation.

Requirements
Several factors must be taken into account for an STS operation such as:

  • Existence of risk management
  • STS Operation Plan for the vessel involved,
  • Delimited and authorized transfer area,
  • Designation of persons in charge of the operation (Mooring Master, STS Superintendent and Person in Overall Advisory Control - POAC),
  • Monitoring of environmental conditions,
  • Notification to Navigators
  • Control of equipment maintenance (mainly fenders and hoses),
  • Support vessels,
  • Familiarization and training of the crew of the vessels involved,
  • STS service providers registered at the Maritime Authority and IBAMA (federal agency) or state environmental agencies, depending on the area of operation.

Nowadays
The Nautical Chart shows areas dedicated to STS operations, in addition to companies of great renown in the international market that operate in AJB, showing the increase of operations in Brazil. This activity has contributed to relief national ports and terminals, increasingly overloaded or in many cases with a deficient logistic structure to receive large vessels, such as Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) ships, which only demand some national ports, among others: Ports of Açu, Angra dos Reis and São SebastiãoAçu, Angra dos Reis y São Sebastião.

Female Representation
Capitão de Longo Curso (CLC) Fabiana Durant is a graduate of the third group of women from the Merchant Marine Officers Training School (EFOMM) in 2002. Since 2014, she has held the position of Nautical Advisor for the company Transpetro, acting in four national terminals: Suape, Cabedelo, Maceió and Aracaju.

Her team members are nine merchant officers. Among them, eight play the role of Nautical Inspectors and one, Mooring Master. All the activity carried out by the team aims to comply with operational safety during STS. According to her, the Suape Terminal is responsible for carrying out the largest number of STS operations in the northeast region. Out of a total average of 80 vessel operations per month, almost half are STS operations.

Future
In addition to the growth expectations for STS operations, the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) STS market has been outperforming. As an example, the Porto de Sergipe I Thermoelectric Power Plant (UTE), whose gas that feeds its turbines is regasified by the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit - FSRU Golar Nanook, is active. It is located approximately 6 km from the Ba-rra dos Coqueiros Terminal, in the state of Sergipe (SE), generating energy and contributing to the economic development of the region. Several LNG STS operation projects are still being developed in national ports and terminals, such as the Ports of Açu, Suape, Vila do Conde and São Francisco do Sul.