Heavy weather ballast

[Jose]

Some body can give advises regardinbg heavy weather ballast, My ship is an oil/chemical tankers with GT 6373 DWT8622MT, but we do not have any document onboard relating HWB nither class nor builders (shipyard).
I'm about to face a vetting inspection and as per HVPQ there is a question relating this subject I want to know if is compulsory to have it onboard.

[Kennebec Captain]

,I don't know the answer to your query. I've never seen anything from class nor builder either. My guess is that it is not required on board, I've never been asked, for what that's worth.

Generally the advice is to avoid slack tanks and have an appropriate GM.

K.C.

[richard8000milesaway]

what i have seen before a class requirement that is IF there is HW Ballast aboard then it must be of a certain type in certain areas...
otherwise good luck.

lloyds just departed my vessel 2 days ago. whew.

[WPM]

Are you are referring to the "written procedure....for the safe handling of heavy weather ballast..." question?

If so, ours specifies:
1. which tanks are to be used for HWx ballast
2. stipulates that the tank(s) must be cleaned before loading the ballast
3. states what valves / blinds must be opened to get the water into the tank(s)
4. what the expected hull strength and trim calculations would be for a full SBT and HWx ballast situation
5. how to line up the system to discharge the water when done (in accordance with MARPOL).

In our case it's nothing formal, but it fulfills the question.