Crude oil tankers, Control of flow rates during discharge

On crude oil tankers, cargo flow rates can be particularly high, potentially generating very large hydrodynamic forces and extremely high transient pressures, that the cargo handling system may not be designed to resist. There have also been many occasions where poor control of flow rates has resulted in overflow of cargo tanks during discharge.

Crude oil tankers are designed to transfer cargo at a high loading rate, but the operation must be conducted in a controlled manner. If not, large hydrodynamic forces with high transient pressures can develop that the cargo handling system may not be designed to resist. The aim of this module is to give deck officers serving on crude oil tankers the practical knowledge necessary to maintain effective control of the cargo flow rate during safe cargo transfer on a crude oil tanker.