[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 33, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 33CFR157.43]

[Page 471-472]
 
                TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS
 
   CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 157--RULES FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT RELATING TO 
TANK VESSELS CARRYING OIL IN BULK--Table of Contents
 
                       Subpart C--Vessel Operation
 
Sec. 157.43  Discharges of clean and segregated ballast: Seagoing tank 
vessels of 150 gross tons or more.

    (a) Clean ballast may not be discharged overboard unless the 
discharge is verified as clean ballast through use of an approved cargo 
monitor or, if discharged before the required cargo monitor installation 
date, by visual examination of the ballast contents immediately before 
discharge. This paragraph applies to discharges of clean ballast:
    (1) From dedicated clean ballast tanks; and
    (2) Into the navigable waters of the United States from any other 
tank.
    (b) Segregated ballast may not be discharged overboard unless a 
visual examination, or a test of the ballast contents with an oil/water 
interface detector, immediately before the discharge shows that there is 
no oily mixture in the ballast. Use of a cargo monitor is not required. 
This paragraph applies to discharges of segregated ballast:
    (1) Into the navigable waters of the United States; and
    (2) Below the waterline at sea from an existing vessel that does not 
have an above the waterline discharge point for segregated ballast.
    (c) All discharges of clean ballast and segregated ballast must be 
through an above waterline discharge point described in Sec. 
157.11(b)(2), except that:

[[Page 472]]

    (1) A vessel may discharge clean ballast and segregated ballast 
below the waterline when in port or at an offshore terminal.
    (2) A vessel may discharge clean ballast and segregated ballast at 
sea by gravity below the waterline.
    (3) An existing vessel that does not have above waterline discharge 
points for dedicated clean ballast tanks may discharge clean ballast 
from those tanks below the waterline at sea.
    (4) An existing vessel that does not have above waterline discharge 
points for segregated ballast tanks may discharge segregated ballast 
below the waterline at sea.
    (d) This section applies only to seagoing tank vessels of 150 gross 
tons or more.

[CGD 76-088b, 48 FR 45721, Oct. 6, 1983; 48 FR 46985, Oct. 17, 1983; 
USCG-2000-7641, 66 FR 55573, Nov. 2, 2001]