[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 46, Volume 7]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 46CFR182.445]

[Page 277-278]
 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
   CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 182_MACHINERY INSTALLATION--Table of Contents
 
                Subpart D_Specific Machinery Requirements
 
Sec. 182.445  Fill and sounding pipes for fuel tanks.

    (a) Fill pipes for fuel tanks must be not less than 40 millimeters 
(1.5 inches) nominal pipe size.
    (b) There must be a means of accurately determining the amount of 
fuel in each fuel tank either by sounding, through a separate sounding 
pipe or a fill pipe, or by an installed marine type fuel gauge.
    (c) Where sounding pipes are used, their openings must be at least 
as high as the opening of the fill pipe and they must be kept closed at 
all times except during sounding.
    (d) Fill pipes and sounding pipes must be so arranged that overflow 
of liquid or vapor cannot escape to the inside of the vessel.
    (e) Fill pipes and sounding pipes must run as directly as possible, 
preferably in a straight line, from the deck connection to the top of 
the tank. Such pipes must terminate on the weather deck and must be 
fitted with shutoff valves, watertight deck plates, or screw caps, 
suitably marked for identification. Gasoline fill pipes and sounding 
pipes must extend to within one-half of their diameter from the bottom 
of the tank. Diesel fill pipes and sounding pipes may terminate at the 
top of the tank.
    (f) A vessel of not more than 19.8 meters (65 feet) carrying not 
more than 12 passengers, with a gasoline fuel system built in accordance 
with ABYC Project H-24, or 33 CFR 183, subpart J, or with a diesel fuel 
system built in accordance with ABYC Project H-33, will be considered as 
meeting the requirements of this section.
    (g) Where a flexible fill pipe section is necessary, suitable 
flexible tubing or hose having high resistance to salt

[[Page 278]]

water, petroleum oils, heat and vibration, may be used. Such hose must 
overlap metallic pipe ends at the least 1\1/2\ times the pipe diameter 
and must be secured at each end by clamps. The flexible section must be 
accessible and as near the upper end of the fill pipe as practicable. 
When the flexible section is a nonconductor of electricity, the metallic 
sections of the fill pipe separated thereby must be joined by a 
conductor for protection against generation of a static charge when 
filling with fuel.