---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 C.F.R. § 155.350"
title: "33"
number: "155.350"
heading: "Oily mixture (bilge slops)/fuel oil tank ballast water discharges on oceangoing ships of less than 400 gross tons."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/33/155.350"
---

# §155.350. Oily mixture (bilge slops)/fuel oil tank ballast water discharges on oceangoing ships of less than 400 gross tons.

- (a) No person may operate an oceangoing ship of less than 400 gross tons, unless it either:
  - (1) Has the capacity to retain on board all oily mixtures and is equipped to discharge these oily mixtures to a reception facility; or
  - (2) Has approved oily-water separating equipment for processing oily mixtures from bilges or fuel oil tank ballast and discharges into the sea according to [§ 151.10](/cfr/33/151.10.md) of this chapter.
  - (3) For equipment installed after 2004 to be approved under [paragraph (a)(2)](#a-2) of this section, it must meet current standards in [46 CFR part 162](/cfr/46/part162.md), [subpart 162.050](/cfr/33/subpart162.050.md) by the date set forth in paragraphs [(a)(3)(i)](#a-3-i) and [(a)(3)(ii)](#a-3-ii) of this section, unless the equipment is installed on a ship constructed before 2005 and it would be unreasonable or impracticable to meet those current standards.
    - (i) A ship entering international service for the first time since 2004, must comply with the requirements of [paragraph (a)(3)](#a-3) of this section by the date of its initial survey prior to receiving its International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) certificate.
    - (ii) Any ship, other than a ship described in [paragraph (a)(3)(i)](#a-3-i) of this section, must comply with the requirements of [paragraph (a)(3)](#a-3) of this section by the date of the ship's first drydock after October 13, 2009.
- (b) An oceangoing ship of less than 400 gross tons may retain all oily mixtures on board in the ship's bilges. An oil residue (sludge) tank is not required.
- (c) This section does not apply to a barge that is not equipped with an installed bilge pumping system for discharge into the sea.
- (d) **This section does not apply to a fixed or floating drilling rig or other platform.**

## Notes

### Amendments

[CGD 75-124a, 48 FR 45715, Oct. 6, 1983, as amended by CGD 88-002, 54 FR 18407, Apr. 28, 1989; CGD 97-023, 62 FR 33364, June 19, 1997; USCG-1998-3799, 63 FR 35531, June 30, 1998; USCG-2000-7641, 66 FR 55571, Nov. 2, 2001; USCG-2004-18939, 74 FR 3377, Jan. 16, 2009; 74 FR 52418, Oct. 13, 2009]

### Source

Source: CGD 75-124a, 48 FR 45715, Oct. 6, 1983, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 3 U.S.C. 301 through 303; 33 U.S.C. 1321(j), 1903(b), 2735; 46 U.S.C. 70011; 70034; E.O. 12777, 56 FR 54757, 3 CFR, 1991 Comp., p. 351; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4. Section 155.1020 also issued under section 316 of Pub. L. 114-120. Section 155.480 also issued under section 4110(b) of Pub. L. 101-380.

### Amendments

[CGD 75-124a, 48 FR 45715, Oct. 6, 1983, as amended by CGD 88-002, 54 FR 18407, Apr. 28, 1989; CGD 97-023, 62 FR 33364, June 19, 1997; USCG-1998-3799, 63 FR 35531, June 30, 1998; USCG-2000-7641, 66 FR 55571, Nov. 2, 2001; USCG-2004-18939, 74 FR 3377, Jan. 16, 2009; 74 FR 52418, Oct. 13, 2009]