Whenever the setting of a cargo tank high or low pressure alarm is changed, the fact must be

recorded in the Cargo Log Book.

5.6.1 The Setting of High Pressure Alarms

The pressure at which the high pressure alarm operates should be set to a maximum of
110% of the design pressure of the p/v pressure valve (i.e. a maximum of 10% above the
p/v pressure valve setting) on all vessels, whether operating with tanks inerted or not.

5.6.2 The Setting of Low Pressure Alarms

On vessels not fitted with an inert gas system, or vessels fitted with an inert gas system
but operating with non-inerted tanks, the low pressure alarm should be set to a maximum of
110% of the design pressure release of the p/v vacuum valve (i.e. a maximum of 10% below
the vacuum valve setting). However, if in practice it is found that at this setting the alarm
constantly sounds when discharging then a setting of greater than 10% may be used, but in
no case should it be set at more than 125% of the setting of the vacuum valve.

On vessels fitted with an inert gas system and operating with tanks inerted, the low
pressure alarm should be set to about half the pressure that the inert gas low low pressure
alarm operates at (i.e. if the inert gas low low pressure alarm operates at 150 mmwg then
the cargo tank low pressure alarm should be set to about 75 mmwg to give warning of when
the cargo tank pressure is approaching zero). Inerted tanks must be maintained at a positive
pressure at all times to both prevent the ingress of air and the low inert gas pressure alarm
shutting down the cargo pumps.

In summary, where vapour recovery is not in use:

Cargo tank
Inerted Not inerted
alarms
110% design pressure of 110% design pressure of
p/v pressure valve p/v pressure valve
High pressure
e.g: set alarm at 220 mb for e.g: set alarm at 220 mb for
alarm
a pressure relief setting of a pressure relief setting of
200 mb 200 mb
110% design pressure of
Set to ½ the inert gas low p/v vacuum valve (but up to
low pressure alarm 125%)
Low pressure
e.g: set alarm at 50 mb for e.g: set alarm at -38.5 mb
alarm
a low low pressure alarm of for a vacuum relief setting
100 mb of -35 mb, but up to -43.75
mb

Note: 1 mb = 10mmwg.

On those vessels which are fitted with an inert gas system but occasionally carry cargoes in
non-inert tanks, the vacuum setting will have to be changed as required in accordance with
these procedures.

Cargo Operations Manual 2 -29/12/2020 Page 5 of 11

Tankers
COM-Part B-05