Maritime integrity

The maritime integrity topic applies to all floating installations, including jack-up drilling units. The maritime hazards are:

• loss of stability, arising from collision or uncontrolled flooding
• loss of position, arising from some failure within the mooring system or dynamic positioning (DP) system.

Present topic areas of attention include:

• assurance of the integrity of mooring systems for production installations
• management of offloading operations to shuttle tanker, including inert gas and hydrocarbon blanket gas systems
• suitable inspection and repair programs to ensure continued watertight integrity
• arrangements to ensure the provision of competent, experienced personnel, both offshore and onshore
• supervision and control of DP operations of the installation, and of vessels in close attendance, including gangway management
• control and management of work activities inside ballast and cargo tanks.

Guidance:

• Assessment of the adequacy of the venting arrangements for cargo oil tanks on FPSO and FSU installations (Safety Notice OSD 5-2010)
  This safety notice highlights the need to ensure suitable and sufficient assessment of the adequacy of venting arrangements for cargo oil tanks on FPSO and FSU installations.
• Flooding risk to machinery spaces of floating offshore installations: Guidelines on inspection of ship side valves; flood detection and control; inspection and training (Offshore Information Sheet 4/2011)
  This sheet gives guidance on what is required by the duty holder to demonstrate that:
  • The ship side valves are suitable, suitably maintained and in good repair.
  • They have arrangements that deal with flooding incidents.
    This information sheet replaces information sheet 8/2007 which is now withdrawn.
• Offshore Installation Moorings (Offshore Information Sheet 4/2013 Rev. 3)
  This guidance is for marine technical authorities and their contractors engaged in design, installation, inspection, and maintenance of mooring systems