46 C.F.R. § 39.6007
Operational requirements for tank barge cleaning—B/ALL.
Cite as 46 C.F.R. § 39.6007 (2026)
(a) During cleaning operations, vapors from a tank barge cannot be transferred to a cleaning facility which does not have a marine vapor control system (VCS) certified by a certifying entity, and its facility operations manual endorsed by the Captain of the Port (COTP) as meeting the requirements of 33 CFR part 154, subpart P.
(b) Prior to commencing stripping operations, the maximum allowable stripping rate must be determined. The maximum allowable stripping rate must not exceed the volumetric flow capacity of the vacuum relief valve protecting the cargo tank.
(c) The maximum gas-freeing rate is determined by the following:
(1) For a vacuum displacement system—
(i) The maximum allowable gas-freeing rate is a function of the area open to the atmosphere for the cargo tank being gas-freed. The area open to the atmosphere must be large enough to maintain the pressure in the cargo tank being gas-freed at or above 14.5 pounds per square inch absolute (psia) (−0.2 pounds per square inch gauge (psig));
(ii) The maximum allowable gas-freeing rate must be calculated from Table 1 of this section, using the area open to the atmosphere for the cargo tank being gas-freed as the entering determination;
(2) For a fluid displacement system, the maximum allowable gas-freeing rate is determined by the lesser of the following:
(i) Eighty percent of the total venting capacity of the pressure relief valve in the cargo tank venting system when relieving at its set pressure;
(ii) Eighty percent of the total vacuum relieving capacity of the vacuum relief valve in the cargo tank venting system when relieving at its set pressure; or
(iii) The rate based on pressure drop calculations at which, for a given pressure at the facility vapor connection, the pressure in the cargo tank being gas-freed exceeds 80 percent of the setting of any pressure relief valve in the cargo tank venting system.
(d) Any hatch and/or fitting used to calculate the minimum area required to be open to the atmosphere must be opened and secured in such a manner as to prevent accidental closure during gas freeing. All flame screens for the hatch and/or fitting opened must be removed in order to allow for maximum airflow. The hatch and/or fitting must be secured open before the pressure in the cargo tank falls below 10 percent of the highest setting of any of the barge's vacuum relief valves.
(e) “Do Not Close Hatch/Fitting” signs must be conspicuously posted near the hatch and/or fitting opened during gas-freeing operations.
(f) To minimize the dangers of static electricity, all equipment used on the barge during gas-freeing and cleaning operations must be electrically bonded to the barge and tested to ensure electrical continuity before each use.
(g) If the barge is equipped with an inert gas system, the inert gas main isolation valve must remain closed during cleaning operations.
(h) Vapors from incompatible cargoes that are collected simultaneously must be kept separated throughout the barge's entire vapor collection system. Chemical compatibility must be determined in accordance with the procedures contained in 46 CFR part 150, part A.
Table 1—Minimum Open Area for Barge Cleaning Hatches
Air flow (CFM)
(cubic feet/minute)
Air flow (CFS)
(cubic feet/
second)
Open area
(square inches)
Diameter
opening
(inches)
Square opening
(inches)
500
8.3
10.7
3.7
3.3
600
10.0
12.8
4.0
3.6
700
11.7
15.0
4.4
3.9
800
13.3
17.1
4.7
4.1
900
15.0
19.3
5.0
4.4
1000
16.7
21.4
5.2
4.6
1100
18.3
23.6
5.5
4.9
1200
20.0
25.7
5.7
5.1
1300
21.7
27.8
6.0
5.3
1400
23.3
30.0
6.2
5.5
1500
25.0
32.1
6.4
5.7
1600
26.7
34.3
6.6
5.9
1700
28.3
36.4
6.8
6.0
1800
30.0
38.5
7.0
6.2
1900
31.7
40.7
7.2
6.4
2000
33.3
42.8
7.4
6.5
2100
35.0
45.0
7.6
6.7
2200
36.7
47.1
7.7
6.9
2300
38.3
49.3
7.9
7.0
2400
40.0
51.4
8.1
7.2
2500
41.7
53.5
8.3
7.3
2600
43.3
55.7
8.4
7.5
2700
45.0
57.8
8.6
7.6
2800
46.7
60.0
8.7
7.7
2900
48.3
62.1
8.9
7.9
3000
50.0
64.2
9.0
8.0
3100
51.7
66.4
9.2
8.1
3200
53.3
68.5
9.3
8.3
3300
55.0
70.7
9.5
8.4
3400
56.7
72.8
9.6
8.5
3500
58.3
75.0
9.8
8.7
3600
60.0
77.1
9.9
8.8
3700
61.7
79.2
10.0
8.9
3800
63.3
81.4
10.2
9.0
3900
65.0
83.5
10.3
9.1
4000
66.7
85.7
10.4
9.3