Regulation 15.6 of the Revised Annex VI of MARPOL 73/78 requires that within 1 July 2010, all tankers carrying crude oil will be required to carry and implement a ship-specific Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Management Plan, approved by the Administration.

The VOC Management Plan is required to be consistent with guidelines established by the MEPC, in resolution 185 (59). Prior to the Marine Environmental Protection Committee meeting (MEPC 59) in July 2009, DNV and Intertanko established a joint industry project to develop a model VOC management plan. This model plan was adopted by IMO as MEPC.1/Circ.680 on 27th July 2009.

Class systematics
DNV will ensure that a Retroactive Requirement (RR 1028) is given to oil tankers for which this requirement is applicable. Oil tankers that do not carry crude will have the RR replaced by a Memo for Owners (MO 186) specifying that the ship is not carrying crude oil and is therefore not required to have an approved VOC Management Plan onboard. However, prior to any carriage of crude oil, such a plan is to be provided onboard.

VOC management model plan
Based on IMO MEPC.1/Circ.680 of 27 July 2009, Intertanko and DNV have developed a model VOC management plan.

The plan can be downloaded using this link:

? Guidelines for VOC Management
? Simplifi ed guidelines for VOC Management plan

It is Part B which is the ship specifi c manual that is to be submitted for approval and sent onboard the ship (Part A only contains general narrative guidance and supporting explanatory info). Two spreadsheet forms for VOC recording referred to in the model plan may be downloaded using the following links:

? Appendix 1– Spreadsheet Calculations
? NMVOC Calculation Spreadsheet

One is a word form, the other is an excel spreadsheet. Either of them may be used.
VOC management plan approval Please, fi rst send the ship specifi c VOC management plan as a word template for commenting/correction. After the plan has been updated based on possible comments/ corrections, send 2 copies (1 copy for DNV fi les) of the complete manual with drawings for approval and stamping.