OCIMF Release New Study on Ship to Ship Transfer Operations

OCIMF Releases New Study on Ship to Ship Transfer Operations

A ship to ship transfer operation between two tank ships (Adobe Stock) // Una operación de transferencia de barco a barco entre dos barcos tanque.

In May 2022, the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) published a new study analyzing ship-toship transfers under varying environmental conditions.

Ship-to-Ship (STS) transfer operations take place across different geographies and under varying environmental conditions, adding to the complexity and risks associated with such transfers. Despite best efforts, mooring line failures are still a leading cause of incidents, potentially causing harm to people and the environment thus jeopardizing the integrity of such transfers. This information paper, Mooring Load Analysis during Ship to Ship Transfer Operations, aims to support relevant stakeholders in making their own assessments to determine suitable weather criteria and ascertain an appropriate weather window for STS operations.

The study supports KPIs listed under element 5 of the Ship-to-Ship Service Provider Management Self-Assessment, 2nd edition (2020). Previous editions of OCIMF's Ship-to-Ship transfer guide included similar outputs. The current study used advanced mooring line load simulation technology for enhanced assessment of mooring line loads under varying environmental conditions for a variety of shiptype combinations, including LPG and LNG carriers.