Coast Guard September 27, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard announces the availability of CG-ENG Policy Letter 04-12, ``Alternative Pressure Relief Valve Settings on Vessels Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk in Independent Type B and Type C Tanks.'' Existing Coast Guard regulations regarding the allowable stress factors for type B and type C independent cargo tanks are more stringent than the International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards for such cargo tanks. Materials, manufacturing, and inspections have advanced since the Coast Guard first promulgated regulations on allowable stress factors on May 3, 1979. CG-ENG Policy Letter 04-12 establishes that for certain type B and type C independent cargo tanks that are designed and manufactured using advanced techniques, the IMO standards for allowable stress factors provide a level of safety protection equivalent to the standards in 46 CFR 154.447 and 46 CFR 154.450.