1) OWS MEPC 60(33):- for ships built on or after 30April 1994 ;

OWS MEPC 107(49) for ships built on or after 1 JAN 2005

2) OWS MEPC 60(33):- supercedes the recommendations contained in reso A.393(X)
OWS MEPC 107(49):- supercedes the recommendations contained in reso
MEPC.60(33)
3) OWS MEPC 60(33):- The filtering equipment is gravitational which is not effective
over the complete range of oils which might be carried onboard ship, nor it can deal
with oil of very high relative density or with a mixture presented to it as an
emulsion...thus a lot of processing needs to be done before the sending the bilge to
OWS.
OWS MEPC 107(49):- The 15ppm bilge separator is capable of handling any oily
mixtures from the machinery space bilges and is effective over the complete range of
oils which might be carried onboard ship and can deal satisfactorily with oil of very
high density and mixture presented to it as an emulsion.
4) OWS MEPC 60(33):- Recirculating facilities provided to enable the oil filtering
equipment to be tested with the overboard discharge closed at initial and periodic
surveys
OWS MEPC 107(49):- Re-circulating facilities provided , after and adjacent to the
overboard oulet of the stopping device to enable the 15 ppm bilge separator system
including the 15ppm bilge alarm system and the automatic stopping device , to be
tested with the overboard discharge closed.
5) OWS MEPC 60(33):- response time of the oil content meter (i.e the time that
elapses between an alteration in the sample being supplied to the meter and the
meter showing the correct response ) not to exceed 20 seconds
OWS MEPC 107(49):- not to exceed 5 seconds
6) OWS MEPC 60(33):- no mention about training of ship staff wrt familiarisation in
operation and maintenance of the equipment
OWS MEPC 107(49):- requires training
7) OWS MEPC 60(33):- the layout of the shipboard installation to be arranged so that
the overall response time between an alteration in the mixture being pumped and
the alteration in the meter reading reading should be as short as possible and in any
case not more than 40 secs to allow for remedial action being taken before the oil
content of the mixture being discharged exceeds the permissible limit.
OWS MEPC 107(49):- the layout of the shipboard installation to be arranged so that
the overall response time (including the response time of 15ppm Bilge alarm) between
an effluent discharge from the 15ppm Bilge separator exceeding 15ppm and the

operation of the automatic stopping device preventing overboard discharge ,should be

as short as possible and in any case not more than 20secs.
8) OWS MEPC 60(33):- it is recommended that a simple means be provided aboard ship
to check on instrument drift and to confirm the accuracy and repeatability of the
instrument reading
OWS MEPC 107(49):- it is recommended that a simple means be provided aboard
ship to check on instrument drift , repeatability of the instrument reading and the
ability to re-zero the instrument

9) OWS MEPC 107(49):- The routine maintenance of the 15ppm Bilge Separator and
the 15 ppm Bilge alarm system should be clearly defined by the manufacturer in the
associated Operating and maintenance manuals.

10) OWS MEPC 107(49):- The accuracy of the 15ppm Bilge alarms should be checked at
the IOPP certificate renewal surveys according to manufacturers instructions .
Alternatively the unit may be replaced by a calibrated 15ppm Bilge Alarm .