🔍 Key Concepts

• Inert gas system (IGS) requirements for tankers carrying crude oil or products • When tanks must be at or below a maximum oxygen percentage by regulation • How inerting requirements relate to loading, discharging, and crude oil washing (COW) operations

💭 Think About

• Think about during which operations flammable vapors are most likely to form or be released in cargo tanks. • Consider what SOLAS/IGS rules say about the oxygen content of cargo tanks before starting each of these operations. • Ask yourself whether the regulation treats loading, discharging, and crude oil washing differently, or applies the same inerting requirement to multiple operations.

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify which operations explicitly require tanks to be inerted before starting according to SOLAS/IGS rules or 46 CFR for tankers. • Check the regulatory wording around crude oil washing (COW) and its preconditions—especially oxygen content limits. • Confirm whether the inert gas requirement is tied only to one operation or applies to more than one listed in the choices.