ISGOTT (International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals)

ISGOTT is the definitive tanker + terminal safety reference, published tripartite by OCIMF (Oil Companies International Marine Forum), ICS (International Chamber of Shipping) and IAPH (International Association of Ports and Harbours). Every crude + product tanker officer carries the current edition; every terminal operator references it. Now on the 6th edition (2020), ISGOTT is not itself a mandatory instrument — it is industry best practice — but is referenced in P&I policy, charterparty warranties, SIRE 2.0 inspection findings, and PSC inspections. Deviation without documented justification is a routine detention finding.

Editions + relationship to regulation

1st edition 1978. Consolidated the ICS Tanker Safety Guide + separate terminal-side manuals into a single tripartite reference.
6th edition (June 2020). Current edition. Substantially expanded ship-shore interface + cyber security + MARPOL-consistent bunker + tank-cleaning practice.
Relationship to SOLAS + MARPOL + ISM Code. ISGOTT operationalises the regulatory requirements — it doesn't create them. SOLAS Ch. II-2 + MARPOL Annex I + Annex II + the ISM Code are the underlying mandatory instruments.
Companion guides. IBC + BCH Code cover chemical tankers separately; ISGOTT is oil-tanker focused. SIGTTO Liquefied Gas Handling Principles covers LNG + LPG.

Chapter overview (6th ed.)

Chapter 1 — Basic properties of petroleum. Flashpoint + flammability envelope + vapour density + static electricity. The physics every tanker officer must internalise.
Chapter 2 — Static electricity. Hazard sources, bonding, tank washing precautions, product characteristics (particularly clean products) that trigger static-generation risk.
Chapter 3 — Fire hazards + fire prevention. Inert-gas system operation, tank atmosphere control, hot-work permit interlock.
Chapters 4-7 — Ship + terminal operations. Cargo + ballast + tank-cleaning + gas-freeing sequencing. Voyage-planning phase-out of low-flash-fuel operations. Ship-shore ATEX zone interpretation.
Chapter 8-15 — Cargo transfer. Pre-transfer conference, ship-shore safety checklist, hose management, emergency shutdown, disconnection.
Chapters 16-21 — Emergency response. Fire response, evacuation, muster procedure, oil-spill contingency, MEDEVAC.
Chapters 22-27 — Terminal operation. Terminal management perspective — jetty + berth + mooring + firefighting from the shore side.
Appendices. Standard forms (Ship-Shore Safety Checklist, Declaration of Inspection, Pre-Arrival Info Exchange). Every tanker Master + Chief Officer uses these routinely.

Ship-Shore Safety Checklist (SSSC)

The single most-used ISGOTT artefact. Completed jointly by the Master (or delegated Chief Officer) and the terminal representative before every cargo operation. Covers ~40 checkpoints across moorings, hoses, communication, atmosphere, firefighting, and emergency preparedness. Failure to complete + sign is a fundamental non-conformance. The checklist is inspected on SIRE 2.0 vetting + retained in the Cargo Record Book.

How the tanker officer uses ISGOTT

Pre-arrival. Review terminal-specific requirements + pre-arrival ISGOTT-form info exchange with the agent. Master ensures crew familiarisation is current + drills are up to date.
Arrival + pre-transfer. Complete SSSC with terminal representative. Verify ATEX-zone + IG system + moorings + gangway safety.
During transfer. Cargo Officer + Chief Officer monitor rate + tank levels + IG system + mooring + hose stress. Continuous re-verification against the SSSC.
Post-transfer. Cargo Officer completes stripping + line drainage + tank inerting per ISGOTT Chapter 11-12. Disconnection sequence per Chapter 15. Documentation into Cargo Record Book + Oil Record Book (MARPOL Annex I).
Between voyages. Cargo Officer references Chapter 6-7 for tank washing + gas-freeing sequencing when the next cargo differs from the current cargo. IMPORTANT: ISGOTT tank-cleaning coverage is basic — supplement with the ISGINTT (bio-fuel) + INTERTANKO + BIMCO tank-cleaning guides for specific cargo transitions.

Career implication

ISGOTT working knowledge is essential for tanker Chief Officer + Master roles. STCW V/1-1 Basic Tanker training covers ISGOTT at the awareness level; V/1-1 Advanced Tanker + company-specific + oil-major-approved training (Shell / BP / Chevron / TotalEnergies vetting-approved courses) cover the operational depth. Every promotion to Chief Officer or Master on a tanker involves an ISGOTT-based scenario examination at the company level.