Oily-water separator (OWS)
Record book honesty, magic-pipe enforcement, OWS alarms.
Why it matters
Falsifying the Oil Record Book is one of the most prosecuted shipboard crimes — US DOJ has secured many multi-million-dollar fines and crew prosecutions.
Common hazards
- Magic-pipe bypasses.
- Falsified Oil Record Book entries.
- OWS overboard alarm taped over or bypassed.
Practical checklist
- Daily test of OWS alarm.
- Sludge transfers entered in real time.
- All overboard discharges entered with sounding before and after.
- Spare parts inventory maintained.
Primary sources
- MARPOL Annex I — Prevention of pollution by oil · imo.org
- US DOJ Vessel Pollution Prosecutions · justice.gov
High confidence
Last verified