News 29 Sep, 2026 Pollution Risk from Overboard Pipes Routed Through Fuel Oil Tanks Dmitry Kisil Senior Loss Prevention Officer The West of England previously advised Members of a pollution incident involving the failure of a deck scupper drain pipe routed through a fuel oil tank . During bunkering, fuel entered the damaged pipe and escaped overboard through an undetected defect once the fuel level reached the height of the crack. Download PDF There have been two more pollution incidents arising from a similar arrangement. In both cases, an Oil Discharge Monitoring Equipment (ODME) overboard discharge pipe was routed through a bunker fuel tank before terminating at the ship’s side. Although all three incidents involved tankers, the recurrence of this failure mode across unrelated vessels highlights a broader risk. The incidents demonstrate that seemingly isolated overboard piping can create a direct pathway between an oil-containing tank and the sea if the pipe loses integrity. ODME Overboard Pipe Failures In both recent cases, the section of ODME overboard discharge piping located within a bunker tank failed. Bunker fuel entered the pipe and escaped directly into the sea. Importantly, the discharge occurred despite the ODME overboard valve being closed and the removable spool piece having been removed inside the vessel. These measures effectively isolated the inboard ODME system but did not isolate the section of pipe extending through the bunker tank to the vessel’s side. The apparent causes of failure differed. In one case, corrosion and wastage were believed to be responsible. In the other, a crack developed along a welded seam from the vessel’s original construction. While the causes differed, the outcome was the same. Once the pipe wall lost integrity inside the bunker tank, the pipe became an uncontrolled pollution pathway allowing fuel oil to escape directly overboard. Why These Arrangements Warrant Attention An overboard pipe routed through a bunker or carg