Preventing Oil Spills

 

XT Shipping Group is aware that accidental oil spills at sea may cause significant harm to the marine environment. Consequently, awareness is continuously being raised among crew and all necessary actions are taken to prevent environmental incidents.

The crew is trained in safe navigation and operation of vessels. Additionally, all operational procedures and contingency plans that deal with emergency situations are under scrutiny and are continuously being improved.

All XT Group vessels hold a Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP). This plan provides guidance to the Master and Officers on board the ship with respect to the steps that should be taken in the event of a pollution incident, or its likelihood.

 

Biofouling Management

Biofouling, or biological fouling, is the undesirable accumulation of micro-organisms (barnacles, algae) on submerged structures of the vessels’ hulls. Biofouling on vessels entering the waters of States may result in the establishment of invasive aquatic species, which may pose threats to the aquatic environment.

 

Anti-fouling is the process of removing the accumulation, or preventing its accumulation. Vessels' hulls are painted with anti-fouling paint in order to increase speed and reduce fuel consumption.

XT Shipping implement the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships (AFS), this includes:

 

1. Periodical In-water inspection of vessels hull, condition of anti-fouling systems and the biofouling status of a vessel.

2. Keeping maintenance and records related to Biofouling management.

3. Environmental training- training and educating masters and crews on Biofouling management measures.

 

educing Air Emissions

XT Shipping prioritizes minimizing fuel consumption and air emissions.

In order to prevent the atmospheric ozone layer from depletion, The Company is constantly looking for cleaner and more fuel-efficient technologies and operational measures to help maximize energy efficiency and reduce air emissions such as CO2/NOX/SOX/and Fluorocarbons.

Believing that implementation of Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan SEEMP, and improving energy efficiency by all of the fleet vessels will contribute towards reducing cost, fuel consumption and global CO2 emissions.

 

Ballast Water Management

The discharge of ballast water from vessels can transfer organisms from different marine ecosystems, which can be harmful to the ecological balance.

The ballast water management intention is to provide safe and effective procedures that minimize the transfer of the harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens found in the ship’s ballast water.

As a proactive approach XT Shipping implements ahead of time the requirements of the ballast water convention which is not yet in force;

1. All fleet vessels carry ballast water management plan and manage the ballast water exchange according to the requirements of the convention.

2. On most of the fleet vessels the ballast water management plan is approved by class.

3. Some of the fleet vessels already equipped with ballast water treatment system (BWTS), ultimately all of them will be fitted with (BWTS). 

 

Waste Management

Vessel operation inevitably generates waste, particularly oily waste, sludge and sewage.  To counteract this, a waste management program is being implemented to ensure that all types of waste are reduced and handled in a responsible manner.

XT Shipping adopted No Discharge policy, as far as practicable at ports Vessels are prohibited from discharging any graywater and or sewage, whether treated or untreated.
 

Garbage Management

 

Each vessel has a Garbage Management Plan onboard which is incorporated into the Ship's Environmental plan. Separation of garbage is carried out on all vessels.

Garbage is always handled in compliance with regulations for the prevention of pollution by garbage from ships – Annex V of Marpol 73/78 regulations