CONTROL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND- VOC EMISSIONS (STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION OF PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 549.52

CONTROL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND-

VOC EMISSIONS (STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION

OF PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE

STATIONS) REGULATIONS

10th June, 2016

LEGAL NOTICE 228 of 2016, as amended by Legal Notice 70 of 2017.

The title of these regulations is the Control of Volatile

Organic Compound-VOC Emissions (Storage and Distribution of

Petrol from Terminals to Service Stations) Regulations.

CALCULATION OF THE LOSS OF PETROL

A. Annual fugitive emissions from the storage of petrol at terminals and from

the loading and unloading of mobile containers at terminals

The operator shall communicate to the competent authority the estimates of

(a) the mass of petrol lost from the storage installations at terminals;

(b) the mass of petrol lost from the loading and unloading of mobile

containers at terminals; and

(c) the throughput of the terminal.

In addition

1. These estimates shall be certified by an approved auditor.

2. The procedure used for the estimation of losses mentioned in paragraphs (a)

and (b) above shall be that outlined in Schedule II, part B.

3. Estimates of the throughput shall be backed up by the invoices for the

purchasing of petrol during the three preceding years.

B.

Annual fugitive emissions from the loading of petrol into storage

installations at service stations.

The operator shall communicate to the competent authority the estimates of

(a) the mass of petrol lost from loading into storage installations at service

stations; and

(b) the throughput of the service stations.

In addition

1. These estimates shall be certified by an approved auditor.

2. The procedure used for the estimation of losses mentioned in paragraph (a)

above shall be that outlined in Schedule II, part A.

3. Estimates of the throughput shall be backed up by the invoices for the

purchasing of petrol during the three preceding years.

(1) For the purpose of these regulations and unless the

context otherwise requires

"approved auditor" means an auditor which has been approved

by the authority competent in approving such persons, who holds a

warrant to practice the profession of an inġinier under the Inġiniera

Act or the equivalent professional qualification as provided under

the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications Act, who has suitable

training, sufficient knowledge and experience and capability as

approved by the competent authorities to certify that terminals,

service stations and road tankers are compliant with the standards

set by the relevant technical Schedules of these regulations, and

who is duly registered with the joint competent authorities;

"the competent authority" means the Environment and Resources

Authority;

"existing service stations" means service stations granted

development planning consent before the 01 January 2012;

"gantry" means any structure at a terminal at which petrol can be

loaded on to a single road tanker at any one time;

"intermediate storage of vapours" means the intermediate storage

of vapours in a fixed roof tank at a terminal for later transfer to and

recovery at another terminal. The transfer of vapours from one

storage installation to another at a terminal shall not be considered

as intermediate storage of vapour within the meaning of these

regulations;

"loading installation" means any facility at a terminal at which

petrol can be loaded onto mobile containers. Loading installations

for road tankers shall comprise one or more ‘gantries’;

"major refurbishment" means a significant alteration or renewal

of the station infrastructure, particularly tanks and pipes;

"mobile container" means any tank transported by road, rail or

waterways used for the transfer of petrol from one terminal to

another or from terminal to a service station;

"new service stations" means service stations granted

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

development planning consent after the 01 January 2012;

"petrol" means any petroleum derivative, with or without

additives, having a Reid Vapour Pressure (RVP) of 27.6 kilopascals

or more, which is intended for use as a fuel for motor vehicles with

the exception of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG);

"petrol vapour capture efficiency" means the amount of petrol

vapour captured by the Stage II petrol vapour recovery system

compared to the amount of petrol vapour that would otherwise be

emitted to the atmosphere in the absence of such a system and

expressed as a percentage;

"Stage II petrol vapour recovery system" means equipment

aimed at recovering the petrol vapour displaced from the fuel tank

of a motor vehicle during refilling at a service station and which

transfers petrol to a storage tank at the service or back to the petrol

dispenser for resale;

"storage installation" means any stationary tank at a terminal

used for the storage of petrol;

"target reference value" means the guideline given for the overall

assessment of the adequacy of technical measures in the Schedules

and is not a limit value against which the performance of individual

installations, terminals and service stations will be measured;

"terminal" means any facility which is used for the storage and

loading of petrol onto road tankers, rail tankers, or vessels,

including all storage installations on the site of the facility;

"throughput" means the largest total annual quantity of petrol

loaded from a storage installation at a terminal or from a mobile

containers into a service station during the three preceding years;

"vapour recovery unit" means equipment for the recovery of

petrol from vapours including any buffer systems at a terminal;

"vapour" means any gaseous compound which evaporates from

petrol;

"vapour/petrol ratio" means the ratio between the volume at

atmospheric pressure of petrol vapour passing through the Stage II

petrol vapour recovery system and the volume of petrol dispensed;

"vessel" means an inland waterway vessel as defined in Chapter

1 of Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council 2006/

87/EC of the 12th December 2006 laying down technical

requirements for inland waterway vessels and repealing Council

Directive 82/714/EEC.

(2) These regulations transpose European Parliament and

Council Directive 94/63/EC of 20 December 1994 on the control of

volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions resulting from the

storage of petrol and its distribution from terminals to service

stations, Directive 2009/126/EC of the European Parliament and of

the Council of the 21 October 2009 on Stage II petrol vapour

recovery during refuelling of motor vehicles and service stations

and Commission Directive 2014/99/EU of 21 October 2014

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical progress,

Directive 2009/126/EC on Stage II petrol vapour recovery during

refuelling of motor vehicles and service stations.

(3) These regulations apply to the operations, installations,

vehicles and vessels used for storage, loading and transport of

petrol from one terminal to another or from a terminal to a service

station and to the dispensing of petrol to motor vehicle fuel tanks at

service station.

PROCEDURE TO CALCULATE PETROL LOSSES

A. Calculation of the Mass of petrol lost from the loading of petrol into the

storage installations at service stations.

Mass of petrol lost (kg) =EF Fill x VOL Load x TVP

Where

EF Fill = Emission Factor from table 1, depending on filling mode.

VOL Load = Volume of product loaded annually (in m 3 )

TVP = True Vapour Pressure of product at loading temperature (in kPa). If

unknown this value can be taken to be equal to 19°C (the annual average temperature

for the Maltese Islands).

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

Table 1 NMVOC Emission Factors for Loading Mobile Containers

Filling Mode

Emission Factor

EF Fill

0.0244 x 10 -2

stage 1b in operation

without vapour balancing

0.0011 x 10 -3

stage 1b in operation

with vapour balancing

B.

Calculation of the Mass of petrol lost from loading operations at terminals.

1. Uncontrolled Emissions

Mass emitted (kg) =EF Load x VOL Load x TVP

Where

EF Load =Emission Factor from Table 2, depending on loading mode.

VOL Load = Volume of product loaded annually (in m 3 )

TVP = True Vapour Pressure of product at loading temperature (in kPa). If

unknown this value can be taken to be equal to 19°C (the annual average temperature

for the Maltese Islands).

Table 2 NMVOC Emission Factors for Loading Mobile Containers

Loading Mode

Emission Factor

EF Load

8.60 x 10 -3

Road Tanker, Bottom Loading

No Vapour Balancing during Previous Off-Loading

9.40 x 10 -3

Road Tanker, Top Loading

No Vapour Balancing during Previous Off-Loading

2.28 x 10 -2

Road Tanker, Bottom or Top Loading

Vapour Balancing during Previous Off-Loading

1.08 x 10 -2

Rail Tanker

6.10 x 10 -3

Marine tanker - typical cargo tank condition

1.17 x 10 -2

Barge - typical cargo tank condition

Emissions Controlled with a Vapour Recovery Unit (VRU)

(a)

VRU Fitted with a continuous emissions monitor

Mass emitted (kg) = 1.00 x 10 3 x MEAS CONC x VOL LOAD x

(1 - 0.01TVP)

Where

MEAS CONC = Measured VRU vent concentration (in g/m 3 )

VOL Load = Volume of product loaded annually (in m 3 )

TVP = True Vapour Pressure of product at loading temperature (in kPa). If

unknown this value can be taken to be equal to 19°C (the annual average temperature

for the Maltese Islands).

(b)

VRU of known efficiency

Mass emitted (kg) = Uncontrolled emissions x [1 - (EFF x Time ON x 1 x 10 -4 )

Where

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

Uncontrolled emissions is calculated as shown in B part 1.

EFF = Average percentage efficiency of the VRU over the reporting period.

Time ON = Percentage of the time that the emissions reduction equipment is

operational when required during the reporting period.

C.

Calculation of the Mass of petrol lost from storage installations at terminals.

Mass Emitted (kg) = Standing Loss + Working Loss

1. Standing Loss and Working Loss from a fixed roof storage tank

Standing Loss (kg) = 48.5 x D 1.73 x H 0.51 x C

Where

D = the diameter of the tank in metres.

H = vertical height of the tank in metres.

C = a coefficient which depends on the colour, according to Table 3 below.

Tank Colour

Coefficient

C

White

1.00

Aluminium

1.20

Black

1.83

Other

1.6

Working loss (kg) = 0.878 x VOL

Where

VOL = volume of petrol dispensed annually in metres cubed (m 3 )

2. Standing Loss and Working Loss from a floating roof storage tank

Standing Loss (kg) = 9.35 x C J x V n x D

Where

C J = a coefficient for the floating roof tank depending on the nature of the seal,

according to Table 3 below.

v = annual average wind speed at the site in km/h. If unknown this value can be

taken to be equal to 17 km/h (the annual average wind speed for the Maltese

Islands).

n = wind coefficient related to the type of seal, according to Table 4 below.

D = tank diameter in metres.

Table 4 Coefficient for the different floating tank seals (see Schedule II)

Type of Seal

C J

n

Mechanical-shoe primary seals

primary only

0.52

1.53

With shoe mounted secondary seal

0.48

1.17

With rim-mounted secondary seal

0.13

0.97

Liquid-mounted resilient filled seal

primary only

0.55

1.03

With weather shield

0.45

0.93

With rim-mounted secondary seal

0.51

0.43

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

Vapour-mounted resilient filled seal

primary only

0.42

2.10

With weather shield

0.37

2.00

With rim-mounted secondary seal

0.09

2.23

Working Loss (kg) = 5.13 x VOL x (MxD -1 )

Where

VOL = volume of petrol dispensed annually in metres cubed (m 3 )

M = clingage coefficient

M = 0.0015 for light rust;

M = 0.0075 for dense rust;

M = 0.15 for gunite lining;

D = tank diameter in metres.

3. Standing Loss and Working Loss for a tank fitted with an internal floating

deck.

Standing Loss (kg) = 2.85 x [(O.518S + 2.15P)D 2 + (3.28F + 4.57A)D + 134 B]

Where

D = diameter of the reservoir in metres.

F = a coefficient for the seal of the floating deck

F = 6.3 for a vapour-mounted resilient seal;

F = 2.9 for a liquid-mounted resilient seal;

F = 2.4 for a vapour-mounted resilient seal with a rim-mounted secondary

seal;

F = 1.5 for a liquid-mounted resilient seal with a rim-mounted secondary

seal;

S = a coefficient related to the structure of the internal deck, according to table 4

below;

P = internal deck penneation coefficient, according to Table 4 below;

A and B = coefficients related to the configuration of the tank, according to Table

5 below.

Table 5 Tank and Deck coefficients

Type of Tank and Deck

S

A

B

P

Tank with pipe columns

Deck welded or bolted in its entirety

0.800

1.000

1.000

0.000

other type of deck

1.000

1.000

1.000

0.240

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

Tank without pipe columns

Deck welded or bolted in its entirety

0.274

0.567

0.784

0.000

other type of deck

0.474

0.587

0.784

0.340

Working Loss (kg) = 5.13 x R x VOL x (M x D -1 )

Where

R = coefficient related to the tank configuration.

R = 1 for a tank without pipe columns;

R = 1 if the tank has pipe columns and D < 40m;

R = 1.1 if the tank has pipe columns and 40m < D < 70m;

R = 1.2 if the tank has pipe columns and D > 70m;

VOL = volume of petrol dispensed annually in metres cubed (m3)

M = clingage coefficient

M = 0.0015 for light rust;

M =0.0075 for dense rust;

M = 0.15 for gunite lining;

D = tank diameter in metres.

Wherever required the TVP for petrol can be calculated from

TVP = RVP x 10 EXP {[(7.047 x 10 -6 x RVP) + 1.32 x 10 -2 ] x T + [(2.311 x 10 -4 x

RVP) - 5.236 x 10 -1 ]}

Where

RVP = Reid Vapour Pressure (in kPa)

T = product loading temperature (in degrees Centigrade)

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

(1) The operator shall communicate to the competent

authority the information listed in Part A of Schedule I.

(2) Terminals shall not be allowed to store, load and unload

petrol in Malta, unless they are in possession of a permit from the

competent authority.

(3) The competent authority shall not grant a permit to store,

load and unload petrol unless an approved auditor certifies that

(a) the storage installations at these terminals operate in

accordance with the technical provisions of Schedule

IV, in order to reduce the total annual loss of petrol

from the storage installations of the terminal to below

the target reference value of 0.01% mass by mass (m/

m) of the throughput;

(b) loading and unloading equipment at terminals is

designed and operated according to the technical

provisions of Schedule V, in order to reduce the total

annual loss of petrol resulting from loading and

unloading of mobile containers at terminals to below

the target reference value of 0.005% mass by mass (m/

m) of the throughput;

(c) all road tanker loading gantries at the terminal meet

the technical provisions of Schedule VIII.

(4) In order to calculate the mass of petrol lost from the storage

installation at the terminal the procedure outlined by Schedule II

part C shall be used shall be used and wherever relevant reference

shall be made to Schedule III.

(5) In order to calculate the mass of petrol lost from the loading

and unloading of mobile containers at the terminal the procedure

outlined by the relevant parts of Schedule II part B.

(6) Sub-regulation (3)(b) and (c) is not applicable to existing

terminals with a throughput less than 10,000 tons per year.

(7) Mobile containers shall not be loaded with petrol at any

terminal unless the containers have been registered with the

competent authority.

(8) The operator is required to monitor the mean concentration

of vapours in the exhaust from the vapour recovery unit according

to a method which has been approved by the competent authority.

The competent authority will establish whether continuous or

discontinuous measurements will be required. If discontinuous

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

measurements are employed, at least four measurements per hour

must be made.

(9) The concentration of vapours (corrected for dilution during

treatment) in the exhaust from the vapour recovery unit shall not

exceed the hourly average of 35 g/Nm 3 .

REQUIREMENTS FOR STORAGE INSTALLATIONS AT TERMINALS

1. The external wall and roof of tanks above ground shall be painted in a colour

with a total radiant heat reflectance of 70% or more. These operations may be

programmed so as to be carried out as part of the usual maintenance cycles of the

tanks within a period of three years. The competent authority may grant a derogation

from this provision where required for the protection of special landscape areas

which have been designated by national authority. This provision shall not apply to

tanks linked to a vapour recovery unit which conforms to the requirements set out in

Schedule V, point 2.

2. Tanks with external floating roofs shall be equipped with a primary seal to

cover the annular space between the tank wall and the outer periphery of the floating

roof and with a secondary seal fitted above the primary seal. The seals should be

designed to achieve an overall containment of vapours of 95% or more as compared

to a comparable fixed-roof tank with no vapour-containment controls (that is a fixed-

roof tank with only vacuum/pressure relief valve).

3. All new storage installations at terminals, where vapour recovery is required

according to regulation 3 (see Schedule V) shall be either

(a) fixed-roof tanks connected to the vapour recovery unit in conformity

with the requirements of Schedule V; or

(b) designed with a floating roof, either external or internal, equipped with

primary and secondary seals to meet the performance requirements set

down in point 2.

4. Existing fixed-rooftanks shall either

(a) be connected to a vapour recovery unit in conformity with the

requirements of Schedule V; or

(b) have an internal floating roof with a primary seal which should be

designed to achieve an overall containment of vapours of 90% or more

in relation to a comparable fixed-roof tank with no vapour controls.

5. The requirements for vapour-containment controls mentioned under points 3

and 4 do not apply to fixed-roof tanks at terminals, where intermediate storage of

vapours is permitted according to Schedule V, point 1.

(1) All the mobile containers handling petrol, including

those retrofitted for bottom loading in accordance with Schedule

VIII, shall be registered with the competent authority.

(2) The competent authority shall refuse to register mobile

containers unless an approved auditor certifies that the mobile

container is

(a) compliant with the technical provisions of Schedule

VII; and

(b) vapour tight and that the mobile container’s vacuum or

pressure valves are vapour tight.

(3) If after unloading of petrol the mobile container is

subsequently used for products other than petrol, in so far as vapour

recovery or intermediate storage of vapours is not possible,

ventilation may, after consultation with and permission from the

E n v i r o n m e n t a n d R e s o u r c e s A u t h o r i t y, b e a l l o w e d i n a

geographical area where emissions are unlikely to contribute

significantly to environmental or health problems.

(4) The provisions of sub-regulation (1) shall not apply to

losses of vapours resulting from measuring options using dipsticks

in relation to

(a) existing mobile containers; and

(b) new mobile containers which came into operation from

31 December 1995 to the 31 December 1999.

Amended by

L.N. 70 of 2017.

REQUIREMENTS FOR LOADING AND

UNLOADING INSTALLATIONS AT TERMINALS

1. Displacement vapours from the mobile container being loaded shall be

returned through a vapour-tight connection line to a vapour recovery unit for

regeneration at the terminal.

This provision does not apply to top-loading tankers as long as that loading

system is permitted.

At terminals which load petrol onto vessels, a vapour incineration unit may be

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

substituted for a vapour recovery unit if vapour recovery is unsafe or technically

impossible because of the volume of return vapour. The requirements concerning

atmospheric emissions from the vapour recovery unit shall also apply to the vapour

incineration unit. At terminals with a throughput of less than 25000 tonnes/year,

intermediate storage of vapours may be substituted for immediate vapour recovery at

the terminal.

2. Measurements of the mean concentration of vapours in the exhaust from the

vapour recovery unit (whether continuous or discontinuous as per regulation 3(8))

shall be made over the course of one full working day (seven hours minimum) of

normal throughput. The overall measurement error due to the equipment used, the

calibration gas and the procedure used shall not exceed 10% of the measured value.

The equipment used shall be capable of measuring concentrations at least as low as

3g/Nm 3 . The precision shall be at least 95 of the measured value.

3. The competent authority shall ensure that the connection lines and pipe

installations are checked regularly for leaks.

4. The competent authority shall ensure that loading operations are shut down

at the gantry in the case of a leak of vapour. Equipment for such shutdown operations

shall be installed at the gantry.

5. Where top-loading of mobile containers is permissible, the outlet of the

loading arm shall be kept near the bottom of the mobile container, in order to avoid

splash loading.

(1) The operator shall communicate to the competent

authority the information listed in Schedule I, part B and the status

of compliance with the provisions of Schedule VI.

(2) The competent authority shall refuse to issue a permit with

respect to

(a) any service station unless an approved auditor

certifies -

(i)

that loading and storage equipment at the service

station is designed and operated in accordance

with the technical provisions of Schedule VI,

part A; and

(ii) that this loading and storage equipment is

designed to reduce the total annual loss of petrol

resulting from loading into storage installations

at service stations to below the target reference

value of 0.01% of the throughput mass by mass

(m/m);

(b) all service stations unless an approved auditor certifies

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

that the service station is compliant with the technical

provisions of Schedule VI part B.

(3) Service stations shall not load petrol into their storage

installations and dispense petrol to a motor vehicle fuel tank unless

they are in possession of a permit from the competent authority.

(4)

The provisions of sub-regulation (2)(b) shall apply to

(a) ‘new’ service stations if their actual or intended

throughput exceeds 500 m 3 per annum;

(b) ‘new’ service stations irrespective of their actual or

intended throughput if they are situated under living

quarters or in working areas;

(c) ‘existing’ service stations if they undergo a major

refurbishment and if their actual or intended

throughput

(i) exceeds 500 m 3 per annum; or

(ii) exceeds 100 m 3 per annum if it is situated under

permanent living quarters or working areas;

(d) ‘existing’ service stations having a throughput

exceeding 3000 m 3 per annum by the 31 December

2018. (5) In order to calculate the mass of petrol lost from the storage

installation at the service station the procedure outlined by

Schedule II, Part A shall be used.

(6) Mobile containers shall not be allowed to unload petrol into

the storage installations at any service station unless they have been

registered with the competent authority.

(7) The provisions of sub-regulations (1), (3) and (5) are not

applicable to service stations with a throughput less than 100m 3 /

A. REQUIREMENTS FOR LOADING AND STORAGE INSTALLATIONS AT

SERVICE STATIONS AND TERMINALS WHERE THE INTERMEDIATE

STORAGE OF VAPOURS IS CARRIED OUT

Vapours displaced by the delivery of petrol into storage installations at service

stations and in fixed-roof tanks used for the intermediate storage of vapours shall be

returned through a vapour-tight connection line to the mobile container delivering

the petrol. Loading operations may not take place unless the arrangements are in

place and properly functioning.

B. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SERVICE STATIONS

1. Service Stations shall be equipped with a Stage II Petrol Vapour Recovery

system.

2. The efficiency of the Stage II petrol vapour recovery system shall be equal

or greater than 85% as certified by the manufacturer in accordance with Standard

EN16321-1:2013.

3. For petrol vapour recovery systems where the petrol vapour is transferred to

an underground storage tank at the service station, the vapour/petrol ratio shall be

equal to or greater than (>)0.95 but less or equal to (<) 1.05.

4. The operator shall ensure that the in-service petrol vapour capture efficiency

of the Stage II petrol vapour recovery systems is tested at least once a year in

accordance with Standard EN 16321-2:2013.

5. If the operator opts to install an automated monitoring system, the operator

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

shall make sure that the petrol vapour capture efficiency of the Stage II Petrol

Vapour Recovery system is tested at least once every three years by an approved

auditor.

6. The automated monitoring system in paragraph 5 above shall

(a) automatically detect faults; in the proper functioning of the Stage II

petrol vapour recovery system and in the automatic monitoring system

itself; and

(b) indicate faults to the service station operator and

(c) automatically stop the flow of petrol from the faulty dispenser if the

fault is not rectified within 7 days.

7. When a service station has installed a Stage II petrol vapour recovery

system, the operator shall ensure that a sign, sticker or other notification informing

consumers of this fact is displayed on, or in the vicinity of the petrol dispenser.

The Environment and Resources Authority or other

designated authority responsible for the environment shall be

responsible for the enforcement of these regulations.

REQUIREMENTS FOR MOBILE CONTAINERS

1. The mobile container shall be designed and operated to retain residual

vapours after the petrol is unloaded.

2. The mobile container shall be capable of accepting and retaining the return

vapours when supplying petrol to service stations and terminals.

3. Excluding releases through pressure valves, the vapours mentioned in

paragraphs 1 and 2 should be retained in the mobile container until reloading takes

place at a terminal.

Any person shall be guilty of an offence under these

regulations if

(a) he fails to comply with any order lawfully given in

terms of any provision of these regulations; or

(b) he contravenes any restriction, prohibition or

requirement imposed by or under these regulations; or

(c) he conspires, attempts, aids, or abets, any other person

by whatever means, including advertising, counselling

or procurement to contravene the provisions of these

regulations or to fail to comply with any such

provisions, including any order lawfully given in terms

of any of the provision of these regulations, or to

contravene any restriction, prohibition or requirement

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

imposed by or under the said regulations.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR BOTTOM- LOADING VAPOUR COLLECTORS AND

OVERFILL PROTECTION OF EUROPEAN ROAD TANKERS

1. Couplings

1.1. The liquid coupler on the loading arm shall be a female coupler which shall

mate with a 4-inch API (101.6 mm) male adapter located on the vehicle as defined

by

-

API Recommended Practice 1004 Seventh Edition, November 1988.

Bottom loading and vapour recovery for MC-306 tank motor vehicles (Section

2.1.1.1 - Type of adapter used for bottom loading)

1.2. The vapour-collection coupler on the loading-gantry vapour-collection hose

shall be a cam-and-groove female coupler which shall mate with a 4-inch (101.6

mm) cam-and-groove male adapter located on the vehicle as defined by

-

- API Recommended Practice 1004 Seventh Edition November 1988.

Bottom loading and vapour recovery for MC-306 tank motor vehicles (Section

4.1.1.2 - Vapour recovery adapter)

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

2. Loading conditions

2.1. The normal liquid-loading rate shall be 2,300 litres per minute (maximum

2500 litres per minute) per loading arm.

2.2. When the terminal is operating at peak demand, its loading gantry vapour

collection system, including the vapour recovery unit, is allowed to generate a

maximum counter pressure of 55 millibar on the vehicle side of the vapour-

collection adapter.

2.3. All approved bottom-loading vehicles will carry an identification plate

which specified the maximum permitted number of loading arms which may be

operated simultaneously whilst ensuring that no vapours are released via the

compartment P and V valves, when the maximum plant back pressure is 55 millibar

as specified in 2.2.

3. Connection of vehicle earth/overfill detection

The loading gantry shall be equipped with an overfill-detection control unit which,

when connected to the vehicle, shall provide a fail-safe permission signal to enable

loading, providing no compartment overfill sensors detect a high level.

3.1. The vehicle shall be connected to the control unit on the gantry via a 10-pin

industry-standard electrical connector. The male connector shall be mounted on the

vehicle and the female connector shall be attached to a flying lead connected to the

gantry-mounted control unit.

3.2. The high-level detectors on the vehicle shall either 2-wire thermistor

sensors, 2-wire optical sensors, 5-wire optical sensors or a compatible equivalent,

provided the system is fail-safe. (NB: thermistors shall have a negative temperature

coefficient.)

3.3. The gantry control unit shall be suitable for both 2-wire and 5-wire vehicle

systems.

3.4. The vehicle shall be bonded to the gantry via the common return wire of the

overfill sensors, which shall be connected to pin 10 on the male connector via the

vehicle chassis. Pin 10 on the female connector shall connected to the control-unit

enclosure which shall connected to the gantry earth.

3.5. All approved bottom-loading vehicles shall carry an identification plate (see

2.3) which specifies the type of overfill-detection sensors installed (i.e. 2-wire or 5-

wire).

4. Location of the connections

4.1. The design of the liquid-loading and vapour collection facilities on the

loading gantry shall be based on the following vehicle-connection envelope.

4.1.1. The height of the centre line of the liquid adapters shall be: maximum 1.4

metres (unladen); minimum 0.5 metre (laden), the preferred height being 0.7 to 1.0

metres).

4.1.2. The horizontal spacing of the adapters shall be not less than 0.25 metres

(preferred minimum spacing is 0.3 metres).

4.1.3. All liquid adapters shall be located within an envelope not exceeding 2.5

metres in length.

4.1.4. The vapour-collection adapter should be located preferably to the right of

the liquid adapters and at a height not exceeding 1.5 metres (unladen) and not less

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)

than 0.5 metres (laden).

4.2. The earth/overfill connector shall be located to the right of the liquid and

vapour-collection adapters and at a height not exceeding 1.5 metres (unladen) and

not less than 0.5 metre (laden).

4.3. The above connections shall be located on one side of the vehicle only.

5. Safety interlocks

5.1. Earth/Overfill detection Loading shall not be permitted unless a permissive

signal is provided by the combined earth/overfill control unit.

In the event of an overfill condition or a loss of vehicle earth, the control unit on

the gantry shall close the gantry-loading control valve.

5.2. Vapour-collection detection Loading shall not be permitted unless the

vapour -collection hose has been connected to the vehicle and there is a free passage

for the displaced vapours to flow from the vehicle into the plant vapour-collection

system.

Any person who commits an offence against these

regulations shall, on conviction, be liable

(a) on a first conviction to a fine (multa) of not less than

one thousand two hundred euro (€1,200) but not

exceeding two thousand three hundred euro (€2,300);

(b) on a second or subsequent convictions, to a fine

(multa) of not less than two thousand three hundred

euro (€2,300), but not exceeding eleven thousand six

hundred euro (€11,600) or to imprisonment for a term

not exceeding two years, or to both such fine and

imprisonment

Provided that whenever any person is found guilty of

committing an offence under these regulations by means of a

vehicle, the owner of the said vehicle, where applicable, shall be

held liable in the same manner and degree

Provided further that the court shall order any person who

has been found guilty of committing an offence against these

regulations to pay for the expenses incurred by the public entities

and, or other persons acting on their behalf involved in the

implementation of these regulations and restitution of the

environment as a result of the said offence, the revocation of any

permit issued by the competent authority and the confiscation of

the corpus delicti.

(1) The provisions of articles 23 and 30(1) of the Criminal

Code shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to proceedings in respect of

offences against these regulations, so however that the

disqualification from holding or obtain a licence, permit or

authority shall in no case be for less than one year.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of article 370 of the

Criminal Code, proceedings for an offence against these

regulations shall be taken before the Court of Magistrates (Malta)

or the Court of Magistrates (Gozo), as the case may be, and shall be

in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Code regulating

the procedure before the said courts as courts of criminal

judicature.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of the Criminal Code, the

Attorney General shall always have a right of appeal to the Court of

Criminal Appeal from any judgement given by the Court of

Magistrates (Malta) or the Court of Magistrates (Gozo) in respect

of proceedings for any offence against these regulations.

PETROL FROM TERMINALS TO SERVICE STATIONS)