33 CFR 155.440: Ballast water in fuel oil tanks on new ships

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section bars ballast water from fuel oil tanks on certain new oceangoing ships. It covers new oceangoing ships of 4,000 gross tons and above other than oil tankers, and new oceangoing oil tankers of 150 gross tons and above. Paragraph (b) allows an exception under abnormal conditions or when large quantities of fuel oil must be carried, with discharge and Oil Record Book rules.

Applies toNew oceangoing ships of 4,000 gross tons and above other than oil tankers, and new oceangoing oil tankers of 150 gross tons and above.

What it says

  1. Except as paragraph (b) provides, new oceangoing ships of 4,000 gross tons and above other than oil tankers, and new oceangoing oil tankers of 150 gross tons and above, must not carry ballast water in any fuel oil tank.

    33 CFR 155.440(a)“ballast water must not be carried in any fuel oil tank.”

  2. Where abnormal conditions or the need to carry large quantities of fuel oil make it necessary to carry ballast water that is not a clean ballast in a fuel oil tank, that ballast water must be discharged to reception facilities or into the sea in compliance with part 151 of this chapter, using the equipment specified in § 155.370.

    33 CFR 155.440(b)“that ballast water must be discharged to reception facilities or into the sea in compliance with part 151 of this chapter using the equipment specified in § 155.370”

  3. When such ballast water is carried under paragraph (b), an entry must be made in the Oil Record Book.

    33 CFR 155.440(b)“an entry shall be made in the Oil Record Book to this effect.”

Common questions

Can I carry ballast water in a fuel oil tank on a new oceangoing ship?

Generally no, on new oceangoing ships of 4,000 gross tons and above other than oil tankers, and new oceangoing oil tankers of 150 gross tons and above. Paragraph (b) provides the only exception.

“ballast water must not be carried in any fuel oil tank.”

What must be done with ballast water carried in a fuel oil tank under the exception?

It must be discharged to reception facilities or into the sea in compliance with part 151 of this chapter, using the equipment specified in § 155.370. An Oil Record Book entry must also be made.

“that ballast water must be discharged to reception facilities or into the sea in compliance with part 151 of this chapter using the equipment specified in § 155.370”

Is an Oil Record Book entry required for ballast in fuel oil tanks?

Yes. When ballast water that is not a clean ballast is carried in a fuel oil tank under paragraph (b), an entry shall be made in the Oil Record Book.

“an entry shall be made in the Oil Record Book to this effect.”

The text of 33 CFR 155.440

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Segregation of fuel oil and ballast water on new oceangoing ships of 4,000 gross tons and above, other than oil tankers, and on new oceangoing oil tankers of 150 gross tons and above

(a) Except as provided for in paragraph (b) of this section, in new oceangoing ships of 4,000 gross tons and above other than oil tankers, and in new oceangoing oil tankers of 150 gross tons and above, ballast water must not be carried in any fuel oil tank.

(b) Where abnormal conditions or the need to carry large quantities of fuel oil render it necessary to carry ballast water that is not a clean ballast in any fuel oil tank, that ballast water must be discharged to reception facilities or into the sea in compliance with part 151 of this chapter using the equipment specified in § 155.370, and an entry shall be made in the Oil Record Book to this effect.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1625-0009)

Sections it refers to

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.