33 CFR 155.470: Prohibited spaces for oil and hazardous material

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section limits where oil and hazardous material may be carried in a ship's forward spaces. Paragraph (a) bars it in a forepeak tank or a tank forward of the collision bulkhead on certain ships of 400 gross tons and above. Paragraph (b) sets a similar bar for other self-propelled ships of 300 gross tons and above, with fuel oil exceptions.

Applies toShips of 400 gross tons and above under paragraph (a), and self-propelled ships of 300 gross tons and above to which paragraph (a) does not apply under paragraph (b).

What it says

  1. A ship of 400 gross tons and above whose building contract was placed after January 1, 1982 (or, with no contract, whose keel was laid or which was at a similar stage of construction after July 1, 1982) must not carry oil or hazardous material in a forepeak tank or a tank forward of the collision bulkhead.

    33 CFR 155.470(a)“oil or hazardous material must not be carried in a forepeak tank or a tank forward of the collision bulkhead.”

  2. A self-propelled ship of 300 gross tons and above, to which paragraph (a) does not apply, may not carry bulk oil or hazardous material in any space forward of a collision bulkhead, except as paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) allow.

    33 CFR 155.470(b)“may not carry bulk oil or hazardous material in any space forward of a collision bulkhead except:”

  3. For a ship constructed after June 30, 1974, fuel oil for use on the ship may be carried in tanks forward of a collision bulkhead if the tanks are at least 24 inches inboard of the hull structure.

    33 CFR 155.470(b)(1)“fuel oil for use on the ship may be carried in tanks forward of a collision bulkhead, if such tanks are at least 24 inches inboard of the hull structure; or”

  4. For a ship constructed before July 1, 1974, fuel oil for use on the ship may be carried in tanks forward of a collision bulkhead if the tanks were designated, installed, or constructed for fuel oil carriage before July 1, 1974.

    33 CFR 155.470(b)(2)“if such tanks were designated, installed, or constructed for fuel oil carriage before July 1, 1974.”

Common questions

Can I carry oil in the forepeak tank of a large newer ship?

No. For a ship of 400 gross tons and above that meets the paragraph (a) dates, oil or hazardous material must not be carried in a forepeak tank or a tank forward of the collision bulkhead.

“oil or hazardous material must not be carried in a forepeak tank or a tank forward of the collision bulkhead.”

Can fuel oil be carried forward of the collision bulkhead?

Yes, in limited cases for ships under paragraph (b). For a ship constructed after June 30, 1974, the tanks must be at least 24 inches inboard of the hull structure.

“fuel oil for use on the ship may be carried in tanks forward of a collision bulkhead, if such tanks are at least 24 inches inboard of the hull structure; or”

What is the rule for older ships built before July 1, 1974?

Fuel oil for use on the ship may be carried in tanks forward of a collision bulkhead only if the tanks were designated, installed, or constructed for fuel oil carriage before July 1, 1974.

“if such tanks were designated, installed, or constructed for fuel oil carriage before July 1, 1974.”

The text of 33 CFR 155.470

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

Prohibited spaces

(a) In a ship of 400 gross tons and above, for which the building contract is placed after January 1, 1982 or, in the absence of a building contract, the keel of which is laid or which is at a similar stage of construction after July 1, 1982, oil or hazardous material must not be carried in a forepeak tank or a tank forward of the collision bulkhead.

(b) A self-propelled ship of 300 gross tons and above, to which paragraph (a) of this section does not apply, may not carry bulk oil or hazardous material in any space forward of a collision bulkhead except:

(1) For a ship constructed after June 30, 1974, fuel oil for use on the ship may be carried in tanks forward of a collision bulkhead, if such tanks are at least 24 inches inboard of the hull structure; or

(2) For a ship constructed before July 1, 1974, fuel oil for use on the ship may be carried in tanks forward of a collision bulkhead, if such tanks were designated, installed, or constructed for fuel oil carriage before July 1, 1974.

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.