§ 1090.1605 - Importation by marine vessel.

§ 1090.1605 Importation by marine vessel.

An importer that imports fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock using a marine vessel must comply with the requirements of this section.

(a) The importer must certify each fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock imported at each port, unless the fuel is certified at the first port of entry in the United States and then transported by the same vessel to subsequent ports without picking up additional fuel.

(b) Except as specified in paragraph (d) of this section, the importer must certify each fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock while it is on-board the vessel used to transport it to the United States. Certification sampling must be performed after the vessel's arrival at the port where the fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock will be offloaded.

(1) The importer must sample each compartment of the vessel and use one of the following methods to meet testing requirements:

(i) Treat each compartment as a separate batch.

(ii) Combine samples from separate compartments into a single, vessel volumetric composite sample using the procedures in Section 9.2.4 of ASTM D4057 (incorporated by reference in § 1090.95). Test results from the composite sample are valid only after samples are collected from each affected compartment and homogeneity is demonstrated for all samples as specified in § 1090.1337.

(2) The importer must ensure that all applicable per-gallon standards are met before offloading the fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock.

(3) The importer must not rely on testing conducted by a foreign supplier.

(c) Once the fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock on a vessel has been certified under paragraph (b) of this section, it may be transferred to shore tanks using smaller vessels or barges (lightered) as a certified fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock. These lightering transfers may be to terminals located in any harbor and are not restricted to terminals located in the harbor where the vessel is anchored. For example, certified gasoline could be transferred from an import vessel anchored in New York harbor to a lightering vessel and transported to Albany, New York or Providence, Rhode Island without separately certifying the gasoline upon arrival in Albany or Providence. In this lightering scenario, transfers of certified gasoline to a lightering vessel must be accompanied by PTDs that meet the requirements of subpart L of this part.

(d) As an alternative to paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the importer may offload fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock into shore tanks that contain the same fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock if the importer meets the following requirements:

(1) For gasoline, the importer must offload gasoline into one or more empty shore tanks or tanks containing PCG that the importer owns.

(i) If the importer offloads gasoline into one or more empty shore tanks, they must sample and test the sulfur content and benzene content, and for summer gasoline, RVP, of each shore tank into which the gasoline was offloaded.

(ii) If the importer offloads gasoline into one or more shore tanks containing PCG, they must sample the PCG already in the shore tank prior to offloading gasoline from the marine vessel, test the sulfur content and benzene content, and report this PCG as a negative batch as specified in § 1090.905(c)(3)(i). After offloading the gasoline into the shore tanks, the importer must sample and test the sulfur content, benzene content, and for summer gasoline, RVP, of each shore tank into which the gasoline was offloaded and report the volume, sulfur content, and benzene content as a positive batch.

(iii) Include the PCG in the shore tank before offloading and the volume and properties after offloading in compliance calculations as specified in § 1090.700(d)(4)(i).

(iv) The sample retention requirements in § 1090.1345 apply to the samples taken prior to offloading and those taken after offloading.

(2) For all other fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock, the importer must sample and test the fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock in each shore tank into which it was offloaded. The importer must ensure that all applicable per-gallon standards are met before the fuel, fuel additive, or regulated blendstock is shipped from the shore tank.