Ocean pollution by oil has received worldwide attention in recent years as a result of concern for environmental damage caused by major oil tanker casualties. Although public attention has focused on tanker accidents, in actuality, the bulk of oil entering the ocean from tankers results from normal tanker operations. Public awareness has initiated international regulations affecting tanker technology and operations, and has influenced pending international maritime law. The development of technology related to oil tankers must, as a result, occur within the context of industry requirements and pertinent international regimes.;A Sonar Oil Thickness Sensor (SOTS) device designed to measure the thickness of oil spilled onto the sea was investigated for adaptation to an oil tanker cargo measurement system. The SOTS-T (oil tanker configuration) utilizes the SOTS operational features of microprocessor control and time gated sampling window, to locate and measure oil/air and water/oil interfaces in cargo tanks and a variety of other oil tanker measurement situations.;The SOTS-T was configured to comply with the developmental constraints of tanker infrastructures, operations, and the international regulations of IMCO. The implications of pending international law to tanker technology, as contained in UNCLOS III and international liability organizations, were investigated.;The SOTS-T was determined to be feasible for: cargo load level gauging within custody transfer accuracy, operation within a "closed ullage" environment, and pollution control monitoring required by IMCO. The SOTS-T configuration was integrated into a cargo measurement system, incorporating all of the required measurement functions.;This dissertation investigates the developmental sequence for tanker technology through the conceptual design of an acoustic cargo load level gauging system for oil tankers.
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