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Title 46

Displaying title 46, up to date as of 7/20/2026. Title 46 was last amended 6/30/2026.
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§ 154.406 Design loads for cargo tanks and fixtures: General.

(a) Calculations must show that a cargo tank and its fixtures are designed for the following loads:

(1) Internal pressure head.

(2) External pressure load.

(3) Dynamic loads resulting from the motion of the vessel.

(4) Transient or stationary thermal loads if the design temperature is colder than −55 °C (−67 °F) or causes thermal stresses in cargo tank supports.

(5) Sloshing loads, if the cargo tank is designed for partial loads.

(6) Loads resulting from vessel's deflection.

(7) Tank weight, cargo weight, and corresponding support reaction.

(8) Insulation weight.

(9) Loads of a pipe tower and any other attachments to the cargo tank.

(10) Vapor pressure loads in harbor conditions allowed under § 154.405.

(11) Gas pressurization if the cargo tank is designed for gas pressurization as a means of cargo transfer.

(b) A cargo tank must be designed for the most unfavorable static heel angle within a 0° to 30° range without exceeding the allowable stress of the material.

(c) A hydrostatic or hydropneumatic test design load must be specially approved by the Commandant (CG-ENG).

[CGD 74-289, 44 FR 26009, May 3, 1979, as amended by CGD 82-063b, 48 FR 4782, Feb. 3, 1983; USCG-2014-0688, 79 FR 58284, Sept. 29, 2014]