{"data":{"id":"us/46-cfr-38.15-1","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"46 CFR 38.15-1","heading":"-1 Filling of tanks—TB/ALL.","body":"(a) Refrigerated and semirefrigerated tanks shall be filled so that there is an outage of at least 2 percent of the volume of the tank at the temperature corresponding to the vapor pressure of the cargo at the safety relief valve setting. A reduction in the required outage may be permitted by the Commandant when warranted by special design considerations. Normally then, the maximum volume to which a tank may be loaded is:\nVL = 0.98dr V/dL\nwhere:\nVL = maximum volume to which tank may be loaded.\nV = volume of tank.\ndr = density of cargo at the temperature required for a cargo vapor pressure equal to the relief valve setting.\ndL = density of cargo at the loading temperature and pressure.\n(b) Nonrefrigerated tanks shall be filled so that their filling densities shall not exceed the ratios indicated in table 38.15-1(b).\n(c) The “filling density” is defined as the percent ratio of the weight of the gas in a tank to the weight of water the tank will hold at 60 °F.\nTable 38.15-1(b)—Maximum Permissible Filling Densities for Tanks Operating At or Near Ambient Temperature\nSpecific gravity at 60 °F. Maximum permitted filling density\nUnlagged tanks—water capacity Lagged tanks—all capacities\n1,200 gal. and under Over 1,200 gal.\n0.473-0.480 38 41 42\n0.481-0.488 39 42 43\n0.489-0.495 40 43 44\n0.496-0.503 41 44 45\n0.504-0.510 42 45 46\n0.511-0.519 43 46 47\n0.520-0.527 44 47 48\n0.528-0.536 45 48 49\n0.537-0.544 46 49 50\n0.545-0.552 47 50 51\n0.553-0.560 48 51 52\n0.561-0.568 49 52 53\n0.569-0.576 50 53 54\n0.577-0.584 51 54 55\n0.585-0.592 52 55 56\n0.593-0.600 53 56 57\n0.601-0.608 54 57 58\n0.609-0.617 55 58 59\n0.618-0.626 56 59 60\n0.627-0.634 57 60 61\nNote: Increase in filling densities to provide for seasonal changes may be considered by the Commandant upon presentation of factual evidence that safe operation can be effected.","path":["Title 46—Shipping","CHAPTER I—COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY","SUBCHAPTER D—TANK VESSELS","PART 38—LIQUEFIED FLAMMABLE GASES","Subpart 38.15—Special Requirements"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-46.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:26:22Z","sha256":"2eaf5af6cdfbcfa7853b3fa9955124b28d01f1956b07a7aa2da92ca5d20d9f90","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/46-cfr-38.10-20","next":"us/46-cfr-38.15-5"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}