What is the purpose of a vapor recovery system on a tanker?

A vapor recovery system on a tanker is specifically designed to capture and safely pump vapor emissions back into the cargo tanks. This is highly significant for several reasons. Firstly, during the loading and unloading of liquid cargo, especially volatile substances, vapors can rise and escape into the atmosphere. These vapors can contribute to air pollution and pose safety hazards such as fire or explosion risks if they accumulate in a confined space.

By utilizing a vapor recovery system, the tanker can effectively collect these vapors instead of allowing them to vent into the air. The system transfers the captured vapors back into the cargo tanks where they can be managed and contained, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and improving safety on board.

The other choices, while they might seem plausible at first glance, do not align with the primary function of a vapor recovery system. Increasing cargo loading speed, for instance, may be influenced by various operational factors but is not the primary goal of vapor recovery. Similarly, providing additional buoyancy and monitoring internal temperature refer to different systems and functions onboard the tanker that are not related to vapor emissions management.