World Bunkering > News > Autumn 2009 > Equipment and services

USCG warns on fuel switching

The US coastguard warns of fuel-switching risks

The US Coast Guard has issued a warning that ships switching oil from residual fuels to distillate fuels have experienced propulsion losses linked to procedural errors or fuel oil incompatibility. This is likely to become a more frequent occurrence as vessels switch fuel more frequently to comply with new emission reduction regulations. In order to prevent casualties associated with fuel oil switching, the Coast Guard strongly recommends that owner and operators:

•  Consult engine and boiler manufacturers for fuel switching guidance;
•  Consult fuel suppliers for proper fuel selection;
•  Exercise tight control when possible over the quality of the fuel oils received;
•  Consult manufacturers to determine if system modifications or additional safeguards are necessary for intended fuels;
•  Develop detailed fuel switching procedures;
•  Establish a fuel system inspection and maintenance schedule;
•  Ensure system pressure and temperature alarms, flow indicators, filter differential pressure transmitters etc, are all operational;
•  Ensure system purifiers, filters and strainers are maintained;
•  Ensure system seals, gaskets, flanges, fittings, brackets and supports are maintained;
•  Ensure a detailed system diagram is available;
•  Conduct initial and periodic crew training;
•  Complete fuel switching well offshore prior to entering restricted waters or traffic lanes.

More detailed information is available from a paper published by the American Petroleum Institute titled “Technical Considerations of Fuel Switching Practices”. The paper can be found online at http:// marineinvestigations.us >Safety Reports.

Lubmarine develops biodegradable range for shipping

Total Lubmarine has developed a comprehensive range of highperformance biodegradable products which it says will enable companies in the shipping industry to significantly improve their environmental footprint without compromising either performance or safety. The full range of biodegradable products comprises:  

•  Carter Bio, a high-gear performance lubricant;
•  Biohydran TMP, a high-quality hydraulic lubricant; and
•  Biomultis SEP 2, an extreme-pressure multipurpose grease.

The products are not only biodegradable but also equal in terms of their performance capabilities to a mineral-based oil product. Patrick Havil, Marketing Manager of Lubmarine, says: “Lubmarine has always been acutely aware of its responsibility to protect the environment, and committed to developing the best biodegradable marine lubricants on the market. These are now available for use by the shipping industry.

“The commercial incentives to use such lubricants are now greater than ever, and include the possibility of reduced fees for ‘green’ ships in certain ports, and the requirement on the part of certain port authorities for ships to operate within the terms of a zero spill policy.

“It is simply not possible to guarantee a zero-risk of spillage with regard to onboard operations. The potential for lubricant leakage on board ship is high. It exists across so many traditional shipping-related activities involving everything from engine operation to thruster and stern-tube performance, from cranes to winches to pumps. Such leaks can occur for a variety of reasons, from mechanical failure to human error. So, since it is not feasible to eliminate mechanical failure and human error entirely, the only way to limit the harmful and damaging effect of oil spillages at sea is to use biodegradable lubricants.”

Manufacturing new biodegradable lubricants which do not affect performance, however, is not a straightforward undertaking. The main raw material used to produce such products, base oil, has to be changed, and all the properties introduced by mineral-based oils such as high oxidation resistance and thermal stability are not present in the chemical compounds found in biodegradable oil.

This means that, for a biodegradable product to perform as effectively and efficiently as a mineral oil-based product, its formulation has to be completely redeveloped.

According to Lubmarine, feedback from customers who have used the new range of products has been extremely positive.

RINA supports cold-ironing

Classification society RINA has introduced new voluntary standards which will allow ships to connect to shore-based electricity while in port, reducing harbour air pollution.

The new notation HVSC – High Voltage Shore Connection – sets standards to design into a newbuilding or modify an existing ship so that electricity can be supplied from the shore to the ship for the operation of the ship’s machinery while in port. The diesel generators can be shut down, considerably reducing the ship’s emissions.

Buffalo implements Fueltrax Bunkering System

Houston-based bunker provider Buffalo Marine Service of Houston is rolling out an advanced fuel measurement system supplied by Nautical Control Solutions (NCS). Part of the FuelTrax Marine Fuel Management system, the system uses Coriolis meters and advanced software to provide a highly accurate data acquisition and reporting tool that will automatically measure bunker fuel as it is pumped from a barge onto a vessel.

monitoring aims to maximise engine efficiency

FuelTrax will now provide real-time measurement of bunker fuel deliveries irrespective of product type, viscosity, or temperature. The system will accurately measure barrels and metric tons regardless of whether there is air, fuel, or both in the piping system.

“We have a state-of-the-art command and control centre, new top-of-the-line tugs, and safety-proven double-hulled bunker barges. It makes sense for us to lead the way in helping the industry improve the accuracy of the bunkering process,” said Pat Studdert, President, Buffalo Marine Service. “Our focus has been and continues to be delivering bunkers safely, promptly, and professionally without fear of creating a pollution incident. With the advent of FuelTrax, our customers can rest assured that the delivery process is a model of precision and extraordinarily accurate. We are excited to be the first in North America to install such a system.”

“We are very pleased to announce Buffalo as our first bunker system customer,” said Anthony George, CEO of NCS. “Their reputation as a leading, first-class bunkering service couples well with this leading-edge technology. FuelTrax will accurately measure any kind of bunker fuel, drastically reducing the errors associated with the manual measurement techniques currently used. We expect that as bunkering accuracy increases across the industry, quantity disputes will decrease around the globe. It’s a win-win situation for the bunker suppliers and vessel owners.”

FuelTrax utilises Coriolis meters that have no moving parts and do not require regularly scheduled maintenance. These meters are highly accurate and have the ability to measure the actual mass of the fluid moving through them. Once the delivery is completed, FuelTrax will produce a hardcopy meter ticket for the customer that includes the exact amount of fuel delivered in both volume and mass measurements.

“Future versions of the system will provide customers with 24 hour, seven day per week web-based access to their bunkering events worldwide,” continued Mr. George. “Coupled with a fuel product digital signature, both bunkering agents and vessel owners will have the ability to reconcile purchases online once the bunker delivery is completed. Our ultimate goal is to revolutionise the bunkering industry through advanced automation, accurate Coriolis metering technology, and the Internet.”

TOP service from DNV

DNV has introduced a new performance monitoring system, DNV Technical Operations Performance (TOP) Monitoring, specially designed for vessels equipped with two-stroke diesel engines to operate at peak efficiency continuously. The service provides ship operators with boost to both cost-saving and environmental efforts. DNV says.

The outcome of an extensive research partnership between DNV, Marintek and several Norwegian shipowners, TOP Monitoring involves a rigorous regime of inspecting key technical parameters and implementing recommendations for optimising ship operational performance. In turn, participating vessels stand to enhance voyage safety; reduce maintenance and off-hire costs from proper engine conditioning; improve their Tanker Management and Self Assessment (TMSA) ratings; lower fuel consumption and emit less air pollutants.

“TOP Monitoring covers a broad spectrum of operating parameters and consolidates all costsaving opportunities for a significant impact on the ship operator’s bottom line. We have, for instance, seen examples of fuel consumption cut by up to 5 per cent, while the typical reduction in our pilot studies was in the region of 1-2 per cent,” says Tore Morten Wetterhus, managing director of DNV Petroleum Services. “Given today’s average price of US$400 for 380 cSt fuel oil, this is obviously a very attractive prospect.”

From the performance data collected, a Technical Condition Index (TCI) is derived and corrected for ISO conditions. By evaluating the TCI trends, technical experts at DNV Petroleum Services produce customised recommendations for performance improvements as well as the necessary maintenance tasks.

An important feature of TOP Monitoring is the linking of fuel quality consumed by the vessels with their operational performance and maintenance needs. “By establishing such a connection, we can further narrow down on specific fuel quality parameters or onboard components that require close monitoring,” says Mr Wetterhus. In this respect, not only does TOP Monitoring promote synergy between ship and shore technical office, it provides a result-oriented continuous improvement and competence building loop for these entities, he explains.

Apart from the normal engine monitoring equipment, a Torque meter and an MIP calculator are all the additional hardware required for a commercial vessel to enrol in TOP Monitoring. This means minimal investment and convenient sign-up for interested ship operators, Wetterhus suggests, adding that participating vessels can benchmark their performance against their own fleet and against industry best practices.

“In the longer term, TOP Monitoring has the potential to develop into an important and independent ship performance assessment and verification service. It can have a role in future indexing or rating schemes, such as those related to air emission regulations for the shipping industry,” he says.