Answer EKG Question 31
Q31.
Damage has occurred to the main engine exhaust valves and the fuel
supplied at a particular port is suspected. The owner’s case, however,
in the subsequent dispute may be weak because the fuel was ordered
specifying only type and viscosity.
A.
Apart from fuel specification, describe how you, as Second Engineer,
should have assisted the owners’ case when receiving the suspect fuel.
B. Describe the ISO fuel standard that is to be used when ordering bunker fuel.
C. Explain how the correct fuel standard is selected.
D.
Suggest, with reasons, why particular mention should be made of certain
elements that might not be included in the fuel standard.
Answer: Damage has occurred to the main engine exhaust valves and the fuel supplied at a particular port is suspected. If it is considered indeed it is a great mistake from the part of ship's staff. So many other salient points are involved with the composition physical and chemical properties. If the fuel is off specification the presence of various components and endanger the operation of the machinery.
The fuel was supplied on the basis of type (distillate or residual ) and viscosity (cst) but never mentioned the percentage of sulphur (low or high), density (kg/meter-cube at measuring temperature in degree cel) and other soluble and insoluble components. It is a great lapses from the supplier too , if by mistake the ship's staff mention the grade and type of fuel only. But it is the duty of the supplier to provide with all specifications of the fuel oil. Considering this the supplier is also is at great fault by not furnishing the laboratory analysis report, hence the real scenario. As the fuel price is going up, all the companies trying to reduce the running cost, by using low grade fuels. But if the actual composition is known protective measures can be taken before using the fuel. By using the fuel received at the last port, the exhaust valves of the main propulsion engine is damaged. The exhaust valve in the combustion engine, experiences very complex contact situation of frequent impact, involving micro sliding, high and varying temperature, complex exhaust gas chemistry and possible particulates. In addition the tribological situation in the exhaust valve system may become even more worse due to presence of some corrosive and chemically active elements. The lack of protective failure is expected to result in increased wear of the contacts surfaces. The fuel oils that are used to run main propulsion engine also adversely affect the engine parts due to naturally occurring elements present in the F.O. if not burnt efficiently. Corrosion is the primary concern on engine parts when it comes to burn of fuel oil. The corrosion may be categorised into two types 1. cold corrosion and 2. hot corrosion.
Hot corrosion- It occurs due to the presence of vanadium (V) and sodium (Na) in the fuel oil, which effects the exhaust valve and exhaust passage. vanadium is naturally occurring element in marine fuel oil in soluble form, which means it can not be separated by filtering or through centrifuge.
Vanadium and sodium combines in a elevated temperature, which takes a crucial role in hot corrosion. The availability of abundant oxygen in the combustion chamber, during the burning of fuel results in the oxidation of V to form VO (oxide) and VO2 (dioxide). During temperature drop neither further combustion process VO, further undergoes in oxidation process to form V2O5 (pentoxide). V2O5, has a low melting point and becomes sticky semi liquid in nature and adhere to the surfaces they come into contact with. Sodium in the fuel reacts with the water vapour, during combustion to generate NaOH. This in turn combines with SO2, to form sodium sulphate (Na2SO4). Na2SO4 condenses at a temperature below 890°C and will adhere to the surface where already V2O5 is present these resultant deposits block the gas passage and corrode metal surface if the ratio of V:Na =3:1 the resulting complex melting point is at its lowest which is about 350-400° C and there is a increased like hood of deposit formation. Fuels with high V and Na will increase the temperature for deposit formation in the exhaust passage. At high temperature(>650 deg cel)ash deposit can accelerate corrosion of metal and fouling of exhaust passage.
The second engineer, at first should issued a letter of protest and compel the supplier to provide the laboratory analysis report. Should make them responsible and liable for any future consequences or damage to the engine parts, as they have failed to provide the particulars of the fuel oil as a statuary requirement by the marine law
.
A. Apart from fuel specification, describe how you, as Second Engineer, should have assisted the owners’ case when receiving the suspect fuel.
A second engineer must emphasis the following points
1.1 MARPOL Annex VI contains requirements that apply to fuel oil used on board ships. Regulation 14 sets limits on the sulphur content of fuel oil used on board ships, both within designated SOX emission control areas (regulation 14.4) and globally (regulation 14.1). Regulation 18.3 contains requirements that fuel oil delivered to and used on board ships should not jeopardize the safety of ships or adversely affect the performance of machinery. Regulation 4.2.1.1 of SOLAS II-2 stipulates that except as otherwise permitted, no fuel oil with a flashpoint of less than 60°C shall be used.
1.2 Fuel oil purchasers are responsible for correctly specifying the fuel oil which is to be supplied. It is the responsibility of the supplier to deliver fuel oil which is compliant with the agreed specification and statutory limits.
1.3 These best practices are intended to assist fuel oil suppliers to ensure the quality of fuel oils delivered to ships which is compliant with the agreed specification and statutory limits.
1.4 When developing their procedures, fuel oil suppliers should also consider the guidance provided by existing industry practices and standards, for example those published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
1.5 This guidance does not apply to supply of low flashpoint fuels such as LNG, LPG or methyl/ethyl alcohols, nor to pure biofuels.
B. Describe the ISO fuel standard that is to be used when ordering bunker fuel.
C. Explain how the correct fuel standard is selected.
a. Selection of fuel specification. Ensure that the fuel is suit-able for the vessel’s engine and in compliance with engine makers’ guidelines and environmental legislation.
b. Using fuel specifications. Make sure that the specification is communicated to the bunker supplier and properly set out in the charter party.
D. Suggest, with reasons, why particular mention should be made of certain elements that might not be included in the fuel standard.
following are the elements found in the fuel which are unavoidable, they do not contribute in the combustion process but are harmful for the engine and its components. additionally to remove them extra arrangements are required to made such as purifier, clearifier etc. also they reduces the maintenance period for the engines and made the ship operation costly.
(a) Ash content
(b) vanadium and sodium
(c) calcium content
(d) sulfur content
(e) water content
Additional information regarding bunkering:-
Bunkers and bunkering could give rise to varying disputes between parties to a charter party or bunker supply contract. Disputes relating to bunkers could broadly be divided into three categories: quality disputes, disputes regarding quantity and problems as a result of the bunker supplier’s insolvency.
The quality of fuel may also be a source of concern in terms of compliance with MARPOL Annex VI and stricter sulphur-content regulation.
A dispute on the quality of bunkers may involve the ship-owners, charterer, bunker supplier and/or a possible intermediary, such as a bunker broker.
The quality of bunkers is an important issue for both the ship-owner and the charterer in order to ensure a smooth operation of the ship. In case the bunkers delivered on board are not within specification or otherwise unsuitable for the engine, this may result in severe damage to the vessel. This might in turn lead to delays and substantial consequential losses. Further-more, arrangements may have to be made to de-bunker, which may be associated with large costs and could also mean deviations from the planned route.
Disputes between Owners and Charterers Under a time charter it is normally the charterer’s obligation to provide and pay for bunkers within a certain specification, which is normally set out in the charter party. However, under e.g. English law the obligation of the charterer goes beyond that: the stemmed bunkers also have to be reasonably fit for the particular vessel’s engines. This naturally implies that the charterer has been made aware of any particular characteristics or requirements of the engine. The ship-owners should thus make sure that the fuel specification is properly and clearly set out in the charter party, by referring to international bunker specification standards and stating special requirements of the engines. It should be noted that the most recent international fuel specifications allows for i.e. higher contents of cat fines than the recommendations of many engine makers. The legal situation under Nordic law is probably similar to the one in England. The requirement as to fitness for purpose may also be expressly included in the bunker clause in the charter party, which is usually the case. The ship owner however bears a heavy burden of proving that the stemmed bunkers were in fact off-spec and that there is a causal link between the poor quality of the bunkers and the machinery damage. Provided the ship-owner is able to lift the burden of proof, the liability imposed on the charterer may be substantial.
Disputes between the bunker purchaser and supplier: - The party responsible for providing for the vessel’s bunkers, either the ship-owners himself or a charterer, enters into a con-tract for the supply of bunkers on-board. It should be noted that the bunker purchaser’s contracting party is often not the actual fuel supplier. This may give rise to complex legal situations and attempts by the bunker seller to shove the responsibility on to the actual supplier. The bunker supplier usually uses its own standard terms and conditions of sale, which are favourable to the supplier and may be difficult for the buyer to renegotiate. The bunker purchaser should therefore be aware of short time bars for the notification of a claim (sometimes as short as 7 days after delivery) and limitation of liability clauses contained in the supply contract. The prospects of negotiating amendments to the contract will depend on buyer’s bargaining position. The bunker supplier has a duty to deliver bunkers within the specified grade of marine fuel and it is therefore important that the bunker order contains an appropriate description of the fuel to be supplied. The selection of a bunker supplier is usually a commercial decision of the ship owner, but should be a balancing of quality and price aspects.
If a dispute as to bunker quality arises, the outcome of the dispute will usually be in the favour of the party being able to present the strongest evidence. It is therefore crucial to collect sufficient proof of the bunker contents and the incident. Bunker samples are usually drawn in connection with the bunkering and the ship-owners needs to ensure that the samples are representative of the entire delivery. By following the sampling procedures issued by the major fuel quality testing services of Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) or Lloyd’s FOBAS, bunker purchasers can obtain representative samples which are accepted and signed by the supplier’s representative. It may well be that these are the only reliable samples, as the bunkers may then be mixed with bunkers previously supplied. It is important that the samples are properly sealed and labelled. In case the samples have been taken from the bunker barge and the ship-owners has not been invited to the sampling, a protest should be issued and sample labels should be signed “For receipt only”. One bunker sample should always be retained on board. Useful documentation in a bunker quality dispute may be ship’s log books, oil record book, maintenance records, bunker tank contents records, consumption records, bunker receipts, photographs of damaged parts, survey reports, correspondence etc.
Insurance cover:-
For ship-owners the standard Hull & Machinery (H&M) insurance will cover damage caused to the ship engines by bad bunkers. The damage to hull (DTH) element included in Charterers’ Liability Insurance will cover the charterer’s liability to owners for damage to the vessel as a consequence of the charterer supplying unsuitable bunkers to the ship. Charterers Liability Insurance also offers coverage for the charterer’s liability for extra bunker handling costs due to defective, contaminated or unfit bunkers.
How to avoid damage due to bad bunkers: Fuel Management.
There are a range of commercial, operational and contractual aspects that may be taken into consideration when trying to prevent bad bunker damage from occurring. The checklist below also serves as a summary of this circular.
1. Fuel purchasing
a. Selection of fuel specification. Ensure that the fuel is suit-able for the vessel’s engine and in compliance with engine makers’ guidelines and environmental legislation.
b. Using fuel specifications. Make sure that the specification is communicated to the bunker supplier and properly set out in the charter party.
c. Be selective when choosing bunker supplier. d. Be aware of the fuel supplier’s terms and conditions of sale.
2. Fuel delivery
a. Shipboard preparations. Make sure that receiving bunker tanks are as empty as possible before delivery, or at least avoid mixing 50/50 with new and old fuel. Check that the sampling device is clean and fully operational.
b. Sampling and documentation. Agree on sampling methods with the supplier in advance. Follow procedures issued by major fuel quality testing services of VPS and Lloyd’s. Establish on board procedures for bunkering, sampling and testing and for reporting and documenting irregularities.
c. Testing. Consider taking predelivery samples from the barge tanks and investing in an on board test kit. It is re-commended that a continuous drip sample is drawn at the vessel’s fuel manifold throughout the entire bunker delivery. Avoid using the new bunkers until the analysis results have been received.
3. Fuel Analysis
a. Chose an experienced and independent laboratory for analysis of the bunker samples.
b. Use the testing services to identify problem fuels and collect evidence.
4. Off-spec or unsuitable bunkers on board
a. Have a contingency plan for the most serious and likely scenarios.
b. Are the stemmed bunkers still useable? Many fuels which deviate slightly from the specifications may be consumed on board, provided that the crew is aware of the problem and takes the necessary measures. In case the bunkers may cause serious damage to the machinery, de-bunkering should be arranged.
c. In case the defective bunkers may cause or have already caused damage to the vessel, contact your H&M (ship-owners) and P&I insurer (time charterers).
d. Involve technical experts and possibly also legal experts as early as possible.
e. Put the bunker supplier and time charterer on notice for a possible claim for the losses and costs incurred.
a. Selection of fuel specification. Ensure that the fuel is suit-able for the vessel’s engine and in compliance with engine makers’ guidelines and environmental legislation.
b. Using fuel specifications. Make sure that the specification is communicated to the bunker supplier and properly set out in the charter party.
D. Suggest, with reasons, why particular mention should be made of certain elements that might not be included in the fuel standard.
following are the elements found in the fuel which are unavoidable, they do not contribute in the combustion process but are harmful for the engine and its components. additionally to remove them extra arrangements are required to made such as purifier, clearifier etc. also they reduces the maintenance period for the engines and made the ship operation costly.
(a) Ash content
(b) vanadium and sodium
(c) calcium content
(d) sulfur content
(e) water content
Additional information regarding bunkering:-
Bunkers and bunkering could give rise to varying disputes between parties to a charter party or bunker supply contract. Disputes relating to bunkers could broadly be divided into three categories: quality disputes, disputes regarding quantity and problems as a result of the bunker supplier’s insolvency.
The quality of fuel may also be a source of concern in terms of compliance with MARPOL Annex VI and stricter sulphur-content regulation.
A dispute on the quality of bunkers may involve the ship-owners, charterer, bunker supplier and/or a possible intermediary, such as a bunker broker.
The quality of bunkers is an important issue for both the ship-owner and the charterer in order to ensure a smooth operation of the ship. In case the bunkers delivered on board are not within specification or otherwise unsuitable for the engine, this may result in severe damage to the vessel. This might in turn lead to delays and substantial consequential losses. Further-more, arrangements may have to be made to de-bunker, which may be associated with large costs and could also mean deviations from the planned route.
Disputes between Owners and Charterers Under a time charter it is normally the charterer’s obligation to provide and pay for bunkers within a certain specification, which is normally set out in the charter party. However, under e.g. English law the obligation of the charterer goes beyond that: the stemmed bunkers also have to be reasonably fit for the particular vessel’s engines. This naturally implies that the charterer has been made aware of any particular characteristics or requirements of the engine. The ship-owners should thus make sure that the fuel specification is properly and clearly set out in the charter party, by referring to international bunker specification standards and stating special requirements of the engines. It should be noted that the most recent international fuel specifications allows for i.e. higher contents of cat fines than the recommendations of many engine makers. The legal situation under Nordic law is probably similar to the one in England. The requirement as to fitness for purpose may also be expressly included in the bunker clause in the charter party, which is usually the case. The ship owner however bears a heavy burden of proving that the stemmed bunkers were in fact off-spec and that there is a causal link between the poor quality of the bunkers and the machinery damage. Provided the ship-owner is able to lift the burden of proof, the liability imposed on the charterer may be substantial.
Disputes between the bunker purchaser and supplier: - The party responsible for providing for the vessel’s bunkers, either the ship-owners himself or a charterer, enters into a con-tract for the supply of bunkers on-board. It should be noted that the bunker purchaser’s contracting party is often not the actual fuel supplier. This may give rise to complex legal situations and attempts by the bunker seller to shove the responsibility on to the actual supplier. The bunker supplier usually uses its own standard terms and conditions of sale, which are favourable to the supplier and may be difficult for the buyer to renegotiate. The bunker purchaser should therefore be aware of short time bars for the notification of a claim (sometimes as short as 7 days after delivery) and limitation of liability clauses contained in the supply contract. The prospects of negotiating amendments to the contract will depend on buyer’s bargaining position. The bunker supplier has a duty to deliver bunkers within the specified grade of marine fuel and it is therefore important that the bunker order contains an appropriate description of the fuel to be supplied. The selection of a bunker supplier is usually a commercial decision of the ship owner, but should be a balancing of quality and price aspects.
If a dispute as to bunker quality arises, the outcome of the dispute will usually be in the favour of the party being able to present the strongest evidence. It is therefore crucial to collect sufficient proof of the bunker contents and the incident. Bunker samples are usually drawn in connection with the bunkering and the ship-owners needs to ensure that the samples are representative of the entire delivery. By following the sampling procedures issued by the major fuel quality testing services of Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) or Lloyd’s FOBAS, bunker purchasers can obtain representative samples which are accepted and signed by the supplier’s representative. It may well be that these are the only reliable samples, as the bunkers may then be mixed with bunkers previously supplied. It is important that the samples are properly sealed and labelled. In case the samples have been taken from the bunker barge and the ship-owners has not been invited to the sampling, a protest should be issued and sample labels should be signed “For receipt only”. One bunker sample should always be retained on board. Useful documentation in a bunker quality dispute may be ship’s log books, oil record book, maintenance records, bunker tank contents records, consumption records, bunker receipts, photographs of damaged parts, survey reports, correspondence etc.
Insurance cover:-
For ship-owners the standard Hull & Machinery (H&M) insurance will cover damage caused to the ship engines by bad bunkers. The damage to hull (DTH) element included in Charterers’ Liability Insurance will cover the charterer’s liability to owners for damage to the vessel as a consequence of the charterer supplying unsuitable bunkers to the ship. Charterers Liability Insurance also offers coverage for the charterer’s liability for extra bunker handling costs due to defective, contaminated or unfit bunkers.
How to avoid damage due to bad bunkers: Fuel Management.
There are a range of commercial, operational and contractual aspects that may be taken into consideration when trying to prevent bad bunker damage from occurring. The checklist below also serves as a summary of this circular.
1. Fuel purchasing
a. Selection of fuel specification. Ensure that the fuel is suit-able for the vessel’s engine and in compliance with engine makers’ guidelines and environmental legislation.
b. Using fuel specifications. Make sure that the specification is communicated to the bunker supplier and properly set out in the charter party.
c. Be selective when choosing bunker supplier. d. Be aware of the fuel supplier’s terms and conditions of sale.
2. Fuel delivery
a. Shipboard preparations. Make sure that receiving bunker tanks are as empty as possible before delivery, or at least avoid mixing 50/50 with new and old fuel. Check that the sampling device is clean and fully operational.
b. Sampling and documentation. Agree on sampling methods with the supplier in advance. Follow procedures issued by major fuel quality testing services of VPS and Lloyd’s. Establish on board procedures for bunkering, sampling and testing and for reporting and documenting irregularities.
c. Testing. Consider taking predelivery samples from the barge tanks and investing in an on board test kit. It is re-commended that a continuous drip sample is drawn at the vessel’s fuel manifold throughout the entire bunker delivery. Avoid using the new bunkers until the analysis results have been received.
3. Fuel Analysis
a. Chose an experienced and independent laboratory for analysis of the bunker samples.
b. Use the testing services to identify problem fuels and collect evidence.
4. Off-spec or unsuitable bunkers on board
a. Have a contingency plan for the most serious and likely scenarios.
b. Are the stemmed bunkers still useable? Many fuels which deviate slightly from the specifications may be consumed on board, provided that the crew is aware of the problem and takes the necessary measures. In case the bunkers may cause serious damage to the machinery, de-bunkering should be arranged.
c. In case the defective bunkers may cause or have already caused damage to the vessel, contact your H&M (ship-owners) and P&I insurer (time charterers).
d. Involve technical experts and possibly also legal experts as early as possible.
e. Put the bunker supplier and time charterer on notice for a possible claim for the losses and costs incurred.
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