TAKEROperator · TAKEROperator Features: Cometh the hour, ... 43 avaids 43 Passage plans ......

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 www.tankeroperator.com

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Features:� Cometh the hour, cometh the man� Gibraltar – crisis, what crisis?� Impending sulphur limits create headache� Choice of cleaning chemicals vital� Various initiatives to contain emissions� UKHO unveils the future of navigation

Front cover:Front cover.qxd 03/12/2009 16:39

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November/December 2009 � TANKEROperator 01

ContentsMarketsValuing a vessel

Intertanko ProfileNew chairman outlines the challenges

BP Shipping ProfileOil major revises Control of Work policy

Gibraltar Report� Looking for expansion

� Flag state growth

� Services reap the benefits

� Bunker supplies on the increase

Bunker Report� High seas bunkering growth

� Risk of switching fuel

� Maximising efficiencies

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11

Front cover photo Intertanko’s new chairman Capt GrahamWestgarth’s term of office coincides with the worstcrisis in shipping’s history. He arrives at a timewhen the industry is faced with rock bottom rates,environmental pressures and issues of quality andbest practice.

50 Training Systems� Management courses introduced

55 Foulings�Anchored ships attract aliens

32 Emissions� 32 The alternatives

� 34 ‘Virtual Arrival’ concept

� 37 Fuel pump operations

� 40 Scrubbers gain in popularity

43 �avaids� 43 Passage plans made easier

� 47 New control systems

48 Ship Description� Offen’s latest tanker unveiled

20

27

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We have the Round Table and other august shippingorganisations and now we have the ‘Ginger Group’.The ‘Ginger Group’ is a self-constituted shipping foursome dedicated to

improving the quality of shipping and that of the people employed in

the industry.

You would think that there are enough organisations and individuals

addressing this problem and that the industry had by and large got its

act together. Indeed, the industry has been improving for the past 20

years, especially in the tanker sector.

However, there are the ‘bottom feeders’, who are not directly

involved in the upstream stakeholders. They include obscure banks,

non-IACS class societies, so called recognised organisations (ROs) and

smaller flag states with not quite the same definition of quality as the

mainstream players.

For example, there are certain ROs, class societies and surveyors

who will act for unregulated flag states as there are those who think

that money can still be made by going down market.

If this was not enough, major problems are looming such as the

challenge of conducting quality maintenance in the face of the grave

economic crisis, the reduction in the number of seafarers that are ‘fit

for purpose’ leading to human errors, plus shoreside organisational

problems, system errors, shipbuilding and repair quality and there are

probably others.

Prevent quality slippageClay Maitland, one of the ‘Ginger Group’s’ leading lights, said he

wanted to prevent slippage in quality due to financial pressures. He also

said that he wanted to involve charterers, insurers and primarily

bankers – those on the fringes of the other groups, but with a big say in

shipping matters, as well as the mainstream operating concerns and

their organisations.

“We want to be a catalyst to the organisations always pushing to get

the industry more involved,” the group said.

Maitland made it clear that the views of the group, which also

includes former GL marine head Dr Hans Payer, veteran writer and

lecturer Michael Grey and former Lloyd’s List deputy editor and IT

writer Neville Smith, who is responsible for the ‘blog’, were each

acting as individual and were not influenced by any current positions

held.

However, Maitland did illustrate his introductory talk about the group

with the case of bankrupt Eastwind. He said that the Marshall Islands

flag state, managed by International Registries with whom he is a

managing partner, had thrown the company out a couple of years ago

due to quality issues.

However, since then certain banks continued to lend the company

money, despite the quality issues being well documented until the company

finally went bankrupt resulting in some of the banks losing money.

Today it is easier than ever to find out about a vessel or company

from the various websites, Port State Control, P&I clubs, class societies

etc. With the electronic age has come more transparency. However, there

were always the rogue traders ready to make a fast buck.

At the group’s launch, Dr Payer talked of the problems of maintenance,

shipbuilding and repair. He said that not only were freight rates suffering

in today’s economic climate, but also newbuilding prices had fallen.

Price pressureSome owners who may need new tonnage are under pressure to secure

even cheaper newbuilding deals. New and exotic newbuilding yards are

touting for business and are being favourable received in some quarters,

despite bargain basement prices being offered by the more established

and experienced shipyards.

He warned that many of the new yards lacked experience of building

a vessel to international standards, thus putting extra demands on

owners’ inspectors and class surveyors. Despite the attentions of

owners’ representatives and class, an owner may end up with a vessel

not built to adequate quality standards and failing on safety

performance, as seen before in the 1970s and 1980s.

“Society will not tolerate any noticeable decline in ship safety and

environmental protection performance today,” Dr Payer emphasised.

“Everyone in the responsibility chain in shipping has to be vigilant and

alert to any indication of developing slackness in safety standards in

shipping. Our initiative is meant as a contribution in this sense at this

critical time.”

In a separate issue but continuing on the theme of quality, Dr Payer

also warned that laws should not be written under pressure.

To help channel the group’s efforts, a blog has been created at

www.claymaitland.com where news and views can be found and

commented upon.

COMMENT

Pushing to get the industry involved

TO

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In normalised and efficient markets, the

price of a vessel is simply what a buyer,

cognisant of the relevant facts and

under no compulsion to act, would pay

to acquire the asset from a knowledgeable

seller equally under no compulsion to act.

In less active markets there are infrequent

transactions to maintain a clearly delineated

asset price curve, while several other variables

may remain highly uncertain and fluctuate

liberally (ie freight rates, availability of debt

financing, etc); valuing a vessel in such a

market can become an intellectual and

sophisticated assignment and subject to

numerous counter arguments. Since vessel

valuations have been used heavily for

accounting and financial purposes, arriving at

a proper vessel valuation has thus had

practical consequences as well.

Valuing assets, and shipping assets ie vessels,

has been the subject of professional standards

and well-established practices. There have

been both commercial and academic guidelines

to providing an assessment of the value (Fair

Market Value) of a vessel. In normalised

markets, the commercial and academic values

usually converge to the purchase price that a

rational, well-informed investor (buyer) would

pay for the acquisition of the vessel.

However, in a world of high volatility and

uncertainty (ie shipping rates, future estimates

of earnings, financial inputs and reality, etc),

there is room for the ‘animal spirits’ to push

market values to widely aberrant levels from

the intrinsic value of the vessel; while in early

2008 the sky was the limit in terms of values,

presently we are talking on how low vessel

prices will get.

The three widely accepted asset (and thus

vessel) valuation methods - Market Approach,

Replacement Cost and Income Approach - can

provide a different perspective and insight into

the value of a vessel, and each one of these

methods has its own strengths and intrinsic

limitations at the same time.

Market ApproachUnder the Market Approach method, a vessel is

valued in comparison to the recent sale

of a comparable vessel, adjusted for age, cargo

carrying capacity, vessel specifications, etc. In

overall efficient markets, or in shipping sectors

and shipping assets that are fairly liquid, the

‘last done’ transaction can offer a definite guide

for the value of a comparable vessel.

As an illustration, Aframaxes are the

workhorse of the crude oil trade and in

general there are transactions with a

semblance of regularity to provide guidance

for asset pricing and valuations. For other

assets, such as LPG carriers that are not

bought and sold very often even during

‘normal’ markets (the reasons being – a niche

market, comparatively small fleet,

comparatively small number of buyers and

sellers, higher barriers to entry, long term

relationship business, etc), the Market

Approach is less helpful.

During inactive markets, the Market

Approach faces additional limitations due to

continuous uncertainty in the market despite

the ‘last done’; one needs to keep in mind that

in illiquid markets a month’s lapse since ‘last

done’ can be tantamount to eternity as

opposed to a normal market when a month’s

lapse is just the continuance of the status quo.

While the Market Approach is the tangible

proof of what the ‘market’ would bear for the

vessel, the critique for this method is equally

important: during uncertain times weak sellers

are keener to sell than stronger players and

therefore, the weak players get to ‘write the

history’ book while stronger players can afford

not to act if sellers’ price ideas are deemed too

low. Further, in certain instances, motivation

to sell in anemic markets might not

necessarily reflect a sellers’ compulsion to sell

due to weakness, but the execution of a

strategy that was put in place in different

market conditions.

There were examples of drybulk vessel sales

earlier this year when the owners were just

exercising in-the-money purchase options on

vessels (options that were priced in 2002 before

the super-cycle and subsequent correction took

place) and immediately ‘flipping’ the vessels

for a profit, or owners who were selling tankers

that were built at the shipowners’ yard, were

trading captive cargoes, and were financed ‘in-

house’ with ‘negative carry’ and thus had a low

‘cost basis’.

Replacement CostThe Replacement Cost method is mostly

applicable to vessels that are uniquely suited for

certain trades and projects; usually, they have

been vessels heavily customised for such trades,

and therefore there are is a narrow demand in

the event of a sale. A notable example of

vessels that the author has valued based on the

replacement method include drybulk vessels

that had been fitted with accommodation and

hotel services for 120 people, quarter-deck ramp

to load vehicles and tanks, helipad,

containership capacity, heavy lift, and steel-

reinforced, humidified cargo holds for the

carriage of dynamite (the vessels were on long-

term bareboat charter to an operator with a

contract to supply with provisions military bases

in the Pacific). Under the replacement cost

method, the vessel is valued on the assumption

of the value of the vessel is simply the cost of

supplanting a replacement vessel in the present

market environment. The obvious critique of

such valuation method is that cost to replace the

vessel is not necessarily the price that a third-

party buyer would pay; in short, the historical

cost is not necessarily a market number; in the

valuation example above, without the military

contract, the vessel would have limited

commercial value, the high replacement value

notwithstanding.

Income ApproachThe method of most interest for vessel

valuations is the value (the net present value,

properly) of all net earnings the vessel is

presumed to generate during her remaining

commercial life plus her residual value itself

(salvage value). While the Income Approach

method is the most academically rigorous

method available, and widely accepted as the

proper method of determining the value of

assets, vessels included, arriving at

appropriate inputs to the financial model can

heavily impact the value of the vessel.

The most crucial assumption in modeling

INDUSTRY - MARKETS


What’s in the valueof a vessel?

Since the start of the financial (and shipping) recession about a year go,

a lot of attention has been drawn to placing values on commercial vessels.*

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 3

Income Approach is of course the projection

of freight revenue, which in turn is based on

assumptions of future market conditions of

tonnage supply (available vessels to compete

for same cargoes, etc), tonnage demand

(subject to world economic conditions and

trade and also trading patterns), and also the

chartering strategy of the buyer (spot market,

sequence of short-term charters or very long-

term charters). The cost and availability of

debt finance will be another major input in the

Income Approach financial modeling.

Additional assumptions include operating

expenses (such as crewing and insurance

expenses, bunker fuel expenses), the

commercial life of the vessel (taking into

consideration that regulatory framework and

technological innovation can impact the

longevity of a vessel), and projections on the

residual value of the vessel (resale value in case

of an after-sale or scrap value for demolition).

Therefore, while the Income Approach offers a

fundamental and well documented approach for

the value of the vessel, there is a sizeable

amount of inputs and assumptions that still can

render a vessel valuation subjective.

Valuation standardIn an effort to provide a uniform set of criteria

for the Income Approach method, in early

2009, the Hamburg Shipbrokers Association

(Vereinigung Hamburger Schiffsmakler und

Schiffsagenten, VHSS) established the

Hamburg Ship Evaluation Standards (also

known as the Long Term Asset Value, LTAV)

by narrowing the guidelines on the income

approach method.

In brief, for presently charter-free vessels, the

estimate for future earnings can be substituted

by the historical average earnings and operating

expenses of the last 10 years for each type of

vessel. It is assumed that the cost of financing

will also reflect historical 10-year LIBOR

INDUSTRY – MARKETS


www.krohne-skarpenord.com

On the level

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(4.036%) average plus the bank’s margin

(1.375%) for an overall debt cost of 5.41%.

Based on 70% leverage, the implied

discount rate is 6.6%, at present. Similarly,

the historical 10-year average for scrap should

be used for the vessel’s salvage value, where

the overall vessel economic life is to be 20

years adjusted by a vessel-related coefficient

(for vessels presently less than 15 years of

age) or 25 years for vessels older than 15

years of age at the time of the valuation.

The most frequently mentioned critique of

the ‘Hamburg Method’ is that relying on 10-

year averages for freight rates, financing costs

and demolition prices rely heavily on the

assumption that history repeats itself, and

given that the 10-year historical average

incorporates never-seen-before market

conditions, valuing vessels on such guidelines

might resemble driving a car based on the

images shown on the rear-view mirror.

However, the accounting and auditing firm

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has recently

approved the LTAV method, and therefore can

be used for banking purposes.

While these methods are based are open to

interpretation and can be used depending on the

loan agreement terms between the lenders and

the borrowers as per agreed, there is a unique

valuation method that the author as come upon

recently and is mandated by law, in particular

the German law under the ‘Pfandbrief Act’.

�ote: Values in US$ million for vessel delivered in 2009. Author's Estimates, without prejudice.

Valuation method Tanker typeMR Tanker Aframax Tanker VLCC (52,000 dwt) (105,000 dwt) (300,000 dwt)

Market approach (FMV) $34.00 $53.00 $96.00

Replacement cost $37.00 $52.00 $98.00

Income approach $34.00 $46.00 $91.00

Hamburg rules $59.00 $80.00 $150.00

PFandbrief Act $34.00 $53.00 $96.00

Such valuations as used for issuing bonds in

the German capital markets and the law

stipulates that the value of a vessel shall be

the least of a) replacement cost (construction

cost for a newbuilding), b) present market

value of the vessel, or c) the average historical

value of similar vessels in the last 10 years.

Since this method stipulates for the least of

the three values, it is usually the least

generous valuation method.

For strictly illustrative purposes, the table

provides valuations for an MR, an Aframax

and a VLCC delivered in 2009. The author

has used market data provided by Compass

Maritime Services, and has made standard

assumptions in terms of financing for the

Income Approach as per industry standard

practices and prevailing rates.

Based on the table, obviously the argument

can be made of what constitutes ‘value’ these

days. But again, ‘value’ and ‘price’ are not

always equivalent and there is a fortune to be

made for those who can take those two

concepts apart. After all, Warren Buffett has

made a business (and a fortune) out of it!

*This article was written exclusively forTankerOperator by Basil M Karatzas,managing director for projects and finance,Compass Maritime Services. He can becontacted at [email protected] Tel +201 585 9999.

TO

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 4

In a wide ranging discussion,

Westgarth said that he is a champion

of ‘promoting best practices and

competence schemes’, citing as an

example - Tanker Officers Training Standard

(TOTS) - introduced by the association

last year.

He outlined three priorities to be addressed

during his chairmanship of the organisation.

1) To profile the tanker industry in a

proactive manner.

2) To educate the general public in tanker

operations.

3) To promote the services offered by

Intertanko.

“We need to be progressive and proactive,” he

said. “The industry needs to speak as one as

different points of view offered up by the

same industry are not helpful.”

Also sharing information among the

membership was another vital service that

the association should continue to promote,

he said.

His 12 years spent with Maersk was the

“best grounding”, he said. Down the years

with Maersk and Teekay, Westgarth said

that he had gained a “round knowledge of

the industry.”

The challenges were of a “significant

operational perspective,” he thought. “I

believe in co-operation and collaboration.

We need to be solution focused on what we

can do positively in technical, safety,

environment, human, operational terms and

find mutually accepted pragmatic solutions

by interfacing with stakeholders.”


Intertanko chairman Graham Westgarth hasaccumulated some 38 years experience in theshipping industry, including 17 years spent atsea, including five years with commandexperience.

He joined Teekay in 1999 and prior to this spent 12 years with

the Maersk Company heading up its UK fleet. During his spell

with Maersk, he established and became general manager of AP

Moller-Maersk’s FPSO operations in the North Sea.

During his time with Teekay, in 2006 Westgarth relocated to

Norway for eight months following the company’s acquisition of

Petrojarl and as an interim CEO, successfully led the company and

integrated it into Teekay.

In August 2007, he returned to Vancouver and resumed his

position as president of Teekay Marine Services.

Today, he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the

Teekay fleet, involving 165 vessels and almost 5,000 multi-

disciplined sea and shore staff. His mandate includes

newbuildings, conversions, repair and maintenance, manning and

training, procurement, marine and last not least – HSEQ.

During his career, Westgarth has held several positions at board

level and has also found the time to complete the Columbia

Business School Senior Executive Development Programme.

He has served as an Intertanko council member for nine years

and joined the executive committee in 2006. He was elected vice

chairman in May 2009.

Capt Graham Westgarth - a potted biography

INDUSTRY - INTERTANKO PROFILE

Intertanko’s newchairman sets the

agendaIntertanko introduced its new chairman last month

– Teekay Marine Services president Capt Graham Westgarth.

- measuring the ocean surface

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Managing director Peter Swift said that

gathering collective expertise, such as the

Round Table initiative, which includes

Intertanko, IACS, OCIMF, among others, is

the way ahead. By joining together, an

environment and agenda is thus created to

approach other industry bodies. For

example, the right dialogue with the right

people was needed.

One example of industry joining together

to promote safety was the case of the

Common Structural Rules (CSR), which was

developed by Intertanko and OCIMF and

taken on to its final conclusion by IACS. A

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has

also been signed with the ITF and another

with IMPA as there was increasing pressure

today on supply chains.

Westgarth said the biggest problem

confronting the industry today was the

human element. There has been an increase

in groundings, fires and explosions and

machinery incidents during the past

few years.

Intertanko admitted it did not know the

reasons for the increase in incidents but that

a review was underway. As for engine

failures, this could be caused by fuel

switching due to the increasing number of

areas where vessels have to switch to low

sulphur fuel oil (LSFO).

There is also the question of LSFO quality

and also on engine reliability, especially in

those vessels built in new yards, mainly

in Asia.

WorkshopFollowing the review, there are plans for a

workshop next year involving various sectors

of the industry, including insurance interests,

shipowners, class societies and others to share

the analysis and learn from it.

“All vessels should be fitted with [a Tanker

Efficiency Management Plan] which is aimed at

setting out all of a tanker’s operational elements

enabling benchmarking to take place within

a fleet and even between sister vessels.”

“

”

Intertanko’s md Peter Swift thought thatjoining together was the way ahead.

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 6

Intertanko is to commence a ‘confidential

accident reporting’ scheme during the early

part of next year, whereby a tanker owner

would share confidential information with a

charterer, including serious near misses.

Turning to piracy, despite some owners

coming out in favour of armed intervention,

Intertanko was firmly of the belief that armed

guards were not the way forward. “It would

just escalate the level of violence,” Swift said.

As for the environment, Swift said that

Intertanko had been accredited by UNFCCC

as a shipping association. On the question of

emissions, Swift said; “We need a level

playing field with a flag and vessel neutral

solution through the IMO. We don’t want

regional schemes.”

Trying to forecast ahead of Cop15 at which

Intertanko will be represent, Swift said; “It is

not unreasonable to assume that the IMO will

be given a mandate to produce an emissions

plan, which could be finalised by MEPC 62 in

2011, having gone through the formulation

stages at MEPC 60 and 61 next year.”

Efficiency planAnother Intertanko initiative soon to be

launched is a Tanker Efficiency Energy

Management Plan (TEEMP), which is aimed

at setting out all of a tanker’s operational

elements enabling benchmarking to take

place within a fleet and even between sister

vessels.

It is a fundamental design index for

tankers, taking into account such anomalies

found in these particular types of vessels,

such as cargo heating and equipment

redundancy, for example the twin engine

configuration found on shuttle tankers.

“All vessels should be fitted with one. We

need to encourage the industry to use the

software,” Swift said.

TEEMP is based on the Ship Energy

Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) but is

tanker specific. It also provides further

guidance on the usage of the Energy

Efficiency Operational Indicator (EEOI).

Intertanko is also actively involved with

other stakeholders in the development of a

programme called ‘Virtual Arrival’, which is

an initiative to persuade tanker operators and

their charterers to agree to adopt the ‘just-in-

time’ type principle when on a voyage.

‘Virtual Arrival’ is a software program that

will calculate when a vessel needs to present

itself within the laycan at an empty berth

either to load or discharge, rather than full

steaming to make a laycan only to wait for

several days for a berth to become vacant.

This will help ensure the efficient use of a

tanker by optimising the speed and fuel

consumption, thus controlling emissions

(see page 32).



TO

Capt Westgarth said that the biggest problem facing the industry was the human element.

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The system was put in place in 2007

and following feedback from BP

Shipping’s seafarers,

improvements resulting in more

standardisation are being introduced into the

system, which is aimed at continuous

development of shipboard performance.

CoW is a written policy within BP

Shipping’s Quality Assurance Manual and

assigns clear accountability when conducting

work on board for health, safety, security and

environmental performance to designated

individuals within each shipboard

management team.

It requires that the risks associated with

each task be assessed before it is performed

and that personnel obtain permits to enable

them to work on potentially hazardous

procedures. Each work permit must contain

a written description of any potential risk

and required mitigations associated with a

task about to be performed. It must also

be signed by everyone engaged in the

work activity.

Senior officers are designated as Area

Authorities (AA) responsible for managing

safety within their respective departments,

while Performing Authorities (PA) serve as on

site leaders. The Officer of the Watch (OOW)

takes on the role of registrar issuing or

cancelling permits.

The training resources were designed to

ensure that there was a formal approach to

managing the risk faced by BP Shipping’s

seafarers and vessels. It is equally applicable

to shore staff, seafarers and sub-contractors.

To create the system, a film crew filmed BP

Shipping’s operations on board oil tankers and

LNGCs in Trinidad, Spain, California and

Washington State. To develop the eight

computer-based test modules, John Sabella &

Associates, the company that designed the

training resources, used Norwegian software

house Seagull.

Each computer-based test generates a set

of random questions to improve the

reliability of the testing.. Each question is

preceded by a video clip, which is intended

to remind the trainee about the DVD’s

contents at the point in the training session

where the question’s subject was addressed

without revealing the answer.

“The system should be simplistic, robust

and safe and be applicable holistically”, Paul

Manzi, BP Shipping’s manager of fleet

HSSE and operations, explained. “There

should be a standard, simple piece of kit

across the board with everyone working on

the same system.”

The phase-in of the revised training

materials started on 1st October this year

and the integration is scheduled to last until

the middle of December. This phase-in

period will allow the seafarers to become

familiar with the system and will also help

to identify and eliminate any problems

revealed, Manzi said.

He also said that BP Shipping noticed that

personal injury incidents had fallen since the

introduction of the system. For example, from

2004 to date, the company had seen a near

50% reduction in injuries, although he added

that the number of incidents was already low.

All the reported incidents were investigated

and the results embedded in the upgraded

system where necessary.

As well as circulating a DVD and

organising computer-based testing sessions,

fleet training safety officers (FTSOs) visit

BP’s vessels to give practical hands-on

advice. BP Shipping firmly believes in

practical training on board, as well as taking

in the theory.

Manzi also said the system is being

integrated well into shipboard work routines.

The system started with the junior officers and

encompassed shore-based training, as well as

on board sessions with the visiting FTSOs,

vetting auditors and superintendents.

Ratings are given a five-day ‘basics of

safety seamanship’ course to ensure they

understand the fundamentals of BP’s

expectations for shipboard operations,

mainly in India and the Philippines. These

are interactive courses with only less than

one day given over to a classroom theory

type sessions.

BP Shipping also has a seven-day safety

officers’ training course on which the first and

second days are given over to lectures and the

balance is focused on hands on training. “For

safety learning, there is no substitute for

actually doing it,” Manzi said.

Manzi firmly believed that a good safety

culture is engendered by the shore

management having a sound relationship with

the seagoing staff. “We encourage real

personal contact with the FTSOs,” he said.

“Working together on safety issues on a face-

to-face basis is a crucial part of the learning

process. Any training aide memoire should be

complimentary to face-to-face hands on

training and not instead of it..”

At any one time, the company operates

many chartered in vessels and employs time

charter superintendents to ensure the level of

safety and operations that BP requires.

Workshops are regularly held with the

charterers’ representatives to outline the

safety and commercial goals needed by the

oil major.

“This is a mutually beneficial exercise

as smaller shipowning companies often

have great safety cultures,” Manzi explained.

This was partly due to the introduction of

TMSA, BP’s focus on creating partnerships

with its timecharter operators and partly

down to the vetting of the vessels put up

for charter.

“We regard them as partners, not just in

word, but in actual practice,” he said. “We like

to have a personal relationship from the CEO

down to the superintendents.”


INDUSTRY - BP SHIPPING PROFILE

Managing the riskBP Shipping is rolling out is rolling out a revised version of the company’s

Control of Work (CoW) system throughout its 53 vessel fleet.

TO

“The system should be simplistic, robust

and safe and be applicable holistically”

- Paul Manzi, BP Shipping

“”

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 9

INDUSTRY - GIBRALTAR REPORT


Various plans are in place to handle

the extra volume of shipping

anticipated. TA�KEROperatorspoke with some of the major

players on the Rock about their plans for

the future.

Captain Peter Hall, Port of Gibraltar CEO

and Port Captain saw one of his main

marketing tasks as answering the question;

“What can Gibraltar do about building on the

transit traffic?”

Plans are currently being implemented to

increase the number of bunker slots available

in the light of the steady increase in business

seen since 1998 when bunker calls passed the

3,000 mark for the year.

Since then the number of vessels arriving

for bunkers has climbed to almost 6,000,

registering 5,965 in 2008. Adding other vessel

calls to the list gives a grand total of 9,749 for

the year.

The surge in bunker calls has not stopped

as in the first eight months of this year, the

number of vessel calls was up by a further

16% to 4,343 vessels, which took on around

3 mill tonnes of fuel – up 10% compared

with figures produced up to the end of

August 2008.

Naturally, having such a volume of vessels

anchored just a mile or so from the port for

several hours has attracted a plethora of other

concerns offering services, such as those

involved in crew changes, ship supply, repairs

and maintenance and general agency work.

Such is the volume of traffic in and around

the Bay of Gibraltar, the Port Authority has

been studying ways of increasing the number

of anchorage slots for several years, which

today are more or less full.

One solution was the opening up of the

Eastern Anchorage, which until recently was a

free anchorage zone primarily used by vessels

awaiting orders. However, the Port of

Gibraltar has introduced a fee system for

vessels anchoring in the area. Trials have also

taken place involving a bunker barge

refuelling a vessel. One of the major concerns

were the conditions encountered, which at

times could restrict operations.

For large vessels, about 10 slots are

available in the more sheltered Western

Anchorage, which are more or less full most

of the time. On the Eastern side, as well as

bunkers, spares, crew changes, fresh water

and stores could and are being delivered.

However, the risks have to be constantly

balanced against any operations, Capt

Hall said.

To help overcome these problems, as well

as monitor shipping in the area, Transas is

installing a VTS, which should be operational

in the New Year. The system will include

weather sensing software in an effort to give

early warning of the approach of inclement

weather conditions, radar systems and CCTV.

The sensors would be married up to the

procedural requirements. This move was

partly prompted by two high profile drybulk

carrier incidents in the past couple of years.

Gibraltar looks to both anchorages asexpansion needed

Gibraltar is still experiencing significant growth in the number of calls made to the

anchorages and there is vast potential to increase the number of callers still further.

Ph

oto

cred

it –

NO

RD

EN

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 10



Gibraltar will soon have its own AIS, which

Capt Hall explained would give the Port

Authority greater scope to see approaching

vessels at around 60 miles distant. This will

enable the port to schedule calls more

effectively and try to avoid bottlenecks at the

anchorages. Information can then be

exchanged with the various service providers

whereby a vessel’s turnaround time could be

reduced by alleviating waiting time.

Security and efficiency are high on Capt

Hall’s priorities. To this end, bunker supply at

Gibraltar is undertaken adhering to a strict

code of practice while the Port employs a

dedicated bunkering superintendent. Both the

suppliers and barges are vetted.

During the past few years, the older single

hull bunker barges have been replaced by new,

or secondhand double hull product tankers,

many of which have a larger capacity than

their predecessors.

Gibraltar is one of the last major bunkering

ports available for vessels entering the

northern ECAs, resulting in more low sulphur

fuel being stemmed. Many vessels will take

on both HFO and LSFO while at the

anchorage.

Capt Hall explained that due to the piracy

problems in the Red Sea area and the costs

now associated with Suez Canal transits, more

vessels were making use of the South African

route. Vessels sailing on the North/South

routes pass within about 20 miles of the Rock,

while Mediterranean traffic (East/West)

transits within a few miles of Gibraltar in the

two vessel separation zones.

Another long term project was to look for

alternatives to the floating storage tankers

anchored in the Bay used to supply the bunker

barges. Handysize and MR product tankers

currently transfer fuel into the storage tankers

in a ship-to-ship transfer operation. One

solution being discussed is the opening of

land-based storage facilities on the Rock, but

any move was still a long way off, Captain

Hall confirmed.

Flag increases This has been a good year for the Gibraltar

Maritime Administration (GMA) despite the

dramatic downturn in the maritime world,

claimed Alan Cubbin, Gibraltar’s Maritime

Administrator.

Notwithstanding this, the GMA has

continued its excellent work in maintaining a

high quality ship register and has further

improved its services to shipping through the

updating of legislation and procedures. This

has also ensured compliance with international

conventions and in maintaining the Gibraltar

Ship Register’s status as a Red Ensign Group

Category 1 Register.

The Registry has also enjoyed further

growth and stood at 301 vessels at the end of

October 2009, an increase of 11% over the

previous year. This clearly demonstrates the

high regard in which the Registry is held by

the international shipping community,

Cubbin said.

While the fleet is a mixture of types of

ships, tankers make up approximately 24% or

70 plus vessel. Many of these are registered

in Germany and the GMA has visited

Germany twice in the last two months to call

on owners and to discuss the present difficult

conditions and evaluate various ways in which

the Administration can assist, while at the

same time ensuring that international

standards are maintained, or improved.

Cubbin also said these visits to the

companies are useful, not only to listen to the

companies’ comments on the present position

but also to inform them of the intentions of

the Administration to introduce new ideas like

Customer Service Managers (CSMs). “This is

not a new idea,” said Cubbin, “but it is a

change for the GMA. The companies will

have an individual CSMs who will deal with

all the ships the company has on our registry

and will be a focal point for any new

registrations or change of flag. With this

personal attention we are aiming to provide a

better service while improving the fleet

performance in the various inspection regimes

around the world.”

The registry’s staffing levels have recently

been increased with additional experienced

surveyors and these new staff, allied to the

experience of the existing staff, enables all

types of ship to be accommodated. While not

concentrating on tankers, or small chemical

carriers, these are an important part of the

fleet, Cubbin said.

He explained: “Alan Fairney who was

director of operations in the UK MCA has

recently joined our team. He has a huge

amount of experience on all types of ships.

We have also recruited another ex MCA

surveyor and two from other sectors of the

industry. All of these plus the extensive

experience of my exisiting surveyors means

we can deal with all types of ships.

“It is not only the technical aspects that are

important but the experience of the whole

registration team means we can register a

ship, if all the documents are presented

correctly, in a very short timescale, within

two/four days in certain cases. We have also

recently addressed the concerns of the

shipowner in the case of ships being

completed in China, where only original

documents will be accepted. We can now

offer a system which ensures the documents

are available in China on the day the

registration is being completed in Gibraltar.

“Similarly, we issue provisional acceptance

of STCW certificates within the same working

day and we are refining our system such that

both the provisional and the full term

endorsements can be issued online.

The need for a VTS is clearly illustrated by this busy seen in the Western Anchorage.

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 11

“In themselves, these are not big changes

but we are continually looking at how we can

help the owner meet the challenges of a

difficult situation with no reduction in

standards. We are not specifically looking for

change of flags, although we have had some

10-15 this year to date. We have also rejected

several whose performance and Port State

Control records did not meet to our

expectations.

“These visits (to Germany) are not new for

the GMA but we are considering extending

these in to countries such as Holland, Norway

and possibly Sweden from where we have

recently had some enquiries.

“Being a member of the Red Ensign Group

(REG) has certain advantages, not just the

reputation of the flag, but also the provision to

call on colleagues in the UK and the other

REG registries for help and assistance to carry

out inspections and audits on Gibraltar-

registered ships around the world. Although

not used often this does mean that in some

case the costs to the owners can be reduced by

using a surveyor from another REG member

who is closer to the port where the ship is

berthed,” Cubbin said.

The other advantage Gibraltar enjoys is

being in the European Union; this allows ships

registered in Gibraltar to enjoy all the

advantages of the cabotage rules but also

requires compliance with all of the other

marine safety and environmental protection

legislation, including the Marine Equipment

Directive (MED).

“The MED has been a matter of some

concern,” said Cubbin, “in the case of ships

building in the Far East to a non-EU flag and

then trying to switch on delivery. We have

made a special point of reminding our owners,

recognised organisations and agents that

compliance with MED is something which

requires careful attention and, whilst we may

allow time for small items to be replaced, we

have to be very strict in the cases where large

items of equipment, like lifeboats or davits do

not comply.

“The bunkering operations in Gibraltar



Bunker calls are increasing leading to the ‘full up’ sign being posted over the WesternAnchorage.

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 12

continue to grow and there are continual

changes in the ships operating in this area.

This keeps the surveyors very much in touch

with this kind of operation. Furthermore, the

GMA is also looking at proposals to extend

the operational activities of Gibraltar-

registered bunkering barges in other ports,”

Cubbin concluded.

Gibraltar-based independent bunker trader

and ships’ agency concern Rock Maritime

Services (RMS) took delivery of a new larger

supply boat in September.

The 12 m long RMS 2 is capable of carrying

12 persons, is fitted with a 1 tonne capacity

deck crane and has a flat deck for carrying

supplies. She replaced a 6 m boat, which has

been sold.

In the past few years, a rapid increase has

been seen in the number of LNGC calls in and

around Gibraltar, especially in an area

designated off-port limits (OPL), which is one

of the reasons why a larger supply boat was

needed.

Despite the Port of Gibraltar introducing

dues for vessels calling within three miles of

the Rock in the Eastern Anchorage last May,

RMS operations manager Mark Mills said that

Gibraltar was still cheaper than other ports in

the area.

RMS has operations in Algeciras, Ceuta and

Tangier, which are linked up with the

Gibraltar head office. The company offers a

full agency service and being independent,

Mills claimed that a more personalised service

could be given to clients.

Crew changes are easily handled through

Gibraltar’s airport where a new terminal is

currently under construction as is a new road

linking the Spanish border with the town

centre, which will go underneath the main

runway by way of a tunnel.

Mills explained that non-EU passport

holders can pass through Gibraltar

immigration with RMS’ letter of guarantee

and can then be transported either directly to

the vessel, or to a hotel.

Should the airport be closed due to

inclement weather, which does happen from

time to time, crew can be transported from

Malaga, about a 90-minute bus ride. The one

problem here is that Spanish immigration will

insist on Indian crew members and others

having a European Shengen visa, which, if the

plane is diverted at the last minute, causes the

agents headaches and might result in the crew

being sent back to the UK, or their place of

origin.

UK lawOne of the many advantages of setting up

shop in Gibraltar is that maritime law is based

on that practised in the UK. That is one reason

why ship arrests are easily executed and

handled. In such cases, the crew and the

vessel are looked after until a new owner

takes over, following a Gibraltar Admiralty

Marshall auction.

Today, one of the main concerns for any

service company is credit control. Ships’

agents are in a unique position at the front end

in that they are sometimes asked to fund

bunker stems and other services, such as ‘cash

to master’, which when added up, could run

into thousands of dollars per ship call.

Mills said that RMS will offer credit terms

to established clients, however, for

newcomers, at least two calls must be funded

by the owner/operator/charterer up front. The

bulk of RMS’ business is concerned with

agency work and a good percentage of this is

acting as charterers’ agents.

For bunker supplies, RMS links up with

Aegean, Cepsa/Peninsula and Bunkers

Gibraltar, which has linked up with Bominflot,



Aegean has introduced a newbuilding double hull bunker tanker to the area.

Boluda managesCepsa’s bunkerbarges operatingin the Bay.

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 13



among others. In addition, Aegean recently

opened a bunker station at Tangier.

Ideal locationMills described Gibraltar as the third busiest

bunker port in the world as the Rock is in the

ideal location for East/West, as well as

North/South traffic, which passes within a few

miles of the anchorages.

All grades are offered and Gibraltar is one

of the last bunker stops before a vessel arrives

in the European ECA area, thus low sulphur

fuel is now readily available. Once the new

VTS is up and running, bunkering operations

will be possible on both sides of the Rock –

weather permitting.

In addition to the two anchorages, OPL

calls are also handled regularly whereby a

vessel transiting the straits needing supplies,

crew change, medical assistance etc deviates

from the traffic separation zones and is

serviced from an agent’s boat while steaming

off the Rock at slow speed.

Since its inception about 18 years ago, the

bulk of RMS’ business is concerned with

agency work and a good percentage of this is

acting as charterers’ agents for vessels calling

at the anchorages.

The company offers a full agency service,

including bunker supplies, either at the

anchorages or alongside. Gasoil is normally

supplied from one of two jetties in the port,

which can handle vessels of up to 100 m in

length. Fresh water is also available by barge

or alongside, while security can be arranged,

especially for vessels, which have recently

called at North African ports, such as

LNGCs.

Another string to RMS’ bow is being able

to offer underwater inspections by diver,

while Gibraltar is also one of the world’s

largest suppliers of lube oils, either in drums,

or in bulk under an agreement with Shell.

The Cammell Laird shiprepair yard is also

very active and RMS offers a dockyard

agency service.

Third partiesAgency services on the Rock and in Algeciras

are split on the usage of supply boats. Some

like Rock Maritime Services own their boat,

while others like Inchcape Shipping Services

(ISS) lease boats from third parties, as and

when they are needed.

From its local base in Gibraltar, ISS has

been offering agency services, either direct or

by using a network of sub-agents, to the

whole of the Iberian Peninsular, Morocco

(Agadir, Casablanca and Tangier) and the

Atlantic Islands, including Cape Verde,

Azores, plus the Balearic Islands, for a

number of years.

A full agency service is offered and similar

to other companies spoken to by

TA�KEROperator credit controls have been

tightened. At present, ISS has over 90% of its

costs pre-funded. Both operations and

financial control for the region is co-ordinated

through the ISS’ offices in Gibraltar and

Madrid, offering only one point of contact.

The largest client in Gibraltar in the tanker

sector in terms of port calls is Maersk/

Brostrom. AP Moller-Maersk has signed a

worldwide agency agreement with ISS.

Local operations manager Chris Linares and

finance manager Brian Gomila said that ISS

has had “…..a very good year, which

surpassed expectations.” They also said that

the forecast budget would be exceeded again

this year, for the second year running.

In Gibraltar, ISS has 12 staff having

increased the number of personnel on the

Rock and in Spain. Agency services in both

Gibraltar and Algeciras was now very “cut

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 14



throat” due to the increase in vessel calls at

both locations for bunkers, crew changes and

supplies.

ISS uses local Spanish agency Berge

Maritima in Algeciras as sub-agents.

They both agreed that Gibraltar was a good

place to arrest vessels as the agency work is

guaranteed as is crew wages until they are

repatriated, following a sale.

As for the future, it was “….more of the

same”. ISS was looking for a larger share of

the passing traffic, which could make use of

the Eastern Anchorage as the Western

Anchorage was virtually full. To expedite calls

at the anchorages, clearance is accomplished

by means of VHF.

One problem for the local agents are the

number of stowaways arriving in Gibraltar

and elsewhere in Spain. ISS represents several

of the leading P&I clubs and will deal with

the problem as and when necessary.

ISS can trace its history on the Rock back

to 1877. In 1992, the agency acquired another

old established player in the market – Lambert

Brothers.

According to ISS, Gibraltar offers owners,

managers and charterers competitive services

due to the high turnover. For example, the

average stay for a vessel in the Western

Anchorage bunker slots is around six to eight

hours. Several vessels often anchor or slow

steam off the Rock, waiting for a slot to

become vacant.

Costs, both for calls and services, are kept

to a minimum, due to Gibraltar’s unique status

of being tax free within the European Union.

ISS also said that the Gibraltar Government

continuously monitors the shipping market

and its players to ensure a competitive

environment for the benefit of vessels using

the many services on offer.

The company has been certificated to ISO

9001:2000 standard by Lloyd’s Register

Quality Assurance (LRQA), operates its own

global QA team and has issued an ISS Code

of Excellence.

Disbursement accounts (DAs) are

standardised throughout the company for

reduced admin costs and better efficiency. In

Gibraltar, ISS has implemented an improved

DA turnaround to reduce any backlog.

For example when calling for bunkers, an

electronic DA submission is issued within 48

hours of the operation and for husbandry, the

submission is made within 20 days. A single

point of contact is offered 24/7 to all vessels

and their principals calling under the agency.

EngineeringThere are several smaller engineering

concerns offering repair and maintenance

services in both Gibraltar and Algeciras.

One, Sandvik Marine Electronics, has

experienced significant growth during the past

two to three years as during a period of low

freights, owners and managers are more prone

to repair and maintain existing electronic

equipment on board ship, rather than order

new replacements, service manager John King

explained.

King said that Sandvik had experienced an

upturn in maintenance tasks, but this was a

less lucrative business when compared with a

replacement of a part, or complete electronic

section. He also revealed that Sandvik was

going through a period of expansion with

more branches opening in Spain.

He described the company’s operation as

twofold. One was to maintain and repair

bridge equipment on vessels already on

extended contracts (about 40 thus far) and the

other was to attract passing traffic, as a large

stock of spares is kept in both Gibraltar and

Algeciras, especially of older generation

bridge equipment for which spares could be

difficult to source.

Sandvik maintains and repairs many OEM’s

bridge equipment and the company has been

approved by most of the major class societies.

For example, radar, VDR, GMDSS, Satcom,

gyro and autopilot installations are carried out

and radio and VDR surveys are also offered.

A major advantage claimed for the area is

that an engineer/technician is able to embark

OPL Gibraltar or Algeciras to install, or

repair/maintain a piece of equipment,

disembarking at for example - off Malta, or

the eastern Mediterranean – a few days later.

The company employs six engineers in the

area, but King admitted that recruiting

technicians was becoming a problem.

Sandvik’s clients are 60% Scandinavian,

due to its Nordic background – it was founded

more than 25 years ago in Oslo landing in the

southern Spain area in 1994. Today, the

company represents Kongsberg on the Iberian

Peninsular.

In Gibraltar, the office trades under the

name of Sandvik Services Ltd, while in Spain

it is known as Sandvik Marine Electronics.

Following TA�KEROperator’s visit to

Gibraltar, King was travelling to Turkey as he

saw potential for new business in the recent

fleet expansion in that country and also with

the plethora of small shipyards, especially in

the Tuzla Bay area.

Rapid growth Since the early days of Barwil on the Rock,

consisting of just one agent working out of a

small office, its successor Wilhelmsen Ships

Service (WSS) has experienced rapid growth

in the region.

Gibraltar operations manager Nicholai Bado

claimed that during the last five to six years,

WSS had experienced significant growth per

annum, gaining a large share of the market.

One of the driving forces of this growth

pattern was the integration of Unitor and its

products a few years ago. WSS can now offer a

Most service providers hire boats, such as these seen at Algeciras, as and when necessary.

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 15



full service package on both sides of the Bay.

Bado explained that in Gibraltar, WSS was

handling six or seven vessels per day and so

had to come up with a strategy to almost

double the size of the agency. This included

the hiring of three co-ordinators and three

boarding agents to liaise with WSS’ clients.

Like other agencies, OPL transits form a

significant part of the business with

westbound traffic being met around two miles

east of the Rock and eastbound shipping about

6.5 miles south of the Rock.

The company also has an agreement with

local ship chandler for the lease of supply

boats as and when needed.

WSS has several global and part global

agreements in place with owners, operators

and charterers and has 260 customer account

managers worldwide.

As for the Unitor products, they are claimed

to have a considerable market share

worldwide and can be distributed from

Gibraltar, or Algeciras, or both. A dangerous

goods store for the chemicals has been erected

in Gibraltar’s port area, designed specifically

for Unitor’s gas products, mainly bottles.

As well as storing WSS products, the

warehouse is offered up to third parties for

storage with several companies currently

taking advantage of this service.

For logistics purposes, WSS has a 15 tonne

truck whereby deliveries can be co-ordinated

in the Algeciras warehouse and then trucked

to Gibraltar. An advantage is that the Gibraltar

warehouse is no more than 50-100 m from the

quayside, where the supply boats are moored

and a spares warehouse is also available

within the confines of Algeciras port.

Large ship-to-ship transfers are normally

carried out around 30 miles off Gibraltar by

SPT, as apart from supplying the bunker

storage vessels anchored in the bay, large STS

operations are banned.

Mooring masters and fenders can be taken

from Gibraltar to the site and Fenmar has a

store of Yokohama fenders within the port area,

which can be used for bunkering operations, or

STS transfers. This company also offers STS

transfer services, chandlery and from

September 2007, a ships agency service.

WSS’ presence in Algeciras forms the

company’s main hub for southern Spain. Four

boarding agents are available as similar to

Gibraltar, Algeciras is experiencing an

increase in bunker only calls, both within the

anchorage and OPL.

Also similar to the Gibraltar operation,

WSS hires supply boats as and when needed

from the two supply boat owners in Algeciras,

who operate around 10 boats of various sizes,

port operations manager for southern Spain,

Ana Martinez explained.

The Algeciras office offers products and

technical services, as well as logistics plus a

full agency service. A sales engineer is

available to give customer support as is a co-

ordinator for the delivery of products and

technical services.

WSS operates what it calls VOSS (vessel

operations support system), plus IFS

(information for customer service) worldwide,

which is used by all agency offices.

At Algeciras, two warehouses are available

– one in the port area for spares and the other

outside the port for liferafts, plus storage

space within the office complex. Spares,

supplies etc are trucked down from Rotterdam

on a weekly basis and are stored in the

warehouse until ready for use.

Giving a boost to the area, Alpetrol is

installing storage tanks, primarily for fuel oil,

adjacent to the new Hanjin container terminal

presently under construction at the Isla Verde

site. The storage capacity will be in the

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 16

region of 320,000 cu m and the contract for

the terminal’s construction was signed earlier

this year.

Elsewhere, Astilleros Cernaval has re-

opened a former newbuilding dock as a

shiprepair centre, close to La Linea. One large

400 x 50 m graving dock is supplemented by

a smaller floating dock. The larger dock will

be able to accommodate two vessels

simultaneously, once a dividing caisson has

been installed.

Due to the new massive Isla Verde harbour

construction outside the main APM container

terminal and ferry port, vessels’ anchoring

slots will be moved further seaward into the

bay, due to the need for a turning circle off

the berths.

Liferaft exchangeLiferafts have been in the news recently and

WSS recently launched a liferaft exchange

programme. During October, the company

announced that this service had been extended

to cover 743 ports in 74 countries and

continued to expand, hence the Algeciras

facility.

The concept involves swopping liferafts and

lifesaving equipment, which are due for a

service, with operational equipment.

According to WSS, this minimises the

chance of becoming caught out by unforeseen

service dates and costly weak links in the

supply chain.

At the time of TA�KEROperator’s visit to

Algeciras, WSS was undergoing the process

of gaining the necessary local permits to store

liferafts and their attendant pyrotechnics. All

capacities will be handled at the new

warehouse, ranging from a four person to a

24-person liferaft.

Marine electronicsAlgeciras-based marine electronics service

and repair organisation Aage Hempel handles

around 106 vessels per week in and around

the Iberian Peninsular, plus the Canary

Islands, Gibraltar and Morocco and has

around 11 offices at present with more

planned.

The company has come a long way since its

founding in 1992 and today its turnover runs

at about Eur11 mill.

Among the new service stations planned are

Lisbon and Malta as Aage Hempel has signed

a service agreement with Malta Drydocks. The

company told TA�KEROperator that it had

ambitious plans for growth and today

represents most of the navigation and

communications suppliers as an ‘authorised

service station’.

For example, it has service agreements in

place for VDRs/S-VDRs on behalf of the

OEMS under the mandatory IMO

requirements. The company also has approvals

for GMDSS and annual performance tests,

plus radio surveys from most of the major

class societies.

One of the major goals is to try to maintain

the current 80% success rate of first time

fixes. The company has around 60 people

spread around its out stations and in the

Algeciras headquarters, including about 32

technicians.

From Algeciras, Aage Hempel runs a co-

ordination/logistics department and also has a

warehouse, which houses around Eur1.5 mill

of new equipment and spares. Equipment

repairs can also be undertaken in the

warehouse and spare parts ordered in Europe

can be delivered in 24-48 hours.

The company has become increasingly

involved in international services and has seen

an increase in longer term service contracts.

Just over a year ago, Aage Hempel started a

sales department to represent OEMs, which

is currently running at around Eur1.5 mill

per annum.

Training also forms an important part of the

operation in which the company has made a

significant investment. More recently, the



Another two yearcharter wasagreed for thestorage tankerEuropa Venture

by BominflotGibraltar. Note thelarge fendersalong the side ofthe vessel.

BominflotGibraltar has alsochartered anothertanker to operatealongside theEuropa Supplier

1, pictured.

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 17



technicians have been trained for VDR, AIS

and SSAS installations. Technicians are

regularly sent on training courses and the

company also has its own training centre.

Bunker suppliersIn August, Aegean Marine Petroleum

�etwork took delivery of the Kerkyra, a

6,290 dwt double-hull bunkering tanker

newbuilding from Qingdao Hyundai Shipyard

in China.

The vessel is now deployed at Aegean’s

bunker station at Gibraltar.

E Nikolas Tavlarios, Aegean Marine

president, commented at the time of her

delivery, "Including the Kerkyra, Aegean has

taken delivery of seven double-hull bunkering

vessels to date in 2009. As we continue to

execute our well-capitalised growth plan, we

expect to enhance our ability to meet the

strong demand for modern tonnage and

strengthen Aegean's leading brand for the

global supply of marine fuel. We intend to

deploy the Kerkyra to Gibraltar in order to

further develop future sales volumes in this

broad and attractive region."

A few weeks later Aegean announced that it

has commenced operations in Tangiers,

Morocco.

In June, Bominflot Gibraltar chartered the

Ruth Theresa to join the Europa Supplier 1offering bunker supplies at Gibraltar.

Ruth Theresa was built in 2008 and has a

maximum cargo capacity of about 8,800

tonnes with a pumping rate of 500 cu m per

hour, while the Europa Supplier 1 has a

capacity of 6,200 tonnes with a pumping

capacity of 400 cu m per hour.

A new two year charter was also agreed for

the 78,000 dwt products storage tanker

Europa Venture and Bominflot Gibraltar

claimed to be well equipped to cover all

customer's and market's requirements. All

products such as LSFO, HSFO, MDO, MGO

are available. All other grades can be provided

due to existing blending facilities fitted on

board the vessels.

In and around the area, Bominflot has

physical bunker locations in Las Palmas,

Gibraltar, Ceuta and Genoa. Further locations,

particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean, will

be announced soon, the company said.

Leading Gibraltar supplier CEPSA Marine

Fuels (CMF) has reinforced its resources in

the Spanish port of Huelva.

CMF claims a leading position in the ports

of Algeciras, Ceuta and Gibraltar. This success

is due to the constant quality and reliability of

the products that come out directly from

Cepsa’s local refineries, the company said.

As part of a larger upgrading project for the

oil company’s Huelva refinery, CMF has

enlarged its storage capacity and has put in

place new supply facilities, with the aim of

widening its offering in and around the Straits

of Gibraltar.

Deliveries will be undertaken through

DECAL facilities, connected by pipeline with

the Huelva’s refinery. There will be new

bunkering points on two berths from where

bunkers will be supplied by pipeline as

necessary, with a dedicated berth for a barge.

There will also be a double hull barge, the

Spabunker 60, which will supply vessels at

the anchorage. It will have capacity for 2.400

tonnes of fuel oil and 680 tonnes of MGO,

with a pumping capacity of two 600 cu m per

hour for fuel oil and two 210 cu m per hour

pumps for MGO.

Smaller deliveries will be undertaken

by truck. TO

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p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 19

If we’re truthful no one particularly

likes change. We think we should,

because consultants and ‘modernists’

tell us to ‘embrace’ it. The reality is

that change is driven, in the main, by

necessity; an increase in competition,

organisational transformation, a financial

crisis like we have recently witnessed, or the

evolution of technology that redefines

operations and services. And ironically,

while scepticism is always the primary

emotion, acceptance, belief and conviction

always seem to follow.*

Within in the shipping industry, the past 12

months have all been about change. While

the financial crisis has expedited

consolidation, it has also significantly

increased competition and intensified the

pressure from customers to transport goods

faster and cheaper. In response, shipowners

and operators have been forced to scrutinise

every element of their organisational

infrastructure and methods of operation to

identify ways of improving services,

increasing efficiencies and reducing costs.

One area that has been embraced,

particularly by tanker operators, is the

methods of purchasing bunker fuel.

Accounting for over 50% of a vessel’s

overall operating costs, managing bunker

fuel procurement is a full time responsibility

and a key part of the overall profitability of

an organisation. It is interesting that in the

past year, many operators, as well as

implementing effective hedging and risk

management strategies to manage price

volatility have also looked at the actual

physical method of purchase as another

means of increasing efficiencies. This has

resulted in a significant increase in high seas

bunkering activity in 2009.

For many years, high seas bunkering has

been a service traditionally associated with

the global fishing fleets, where trawlers, in

an industry continually faced with dwindling

resources and increased legislation, need all

the time they can get to maximise their

catches. Coming into port is simply not

an option.

It is a trend, which is now starting to be

utilised by other facets within the industry.

OW Icebunker, part of the OW Bunker

group, has seen a significant increase in its

customer base over the past year, which now

includes tankers, container vessels, bulk

carriers and reefers.

The company is in the process of deploying

another vessel to the Pacific Ocean to meet

the increase in demand and to support the

barge Otilia, which is already in operation in

the region. Central to providing a quality high

seas bunkering service, the vessels are double-

hulled, with fast pumping rates of 600 cu m

per hour ensuring a quick supply of fuel oil,

and can provide all grades of quality IFO

products up to 380 cst, as well as MGO DMA.

The one common denominator for this

change is that all of the new customers have

been motivated by the significant efficiency

and cost savings that can be generated, as well

as the real developments that have been made

in high seas bunkering services over the past

few years.

For a start, deviating from a route can save

days in time that would otherwise be spent

INDUSTRY - BUNKERS


Increase in high seasbunkering seen

How a change in bunker

delivery is fuelling

performance improvement

and reducing costs.

OW Icebunker md Per Funch-Nielsen.

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 20

sailing to a port, and high seas bunkering is a

fast and efficient way to refuel for vessels

with time-sensitive cargo, virtually anywhere

in the world. There are then the additional

costs associated with entering a port,

including pilotage, port fees, agency costs, as

well as tug usage. Finally, high seas

bunkering provides a guarantee on product

availability, when and where the customers

want it. There is no waiting in port for the

right product to be made accessible.

The conviction of this move to high seas

bunkering has also created the opportunity to

dispel any concerns that some of the industry

may have had about the service. This is

specific to the physical and environmental

safety of the actual delivery of products

while at sea. The reality is that the methods

of delivery can vary depending on the

condition of the seas. If calm, the bunker

barge can deliver product side-by-side to the

tanker, or in rough waters it can be supplied

via a stern line; either way, safety is

guaranteed.

Clearly, the process of building confidence

within the industry needs to continue. It is

vital that suppliers guarantee the same care

and due diligence while at sea as they do in

port, not just in health, safety and

environmental terms, but also in relation to

product quality, where highly skilled crews, as

well as on board blending and testing facilities

are essential.

There is no doubt that the recent increase

in high seas bunkering services is fuelled by,

and set in the context of, the global financial

crisis. But evidence suggests that while this

may have been a catalyst for change, for

many operators it is change that will be

embraced on a permanent basis, particularly

once they have experienced the efficiency

and cost benefits.

Ultimately, it is about providing customers

with both choice and flexibility, where a

bunkering solution can be specifically tailored

to meet their operational needs, whatever they

may be. High seas bunkering is a good

example of this, as well as a highly efficient

way of providing operators with an additional

option of getting goods to where they need to

be, faster, and at a lower cost. And in today’s

market, that is a compelling proposition for

anyone.

*This article was written forTA�KEROperator by Per Funch-�ielsen, managing director OWIcebunker Ltd.


INDUSTRY - BUNKERS

TO

High seas bunkeringhas increaseddramatically thisyear.

In calm weather s-t-s bunker transfers can be undertaken side-by-side.

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:03 Page 21

INDUSTRY - BUNKERS


Cascading attempts to limit sulphur

emissions around the world mean

that ship operators already using

low sulphur fuel oil could now

face a greater machinery risk as they switch to

low sulphur marine gas oil to meet new

requirements in Europe and California.

Although more expensive, low sulphur heavy

fuel oil (LSFO) does, in some specific areas

and from some specific suppliers, offer

increased challenges compared to the quality of

normal heavy fuel oil (HFO). This can leave an

engine with problems that are exacerbated by

change-over to low viscosity marine gas oil

(MGO). Reduced maximum engine output,

reduced starting performance, reduced low load

performance and even, at worst, black-outs and

the consequent risk of oil spills and loss of life

at sea, may be the result.

“Prior to 1st January 2010, vessels calling to

European ports could choose their fuel strategies

but the requirement to use 0.1% sulphur fuel at

berth effectively means switches involving

marine gas oil,” said John Stirling, business

development manager of Det Norske Veritas

Petroleum Services (DNVPS). “Ensuring fuel

quality and understanding engine performance

will be paramount in preventing failures such as

those already seen in California and this will

require a more sophisticated understanding of

fuel properties for both operators and crew.”

DNVPS has acted as project manager for a

research project called Marine Use of Low

Low sulphur marinegas oil quality could

increase switching risksFuel quality problems associated with low sulphur heavy fuel oil, combined with the

current regional quality of low sulphur gas oil, pose a potential increased risk

to engines when a switch to marine gas oil is subsequently made*.

Bominfl ot is an internati-onal company operating around the globe, with more than 30 years of experience in the bunker market. Our business port-folio covers activities ranging from cargo trading to the supply of bunker fuels, lubricants and other ser-vices of crucial importance to the shipping industry: at competitive prices

Bominfl ot imposes strict standards on all its ope-rations, and accepts nothing less. We offer

round-the-clock service, whenever and wherever you need us. You can always count on Bominfl ot at your next port of call.

Choose a dynamic partner: www.bominfl ot.net

energy

at work

The Bominfl ot NetworkEurope / AfricaHamburgBremerhavenKielRostockScandinaviaLondonRotterdamMadridGibraltarCeutaLas PalmasMaltaAthensTallinnSt. PetersburgCape TownThe AmericasHoustonNew OrleansDelawareNorfolkNew YorkPanamaBuenos AiresRio de JaneiroEcuadorFar/Middle EastSingaporeHong KongShenzhenShanghaiTaipeiSeoulMumbaiFujairah

and servicesavailable in all other ports

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:04 Page 22

Sulphur Fuel Oils (MARULS) in collaboration

with the Research Council of Norway,

Marintek and 19 Norwegian shipowners. The

project’s aim was to develop technical

guidelines and new, simple indicators for the

ignition and combustion quality of bunker fuel

to aid in the process of making the complex

task of bunker purchasing more transparent.

Due to modern refinery processes and the

blending techniques used to produce a product

that meets regulatory sulphur levels, DNVPS

and its customers saw that the quality of some

LSFO had poorer ignition and combustion

properties than ‘normal’ fuel.

The heavier molecules in LSFO require

more energy for ignition and can delay

ignition and prolong combustion. “An engine

needs combustion energy at exactly the right

time, when the piston is in the right place. If it

doesn’t get that, then the energy is not utilised

to the maximum potential, and worse, we run

the risk of engine component breakdown,”

Stirling explained.

Fouling problemsPoor combustion leads to increased fouling

and, in extreme cases, moving parts such as

exhaust valves are inhibited. Excessive

fouling of the exhaust gas receiver, combined

with late ignition, or prolonged combustion,

has even led to exhaust gas fires.

The concentration of abrasive aluminium

and silicon particles (catfines) can also be

greater in LSFO. Catfines can lead to damage

to all moving parts of the engine that come in

contact with the fuel, such as high pressure

fuel pumps, fuel valves, piston rings/grooves

and cylinder liners.

“Of course, the effect of both poorer

ignition and combustion and high catfine

levels can be reduced if the vessel is aware of

the potential problem before use, and

procedures can be put in place to minimise

their effect,” said Stirling.

So how does this all tie in with EU and

Californian regulations, including ultra low

sulphur gas oil?

Engines in a worse condition than they

would otherwise be if only ‘normal’ HFO is

used can therefore be more vulnerable to

switching to low viscosity MGO, as the

quality of low sulphur gas oil is very different

from that of ‘thick’ fuel oil.

For example, as a result of the (possibly

too) low viscosity, internal leakages between

the pump cylinder and plunger can occur.

With reduced fuel supply to the engine, non-

optimal atomisation and reduced starting

performance can be experienced.

The fuel is also acting as a lubricant

between the metal surfaces of the pump. If the

viscosity is too low, then there is the risk of

metal to metal contact and the vessel risks

either stopping or not being able to start (or

retstart) when switching.

Low viscosity is especially challenging for

larger boilers as it may cause a change in the

fuel/air ratio due to pressure changes and

increase the risk of smoke emissions.

Additionally, especially for rotary cup burners,

unless suitable heat shields are fitted, there is

increased risk of coke deposits.

Boiler problemsFor larger boilers that are used for propulsion

and steam generation for cargo pumps on

LNGCs (to atomise fuel), there can be

relighting challenges after flame failure when

using gas oil. However, according to boiler

manufacturers, all the potential low sulphur

gas oil problems can be avoided if upgrades

are made to existing burners. They have also

reminded users that boiler pumps may not be

suitable for viscosities below a certain

minimum level and that a separate pump may

be needed for low viscosity MGO operation.

Looking at DNVPS statistics, MGO

viscosity has decreased in many ports in the

lead up to the EU and Californian regulations.

“As you reduce the viscosity, you generally

also reduce density. This can be both a

commercial and a statutory problem as lower

density, if not referenced properly on the

delivery note, can lead to less fuel received.

“More importantly, it can be a safety issue.

DNVPS statistics show you often also reduce

the flashpoint and if this falls below 60 deg C

then you are outside SOLAS regulations.

Your vessel loses its class and you have no

insurance,” said Stirling. “Upon receipt of

low flash point gas oil, you should contact

your classification society immediately for

instructions.”

Sulphur regulations are becoming

increasingly complex as more Emission

Control Areas (ECAs) are being discussed and

EU regulations enter into force. Even when

regulations are well established, local

variation in the application of rules can be

confounding and could lead to unnecessary

delays and detentions, said Stirling.

The European ports requirements, for

example, could see one country accepting

bunker delivery notes showing sulphur

content of 0.1% and allowing tested sulphur

up to 0.14% where other countries may

accept less statistical variation and insist on

0.1% maximum.

DNVPS constantly monitors fuel quality

around the world and helps bunker purchasers,

operators and crews to be up-to-date on local

regulations and any variations in bunker

quality. The organisation can pinpoint

emerging problems in specific ports and

specific supplier variations on a daily basis so

that its clients can avoid the worst problems,

or at least take appropriate action to guard

against risk. The Norwegian class society

subsidiary also provides support in training

and procedure development to cater for

different fuel qualities through adequate

housekeeping, fuel treatment and the

adjustment of engine operational parameters.

“Always, when using any fuel, we say that

the chief engineer should be vigilant and

regularly check engine state. If poor quality

fuel is received, we will then teach routines and

give advice on what we feel the chief engineer

should check for,” said Stirling. “Additionally,

we advise that all customers test all samples

and trend, historically, all fuel used.”

The purpose of the MARULS project was to

ensure that bunker purchasers can have

confidence in the quality of the fuel they buy so

that poor ignition and combustion properties

can be catered for through appropriate

procedures. “This will protect engine condition

and, ultimately, life and property at sea,” said

Stirling. “The better the engine condition, the

better the chance of avoiding switchover

problems and we continue to benchmark both

LSFO and MGO quality going forward in order

to inform our customers, the industry and the

IMO about the trends.”

*This article was written exclusively forTA�KEROperator by D�VPS.


INDUSTRY - BUNKERS

TO

From 1st January 2010, vessels berthed at European ports will have to use 0.1% sulphurfuel oil, effectively meaning a switch to gas oil.

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:04 Page 23

INDUSTRY - BUNKERS


‘Emissions from shipping due to

the combustion of marine

fuels with high sulphur

content contributes to air

pollution in the form of sulphur dioxide and

particulate matter, harming human health,

damaging the environment, public and private

property and cultural heritage as well as

contributing to acidification,’ according to EC

Directive 2005/33/EC.

During a recent European Maritime Safety

Agency (EMSA) meeting Intertanko and

OCIMF (Oil Companies International Marine

Forum) said they were worried about the

switch from heavy fuel oil (HFO) to ultra low

sulphur (ULS) content marine gas oil (MGO)

for oil tankers' auxiliary boilers.

The groups noted that while the use of ULS

MGO is possible, there was a need for a

safety evaluation to be made across the

industry so that safe solutions could be

provided.

Intertanko added that while it understands

upgrades will have to be made, the current

timeframe of 1st January, 2010 posed a

notable challenge. Upgrades require eight

months and many tankers were still awaiting

those upgrades.

Intertanko and OCIMF have asked for a

phase-in period to be delayed to 1st January,

2011 so that "enough numbers of tankers and

their on board installations could be safely

evaluated and eventually modified."

During the meeting concerns were also

raised over a lack of standards "to define and

check the required marine fuel with a

maximum 0.1% sulphur content," especially

with regard to viscosity and lubricity.

Despite Intertanko’s repeated warnings that

an EU requirement for ships at berth to burn

only 0.1% sulphur fuel is unworkable, it is

looking increasingly unlikely that Brussels

will u-turn on its deadline.

Peter Swift, Intertanko’s chairman, was

reported as saying that most ships would not

be able to carry three grades of marine fuel,

and that it was unlikely there would be

enough 0.1% sulphur bunker product to meet

projected demand anyway. In light of this,

Intertanko have been calling for the

introduction of the directive to be postponed.

There are already ominous implications for

EC Directive 2005/33/EC from California and

the so called ‘mini ECA’, where ships are

required to burn lower sulphur marine

distillate oil out to 24 nautical miles offshore.

Since its inception in California on 1st July,

2009 , there have been numerous reported

incidents in which ships’ main engines have

stopped or had to maintain higher rev/min in

order to keep the engines operating as they

enter the harbour. This has resulted in vessels

coming in at a higher speed that could

potentially compromise safety. There has also

been some discussion of suspending

enforcement of the California Air Resource's

fuel regulation.

A further significant concern for tanker

operators entering EU ports from 2010 will be

Maximising efficienciesfor January’s distillate

switchEC Directive 2005/33/EC will require the use of 0.1% Sulphur bunker fuel

in EU port waters from 1st January, 2010. There will be issues,

many of which can be resolved, says Infineum’s Jamie Pender*

Infineum has drawn on the experience gained in the automotive industry.

p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:04 Page 24


INDUSTRY - BUNKERS

managing the additional cost of running MGO

in the generators while at berth.

Under the EU’s Directive 2005/33/EC there

remains an exemption for vessels (such as

ferries) that spend up to two hours at berth

(secured alongside a berth or at a secure

anchorage while cargo handling, bunkering and

hotelling), as they would be able to continue to

use 1.5% sulphur fuel. However tanker

operators will not be privy to such reprieves.

Distillate fuel managementWith average vessel stays in port typically

ranging from 12 to 18 hours - requiring the

switch to 0.1% sulphur fuel - and further

exceeding the port stay due to the need for

changing over fuel grades before arrival and

after departure, operators will encounter

inevitable fuel management issues.

Apart from the uncertainty of fuel costs

there are other potential issues associated with

operating on low sulphur marine distillate

fuel; namely the build up of liner lacquer, bore

polish and associated increased lubricant oil

consumption in two- and four-stroke engines,

as well as a build-up of deposits on piston

rings, injector nozzles and valves. Another

issue that is becoming increasingly significant

for many engineers is that the desulphurisation

of fuel during the refining process removes

natural lubricity agents, which can result in

metal-on-metal contact in fuel pumps and

injectors which can lead to hardware sticking

and ultimately seizure.

At Infineum, a petroleum additives group of

companies, we have drawn upon our technical

expertise in automotive additives where we

have addressed fuel issues for many years in

order to develop marine additives that can

provide solutions to issues associated with

marine fuel handling, combustion and engine

cleanliness. Infineum F7451 marine distillate

fuel additive is recommended for combustion

chamber clean-up in distillate fuel burning

marine two - and four -stroke engines. In

addition, Lloyds Register FOBAS has

independently verified Infineum F7451 as

improving lubricity in desulphurised fuel.

Smoke emissions Feedback from ship trials has shown

improvements in combustion chamber fouling,

cylinder liner lacquer control, bore polish

control, lubricating oil consumption and black

smoke reduction when the fuel is treated with

Infineum F7451.

For ships burning residual fuel – Infineum

F7455 combustion improver may help reduce

soot and deposit build-up in the exhaust tract.

A reduction in smoke emissions has also been

observed – with obvious benefits for ship

operators concerned about visible black soot

emissions from the stack and subsequent

contamination of decks and cabins.

Environmental legislation has brought about

many challenges for the tanker market and

there will be more difficulties ahead.

Dealing with these challenges amid the

worst economic period for 70 years requires

ensuring that every detail of ship operation is

optimised. Switching to marine distillates

will create its own problems, and fuel

additives can contribute towards optimising

fuel combustion and marine engine

operations and improving maintenance

efficiencies in tanker fleets.

*Jamie Pender is marine businessdevelopment manager for Infineum’sEMEA region.

TO

MIRACLE Tank Cleaning Guide

provides tank cleaning guidance and detailed information for about 7000 Annex I and II cargoes.

MIRACLE contains physical/chemical properties, adjacent cargo coating and FOSFA-compatibility check, IBC requirements,emergency response info and compatible Draeger tubes.

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p2-26:p2-7.qxd 03/12/2009 17:04 Page 25


TECHNOLOGY - TANK CLEANING

The four main checklists that should

be considered are:-

1) The chemical and physical

properties of the cargo being

cleaned.

2) The chemical and physical properties of

the next nominated cargo; which will

directly impact on the type, duration and

intensity of the necessary cleaning.

3) The material with which the cargo tank is

lined; stainless steel, organic coating,

inorganic coating, other specialised

coating.

4) The experience of the crew carrying out

the cleaning operation.

But throw into the equation the massive

choice and variety of branded and non-

branded tank cleaning chemicals and the

degree of complexity moves to another level.

If one considers only the branded cleaning

chemicals, there are literally hundreds to

choose from, all apparently available for the

purpose of cleaning cargo tanks. As one might

expect with such a large number of products

available, there is a considerable price

differential between the various products and

their respective suppliers; with most suppliers

claiming that their products are better than

their competitors.

Cleaning chemicals are usually used when a

vessel is cleaning from a cargo that is oil

based and/or insoluble in water and with this

in mind, they are generally termed as

‘hydrocarbon removers’ or ‘degreasers’. They

are diluted in water and applied to the

contaminated cargo tanks either by means of

recirculation, direct injection into the vessel’s

tank cleaning system or by manual

application, depending on the extent and the

severity of the contamination.

The majority of cleaning chemicals contain

detergents, although perhaps a more accurate

name would be surface active agents, based

on the mechanism that makes them effective

as cleaning agents.

Basically, when we say a cargo tank is

contaminated with a previous cargo, it is

actually the cargo tank bulkheads that we are

talking about. So clearly what is needed is a

cleaning chemical that effectively cleans the

surfaces of the bulkheads, hence the need for

surface active cleaners.

It should also be considered that the internal

surface area of any cargo tank is relatively

small compared to the volume, which means

that only relatively low concentrations of

detergents should be required to effectively

clean any particular cargo tank. However, in

order to maintain recirculation inside a cargo

tank, or optimise the working pressure of a

tank cleaning system, significant volumes of

water need to be used on board vessels and

this can and does have a significant impact on

the amount of cleaning chemicals that are

required for any particular operation.

But now the actual mechanism that makes

detergents effective should be considered. It is

found that the surface active agents in the

cleaning chemical become concentrated at the

oil-water interface, thereby applying the

necessary cleaning action at the place where it

is most required, which in the case of a cargo

tank, is the internal surfaces of the bulkheads.

So even if large volumes of water are required

to ‘carry’ the cleaning chemicals, the amount

of detergent required to effectively clean the

cargo tanks is not directly related to this

volume, it is related to the surface area of the

cargo tanks.

No magic formulaUnfortunately, there is no magic formula that

can be used to indicate the most effective

concentration of cleaning chemical for a cargo

tank (based on its size), but it should be

accepted that the most effective detergents are

‘most effective’ at low concentrations and if a

cargo tank can be cleaned with 50 litres of

cleaning chemical, this will be largely the

same irrespective of the volume of water in

which the cleaning chemical is diluted.

It should be noted that this theory only

applies to surface active cleaners, but

Understanding what is required to clean between different grades of liquid cargo on a

tanker is challenging enough when one considers the various elements that usually have

to be taken into consideration before a tank cleaning operation.*

How efficient arecargo tank cleaning

chemicals?

What is needed is a cleaning chemical that effectively cleans the bulkhead surfaces –surface active cleaners, explained L&I Maritime.

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 1



essentially, using a cleaning chemical at a

dilution rate of 10% in water will not

necessarily make it 10 times more effective

than using the same cleaning chemical at a

dilution rate of 1%, and this is extremely

important to consider.

Having looked at the basic make-up of

cleaning chemicals, it should also be

considered that different cleaning chemicals

do contain other active ingredients designed to

make the materials more effective at cleaning

specific residues. Most commonly these

ingredients fall into three main categories:

1) Alkaline based. Primarily for the purpose

of saponification of vegetable oil based

residues.

2) Acid based. Primarily for removing more

stubborn residues that do not readily

dissolve in water, but become more

soluble in acids, for example hardness

salts and other surface contamination that

otherwise render the appearance of the

cargo tank as ‘dull’ or ‘not typical’.

3) Organic solvents for the purpose of

‘cutting’ heavy hydrocarbon residues.

Indeed, many cleaning chemicals that are sold

into the domestic market for various

applications are based on the same

formulations, but that is where the similarity

ends. The method of operation for domestic

cleaning chemicals is completely different to

the cleaning of chemical and product tankers

and this raises a question, relating to the

cleaning chemicals used on board tankers being

‘fit for purpose’ and whether or not any studies

have actually been carried out by the cleaning

chemical manufacturers to determine this.

Domestic cleaning chemicals tend to be

used on floors (horizontal surfaces) and walls

(vertical surfaces), both of which are readily

accessible and can therefore be manually

scrubbed or brushed. Other surfaces or areas

that need cleaning (including clothing) can

usually be soaked in a solution of the cleaning

chemical for any given period of time and it

has to be accepted that soaking is probably the

most effective way of cleaning any material or

surface because there is intimate and

prolonged contact with the cleaning material.

But of course on a tanker, it is just not feasible

to ‘soak’ the inside of a cargo tank with a

cleaning material.

Inefficient methodFurthermore, when one considers the way in

which a cargo tank is cleaned, it soon becomes

apparent that this method is actually quite

inefficient. The aqueous solution of the

cleaning material is sprayed over as many

points of the tank as possible, usually via the

rotating nozzle of a tank cleaning machine,

which really only allows the cleaning

material merely to run down the surface of the

bulkhead, with an extremely short contact time.

Prolonged cleaning will of course increase

the contact time of the cleaning material on

the bulkhead, and this is really the only viable

option for enhancing the efficiency of the

cleaning operation, but when a vessel has a

number of cargo tanks to clean

simultaneously, time is not always available.

Consider one more point, vessels that are

cleaning to a very high purity standard (for

example prior to loading chemical cargoes),

very often have to pass a methanol wall wash

inspection prior to loading. For coated cargo

tanks, the wall wash test is not just a measure

of how clean the surfaces of the tanks are, it is

also a measure of the amount of absorbed/

adsorbed residues that the wall wash solvent

(usually methanol) is able to chemically

extract from the outer layers of the coating.

Organic coatings readily absorb and retain

low carbon chain molecules, for example lower

alcohols, some aromatics, ketones, chlorinated

solvents etc. and it is known that these products

will stay inside the coating, until they are

actively removed, either by tank cleaning

methods or by extraction into a subsequent

cargo. The degree to which they can be

removed is largely influenced by their volatility.

Inorganic (zinc silicate) coatings absorb the

same types of cargoes, but because of the

open/porous nature of the coating surface,

these cargoes are generally not retained.

However, due to their inherent porosity and

their fairly rough surface profile, previous

cargo residues may become absorbed and/or

adsorbed into the coated surface and as a

result some cargo residues may be retained,

including non volatile and ‘oil-like’ cargoes.

These must be actively removed either by tank

cleaning or by extraction into another cargo,

otherwise they could pose a contamination

threat to subsequently loaded sensitive

chemical cargoes.

In other words, if a cleaning chemical

claims to be able to remove previous cargo

residues to a standard where a wall wash

inspection will be accepted, (in the case of

cleaning coated cargo tanks) this actually

means that the cleaning chemical must have

the ability to penetrate inside the coating and

remove traces of previous cargoes that may be

residing there.

This is an extremely bold claim to make,

particularly as the industry is rapidly moving

away from the use of solvents as cleaning

materials for coated cargo tanks (for safety

reasons), even though solvents are still proven

to be the most effective way of removing

absorbed/adsorbed residues from within cargo

tank coatings.

Clearly the challenge is to find surface

active cleaning materials that can clean coated

cargo tanks to a wall wash standard, before

the use of tank cleaning solvents is prohibited,

otherwise owner and charterers of chemical

and product tankers will be facing serious tank

cleaning headaches in the future.

All of this being said, whether the cleaning

chemicals are for cleaning stainless steel or

coated cargo tanks, for general use or for

achieving a high purity standard, they should

still be effective (particularly in view of the

significant volumes that are used on board

tankers today). As noted, there seems to have

been no evaluation of this type in the past,

with the efficiency of most cleaning chemicals

seemingly based on the ability of the chemical

to visually remove previous cargo residues

during the tank cleaning process.

However, as noted with more vessels now

being inspected to a chemically clean standard

(by means of a wall wash inspection), it is

really no longer acceptable for cargo tanks to

be merely visually clean prior to loading many

chemical cargoes and with this in mind, L&I

Maritime (UK) Ltd (LIM) was asked by a

major chemical tanker owner to investigate

this issue in more detail.

ProcedureOne of the reasons why monitoring the

efficiency of tank cleaning chemicals does not

appear to have been carried out in the past,

could be because there is no official or

immediately straightforward procedure to do

so. The procedure adopted for this project was

standardised as far as possible in order that the

results generated could be reproduced as long

as the test panels were treated in the same

way. But as noted, the procedure is not an

industry standard.

There are many different causes of cargo tank

contamination and as noted, many different

types of tank cleaning chemicals available to

remove the contamination. However, for the

purpose of this project, one particular

situation/scenario was chosen and that was

cleaning zinc silicate coated test panels after

exposure to Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB),

which is a known persistent hydrocarbon.

It is known that zinc silicate coatings actively

retain hydrocarbon based, non volatiles and it

also accepted that one of the most common

generic types of tank cleaning chemical is the

‘hydrocarbon remover’ so bearing these two

points in mind, it made sense to base the project

around this particular scenario.

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 2

cleaning rig that LIM has made specifically

for the purpose of replicating the tank

cleaning action on board chemical/product

tankers. The test panels were sprayed with the

cleaning chemical solution, in a similar

manner to the way the bulkheads of a cargo

tank would be sprayed.

In order to create a control (reference) for

the project, the zinc silicate coated panels

were initially treated in the same way as

above, apart from the fact that no cleaning

chemicals were added in part 3. It was

expected that the cleaning effect on the test

panels without using tank cleaning chemicals

would be minimal and when the panels were

wall washed the results would show the

highest residual hydrocarbon readings.

At the same time, when the panels were

cleaned with the individual tank cleaning

chemical solutions, the hydrocarbon readings

from the wall wash samples would be

expected to be significantly better. The most

efficient cleaning chemical solutions would

therefore be expected to show the lowest

hydrocarbon readings.

Cleaning chemicals from seven different



It was also considered that cleaning

persistent hydrocarbons from zinc silicate is

one of the most challenging operations facing

chemical/product tanker owners and operators

so it could be assumed that the tank cleaning

chemicals that performed the best under the

conditions of the project, would most likely be

some of the most effective in the market

place.

The efficiency of each tank cleaning

chemical was monitored by means of wall

washing the test panel with a fixed volume of

methanol. This methanol was then tested for

water miscibility (hydrocarbons) in

accordance with ASTM D1722, but rather

than just visually ‘passing’ 20 or ‘failing’ the

sample (as stated in the ASTM procedure)

the extent of the hydrocarbon failure was

quantified using the L&I WAVE II UV / Vis

Spectrometer.

The following test protocol was agreed:

1) Three zinc silicate coated test panels were

fully immersed in Linear Alkyl Benzene

(LAB) for 48 hours.

2) The panels were removed from the LAB,

flushed with cold freshwater for

approximately 1 minute (in order to

remove the free LAB from the surface of

the test panels) and then naturally

ventilated to dryness.

3) The panels were then washed by re-

circulation using the tank cleaning

chemical (at the concentration specified

by the manufacturers) for 2 hours at

60 deg C in fresh water.

4) The panels were again flushed with cold

freshwater to remove any residual

detergent and then naturally ventilated to

dryness.

5) Each panel was then wall washed with

methanol and tested for hydrocarbons

using the LIM spectrometer to quantify

the hydrocarbon content of the sample.

The reported result was an average of all

three results.

It was agreed to limit the cleaning water

temperature to 60 deg C, because this

temperature is considered to be the lowest

‘hot’ water temperature that can be readily

achieved and maintained by most

chemical/product tankers.

The cleaning was carried out using a tank

THE DIFFERENCE IS OBVIOUS. SO ARE WE. OPERATIONS WITH A DIFFERENCE.

EMIRATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Co. L.L.C.A MARPOL Reception Facility in the Port of Khorfakkan, U A E

P.O.Box 43729, Dubai, U.A.E. Tel : +9714 397 2277, Fax : +9714 397 9212

Email: [email protected] Website: www.ecouae.com

Tank Cleaning/De-mucking, De-slopping, Treatment & Disposal of Oily Sludge, Slop & other petroleum waste.

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 3

manufacturers were used, but as can be seen,

the names of the manufacturers and the

specific product names are not disclosed for

reasons of confidentiality and also because the

objective of the project was not to say that one

cleaning chemical manufacturer was better

than another, rather that different cleaning

chemicals do not behave the same way under

the same conditions.

Consideration should also be given to the

concentration of use of the respective cleaning

chemicals, as this will have a direct impact on

the total cost of tank cleaning, assuming it

was carried out on board a vessel.

ResultsThe following results were noted:

The results are extremely interesting and very

clearly show that not all cleaning chemicals

are as efficient as each other under the same

conditions.

The first and most noticeable observation is

that even the best cleaning materials still

result in a hydrocarbon failure, which

confirms the fact that cleaning zinc silicate

from persistent hydrocarbons is indeed very

challenging.

It is also interesting to note that five out of

the top eight performing cleaning chemicals are

used at a concentration of less than 1% and

four out of the top eight are actually used at a

concentration of 0.5% or less. This does not

particularly justify the fact that most effective

detergents are effective at low concentrations,

but it does suggest the same. With this in mind

it would be interesting to note whether the

products 1, 2 and 3 from Company E

performed equally as well at lower

concentrations, which would of course make

them far more cost effective to the vessel.

If one considers that re-circulating a cargo

tank with a solution of tank cleaning

chemicals will usually require a minimum

volume of 10 cu m of liquid to maintain

suction on the pump, it is clear that a product

used at an active concentration of 0.5% will

utilise 50 litres of pure cleaning chemical,

whereas a product used at an active

concentration of 3% will utilise 300 litres of

pure cleaning chemical.

If this figure is then multiplied by the

number of cargo tanks that need cleaning on

each vessel and the number of tank cleaning

operations carried out on that vessel in a year

and the number of vessels in any particular

fleet, it is easy to see how quickly the costs of

cleaning chemicals alone can run into tens or

even hundreds of thousands of dollars/euros

each year.

So clearly the correct choice of tank

cleaning chemical for the owners/operators of

tankers is extremely important and not one

that should be taken without a better

understanding of efficiency and the fact that

actually, not all cleaning chemicals are the

same, even though at first glance, they may

appear to be very similar.

To close, it is fair to say that while answering

a number of points, projects like this also tend

to raise many more questions and LIM would

be very interested to hear from any parties

interested in taking this project further. Of

particular note are the following points:

1) The use of the appropriate cleaning

chemical for the particular tank cleaning

procedure. This project specifically looked

at the efficiency of ‘hydrocarbon

removers’ on cleaning a hydrocarbon from

a zinc silicate matrix, but there are many

different cleaning chemicals that are

specifically sold for particular tank

cleaning jobs and identifying whether

these cleaning chemicals are actually

suitable for the job is perhaps of equal

importance to how efficient they are.

2) The subject of cleaning chemical

concentration was touched upon in the

main report, with specific reference to the

overall cost of any tank cleaning

operation. Clearly this is an important

factor that could very well be studied

further, particularly under the control of a

laboratory based project.

3) Washing water temperature is also a very

important factor that could have a

significant impact on the efficiency of any

tank cleaning chemical. Again, this factor

would benefit from a laboratory based

study under controlled conditions; as

opposed to “on-board” experimentation,

which from experience tend to be costly

and cannot really be expected to produce

the same level of certainty in the results as

compared to a laboratory based study.

*This article was written by GuyJohnson, director L&I Maritime (UK)[email protected] Tel: +44 1909 532 003.



Hot water only 645

Company A – Product 1 0.5% 179

Company B – Product 1 0.5% 230

Company E – Product 1 3% 268



Company C – Product 1 0.4% 320

Company E – Product 4 0.8% 322

Company D – Product 1 0.4% 325

Company C – Product 2 2% 335


Company E – Product 6 0.5% 363


Company B Product 2 3% 400

Company G – Product 1 0.5% 415



Company F – Product 1 0.4% 498

Company F – Product 2 3% 530


Company E – Product 11 3% Aborted due to excessive foaming

Company F – Product 3 3% Aborted due to excessive foaming

Cleaning Chemical Concentration Average Hydrocarbon of use Reading in FTU

(LIM spectrometer)

TO

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 4

tank depends on many different factors, but

for example for a cargo tank that can be

‘butterworthed’, it would take no more than

four times the Butterworth system, plus a

maximum of one hour for the CYTOCLEAN

contact time. This means that a mid-size cargo

tank should be cleaned and ready for loading

within four hours.

If ballast, heeling, double bottom, or bunker

tanks need cleaning, the time used depends on

the placement of the tanks on board and also

how many frames are involved, etc.

For example, a Ballast tank with a capacity

of about 300 cu m should not take more than

one day to be clean and gas free. All the times

are dependant upon the quality of fuel oil and

grade of contamination.

Thus far, Vrey said that the company had

cleaned ballast, heeling, double bottom and

bunker tanks. But he explained that there are

no tank types that are favourites for

CYTOCLEAN process, as it combats all types

of mineral oils and hydrocarbons.

He also stressed that CYTOCLEAN not

only saves time and money but also protects

the environment and is the only method of

cleaning vessels’ tanks during a voyage

without the need to use any heavy equipment,

which save costs.

Among Global Concept clients thus far are

several shiprepair yards and shipmanagement

concerns, plus bunker suppliers.


TO


This process cleans oily surfaces,

such as ship tanks, by being

sprayed in an undiluted condition

onto the oiled surface. Following a

short period, CYTOCLEAN coats the oil and

isolates it from the water on the surface of a

tank wall.

At the end of the process, the water and oil

can then be collected separately with the water

claimed to be clean enough to be re-circulated,

or re-used in the next cleaning cycle without

any further treatment being required.

The oil can also be reused with any

additional treatment. The oiled surface can be

cleaned following a single application, Global

Concept claimed. No residues remain after the

cleaning process.

CYTOCLEAN can be used for any type of

mineral oil and has been tested and approved

by the US Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) and the Norwegian institute SINTEF. It

was also nominated for this year’s Green Ship

Technology Award, due to “its impressive

results in the cleaning of oiled ship tanks

while on voyage” – and was awarded second

place.

It is a biological and non-toxic product,

which is claimed not to harm the environment.

It is biologically declinable with a 50% life-

span of only 96 hours. It also does not harm

the surface being cleaned.

Several shipowners have already tested the

process. Costs can be saved as the concept

cleans surfaces faster and more effectively

than other processes, as no chemicals are

used.

There are also no costs involved in

disposing of hazardous wastes, or in

transporting heavy equipment to the site to be

cleaned. Following the process, the treated

tanks are washed down with water under low

pressure. The ensuing oily/water mixture is

then pumped into empty containers (IBCs),

stowed on deck. After a short while, the clear

separation of oil and water inside the IBCs

can be seen, Global Concept said.

An independent laboratory specialising in

mineral oil has analysed the viscosity, density,

water content and sulphur content of a tank

both before and after the treatment. Global

Concept also produced a material safety data

sheet in accordance with EC Directive

91/155/EEC.

Specialist cleaning team Global Concept head Klaus Vrey explained

that the company had formed what it called a

CATCO team, which undertakes the cleaning

without the need for additional space on board

and without disturbing the daily working

regime on the vessel, while it is on voyage.

The team is available for consultancy,

support and action 24/7. Vrey said that the

team offers three levels of support -

� Environmentally friendly, biological and

non-toxic cleanup without producing

additional dangerous waste.

� Minimising costs by complete recycling.

� Customer orientated, open minded

consultancy and support, including an

effective cleanup task force at any location.

Vrey explained that the time taken to clean a

Innovative oilcleaning process

introducedGerman concern Global

Concept has developed

the CYTOCLEA� oil

cleaning process.

CYTOCLEAN can be used for any type of mineral oil.

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 5


TECHNOLOGY - EMISSIONS

The IMO has already agreed on

nine fundamental principles

involving technical and

operational instruments, plus

market based instruments. However, the

rationale behind the Danish proposal was the

relatively long life of a ship; the expected

growth in international shipping, despite

today’s downturn; contributions from all

sectors and offsetting the GHG emissions.

The key elements to the plan are roughly

split between GHG contributions and

revenues.

As for the contributions, these would take

the form of a collection from each tonne of

bunkers delivered. These would include all

ships in international trades and include all

marine fuels.

Bunker suppliers would have to be

registered and the collection of fees would be

based on the Bunker Delivery Note as

evidence of the amount of fuel delivered. This

would be policed by Port State Control. The

fee collection would be undertaken by

registered bunker suppliers and the sums

would be directly transferred to the

International GHG Fund.

What would the revenues be used for?

According to the Danish Maritime Authority

(DMA), they would be used for mitigation

and adaptation activities, R&D projects for the

benefit of mankind, technical co-operation

within the IMO and administration expenses

needed to operate the fund.

To put this in place, a global, binding,

separate legal entity in the form of a new

convention would have to agreed.

Speaking in Copenhagen recently, Gitte

Mondrup, special adviser to the DMA,

claimed that the virtues of the scheme include

the meeting of all the nine fundamental IMO

principles.

She claimed that this plan would contribute

to the reduction of global GHG emissions and

would apply to all vessels regardless of flag,

while still allowing the industry to grow.

Technical innovation and R&D could be

supported from the fund, which would be easy

to administer.

Revenues could also be used to help

developing countries. Mondrup said that the

fund would embrace common but

differentiated responsibilities within the flag

states and respect the stance of no more

favourable treatment for the shipping industry.

It would rely on well-established conceptual

approaches within the IMO and she also

claimed that it could be developed quickly and

efficiently.

The plan was submitted to the IMO MEPC

meeting held last July and will be discussed at

the March 2010 MEPC meeting, Bondrup said.

The Danish Shipowners’ Association is

actively encouraging its members to reduce

emissions by 20% by 2020. A special

partnership has been put together with the

Danish Environment Department.

Most Danish owners spoken with by

TA�KEROperator recently are supportive of

this scheme. Most, if not all, are embarking on

their own environmental schemes, as well as

embracing industry schemes, such as the

‘Virtual Arrival’ initiative (see page 32).

Cap & Trade systemOn 23rd September, the shipping associations

of Australia, Belgium, Norway, Sweden and

the UK published a discussion paper in which

they opted for emissions trading when dealing

with CO2.

Entitled ‘A global cap-and-trade system to

reduce carbon emissions from international

shipping’, the authors claimed that the paper

demonstrates how a global and open

emissions trading scheme could work in

practice.

Katharine Palmer, BP Shipping’s

environmental manager and chair of the

executive committee at Shipping Emissions

Abatement and Trading (SEAat), led the UK’s

Chamber of Shipping working group on the

development of this paper.

“It is important that legislators and

Cap & Trade or aBunker Levy?

In advance of U�FCCC’s COP 15 meeting in Copenhagen this month,

earlier this year the Danish shipping industry came up with a plan for

an International Fund for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships*.

“Shipping is, by a considerable margin, the most efficient way to

transport goods, but it still produces about 3% of the CO2 emitted as

a result of human activity. Clearly such a major industry, transporting

over 80% of world trade, has a responsibility to reduce carbon outputs.

We believe some form of emissions trading system is the way to do it.”

- Jesper Kjaedegaard, president, UK Chamber of Shipping

“

”

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 6



regulators find a practical way of including

shipping in the international work to reduce

global warming,” said UK Chamber of

Shipping president Jesper Kjaedegaard at its

launch last September.

“Shipping is, by a considerable margin,

the most efficient way to transport goods, but

it still produces about 3% of the CO2 emitted

as a result of human activity. Clearly such a

major industry, transporting over 80% of

world trade, has a responsibility to reduce

carbon outputs. We believe some form of

emissions trading system is the way to do it.”

“It is important,” Kjaedegaard continued,

“that any solution is global and developed

through the IMO. It is also vital that any

emissions trading regime is implemented

without driving goods to other modes of

transport, which would increase overall

emissions and damage commercial shipping.”

Although improvements will continue to be

gained through ship design and operational

efficiency – and any new system must take

account of these – ‘cap-and-trade’ is the only

way to guarantee overall CO2 emissions

reduction, the UK CoS said.

Using the power of market forces, such a

system would put the incentives in the right

place to drive standards and behaviours. For

example, it would force operators to pay more

attention to efficient voyage-planning and

management of their fleets, and investment in

modern tonnage, as lower emissions would be

financially rewarded. It would also promote

change by supporting innovation and

technological development.

Meanwhile, in late October, the EU

Environment Committee said it considered

that global reduction GHG emissions from

shipping should be agreed at 20% below the

2005 levels by 2020 and be implemented

globally in a manor that ensures a level

playing field.

The EU also said that it supports the use of

market-based instruments to reduce emissions

and that such instruments should be developed

by the IMO in the case of shipping.

Twelve month’s graceA couple of months ago, Brussels gave the

IMO a year to draft a measure to cut carbon

emissions.

Barbara Helfferich, EU environment

spokeswoman reportedly said recently: “The

EU wants to make maritime reduction part of

December’s Copenhagen Agreement on the

environment. So far, there has been no

commitment by the sector to climate change,

and it has done nothing about fighting it.”

Greece, Cyprus and Malta persuaded the

27-member bloc at the recent EU Council of

Environment ministers meeting to channel all

work on emissions through the IMO.

Carbon emission reduction should be

“implemented globally” to ensure a “global

playing field”, they said.

As mentioned, the EU council's final accord

said ships must cut carbon emissions by at

least 20% by 2020. The agreement, which also

covers aviation, said the EU supported the use

of “global market-based instruments to reduce

emissions from these sectors”.

The IMO aims to draft an accord at

December’s meeting in Copenhagen to

succeed the Kyoto Protocol, which expires

in 2012.

*This article was written before theresults of the COP 15 meeting wereknown.

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p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 7



Virtual Arrival -saving fuel and

emissionsAccording to Intertanko, current emissions-reduction measures mostly focus on

ship operators, however, the pan-industry ‘Virtual Arrival’ initiative also brings

charterers and port authorities into the picture.

Fellow Danish tanker owner NORDEN is

also working with the software and has

calculated that there is a significant potential

for a reduction in fuel consumption.

The company has calculated that a vessel

arriving at a discharge port in 8.1 days at

normal speed would save 26% in fuel if she

arrived for discharge in 10.2 days by slow

steaming and not had to wait for a berth. At

8.1 days, the bunker consumption was

calculated at 247 tonnes per day, as against

183 tonnes per day consumed at the 10.2 days

sailing period.

To give some idea of the extent of the

problem, TORM has worked out the average

resource streams for an MR type tanker per

year. The company took the case of a vessel

with a cargo capacity of 47,200 tonnes and a

complement of 22 persons steaming 64,800

miles amounting to 2.8 bill tonne/miles at an

average sea speed of 13.7 knots.

The amount of fossil fuels burnt in a 12-

month period was 6,712 tonnes of hfo; 904

tonnes of lsfo (low sulphur fuel oil); 232

tonnes of MDO/MGO. The consumption split

was 75% for propulsion, 12% for electricity

production, 11% for cargo heating and 2% for

inerting the tanks.

TORM calculated that the emissions created

during the period were 24,800 tonnes of CO2,

440 tonnes of SOx and 587 tonnes of NOx.

The amount of garbage collected was 2 mill

cu m of plastics and 8 mill cu m of other

garbage incinerated on board; other garbage

sent ashore equaled 41 mill cu m plus special

garbage of 300 kg. Garbage disposed at sea

totaled 22 mill cu m.

Special garbage was described as batteries,

sensors, light tubes, metals, ink cartridges,

etc, while the other garbage sent ashore

included mainly plastics, packaging,

containers, cloths etc.

Applicable to all classes of ships

on voyage charters, ‘Virtual

Arrival’ calls for ship operators

and charterers to agree on a

specific speed reduction against the

contracted speed as agreed in the charterparty

if the ship is due to arrive sooner than

required due to port congestion, or

unavailable resources, or facilities.

By slowing at a given point of the voyage,

fuel would be saved and air emissions

reduced, Intertanko’s Singapore-based Tim

Wilkins explained to delegates at a Marine

Environmental Seminar organised by the

Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) last

October.

A crucial component of ‘Virtual Arrival’ is

an independent third party, which will

calculate the revised estimated time of arrival

(ETA) based on weather and currents to

provide an auditable post voyage record on

the basis of legal requirements.

The virtual arrival time is then tendered to the

voyage charterer and the port authority and the

value of fuel saved and potential CO2 credits

are shared between ship operator and charterer.

According to data provided by Weathernews

International, actual voyages undertaken by

the Bro Elizabeth, the British Mallard and the

British Progress, which executed 'real eco

routing' under the ‘Virtual Arrival’ formula,

saw bunker savings from 7% to as high as

21.5%, Wilkins said.

Weathernews ocean data assimilation was

responsible for accuracy, strategic voyage

planning and post voyage analysis.

Going forward, Wilkins said that a ‘Virtual

Arrival’ charterparty clause needed to be

worked out, with possible adaption to and co-

ordination with the EEDI and the SEEMP, or

TEEMP.

Parties involved also need to trust the third

party voyage calculations for ETAs and

‘Virtual Arrival’, which need to be binding,

Wilkins stressed. An area that needs to be

explored for it to work is the possibility that

charterers would have to indemnify operators

for possible bill of lading claims by reason of

any reduced speed required by charterers.

Aside from bunker savings and reduced

emissions, other benefits of ‘Virtual Arrival’

included lowering of collision and grounding

risks arising from less vessel queues and less

engine wear and tear, Wilkins claimed.

Thus far, the ‘Virtual Arrival’ concept has

been adopted or endorsed by BP Shipping,

Chevron, IMO, Intertanko, OSG, Vitol,

BIMCO, Euronav, Shell, TORM, NORDEN

among others.

Danish initiativesAs can be seen from the list above, several

Danish tanker owners and operators have or

will endorse the ‘Virtual Arrival’ concept.

For example, TORM is working on the

‘Virtual Arrival’ software and said that due to

the nature of the spot market, vessels

primarily focus on arriving at the load/

discharge port as soon as possible and often

find the berth is not ready to receive them.

The targets are emission reductions, safety

enhancement, fuel savings, carbon credits and

to avoid port congestion.

Some 75% of tanker emissions come from

propulsion, as speed is the most critical factor

affecting emissions – twice the speed equals

four times the emissions. The system is aimed

at setting a ‘Virtual Arrival’ ETA, based on

actual weather information and vessel data to

allow it to reduce speed and thus save fuel.

Any fuel saved will benefit the charterer,

while the vessel owner will still earn the

revenue from the charter hire as if steaming at

full speed.

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 8

November/December 2009 � TANKEROperator


As for the sewage accumulated, this amounted to 1,602 tonnes of

grey sewage and 282 tonnes of treated black sewage. In addition, the

vessel carried out five ballast water exchanges during the year.

The number of tank cleaning exercises in the 12-month period was

nine using 1,373 litres of IMO compliant detergents, 2,053 tonnes of

water discharged overboard and 746 tonnes of slops discharged ashore.

Emissions cut ashoreTORM is committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 20% per vessel by

2020, compared to 2008 figures. A further strategic move will see CO2

emissions cut by 25% per employee ashore during the same period. In

general, the Danish shipping industry has set a target of a 15% CO2

reduction by 2020.

Some of TORM’s initiatives to achieve this reduction in CO2

emissions include the installation of electronically driven main engines,

the optimising of the cleaning of both the hull and propeller, optimising

tank cleaning and cargo heating operations, improving the monitoring

of engine performance across the fleet and at a later date, the testing of

scrubber technology and the possible installation of alternative

propulsion technologies.

TORM has also listed what is calls its ‘value-chain’ initiatives,

including the installation of ‘Virtual Arrival’ software, participation in

the Danish ‘Green Ship of the Future’ scheme, the reporting of the

company’s climate strategy and CO2 accounts to the Carbon

Disclosure Project, participation in the UN Global Compact, a

member of the BP Environmental Group and the provision of data for

a customer carbon footprint.

As for the ‘value-chain’ initiatives, TORM has installed Wärtsilä full

electronic engines on eight LR2s and six Ice Class MRs. A further 11

newbuildings from Guangzhou (GSI) are to be fitted with MAN Diesel

electronic engines, which are expected to reduce daily fuel oil

consumption by 950 kg, or 2.3%.

Torsion meters will be fitted on board each vessel. These will

measure the force needed to operate the propellers and their installation

will make it easier to optimise the efficiency of the main engines,

TORM said. By the end of last year, the company had installed meters

on 16 vessels.

An online fuel testing system was due to be tested this year on one of

the vessels to assess whether the fuel consumption can be reduced

through the tighter control of combustion temperature. Furthermore, a

number of software tools were installed last year to select the optimal

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TORM has introduced several initiatives to reduce CO2.

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 9



voyage speed through the analysis of bunker

costs, charter demand and laytime. The

optimisation of route planning and vessel speed

to arrive at the most cost and environmentally

effective balance between tonnage supply and

demand is ongoing, TORM said.

The ‘Green Ship of the Future’ is a Danish

project involving equipment suppliers and

shipowners. It is being co-ordinated by the

Danish Centre for Maritime Technology

(DCMT). The target is to be able to

demonstrate technologies that can deliver

CO2, SOx and NOx reduction to the tune of

30%, 90% and 90% respectively.

TORM is participating in the project

covering the electronic main engines with

variable turbochargers.

NORDEN - a 50:50 partner in the Norient

Product Pool (NPP) along with Interorient -

has developed its own software system called

Master Operations & Environmental

Performance System (MOEPS), which is

about to be implemented across the whole

fleet. It includes a weather routing system.

Fleet enhancementsThe company manages drybulk carriers, as

well as tankers and to save fuel and therefore

to reduce emissions, several enhancements

have also been added across the fleet.

These include the fitting of slide valves;

CASPER software, which is a continuous

performance monitoring system; Alpha

lubrication system; ExxonMobil’s scrape

down analysis system, which is an early

warning system for the main engine; torque

measuring system; garbage monitoring and

reporting system; NORDEN’s FLAME engine

analysis system; non-oscillating p/v valves on

the tankers; hull cleaning every five years to

SA 2.5 level; propeller cleaning every six

months; frequent turbocharger, scavenge air

cooler, fuel and injection pumps control and

servicing; plus active research support.

For the future, the company is also looking

at variable geometry turbochargers and a CO2

measuring system. For last year, the company

claimed a 2.4% reduction in CO2 emissions

and a 3.34% reduction in 2009 year-to-date.

NORDEN is also introducing the Green

Steam trim system, which collects data

relating to wind, weather, waves, draught,

speed etc and then gives online

recommendations on optimum settings and

sailing conditions. This system could give

potential savings on fuel and CO2 of around

4.5% the company claimed. By using this

system, comparisons can be made with sister

vessels across the fleet.

The company has also introduced Norient

Re-imbursement System (NORS). This is an

environmental benefit sharing scheme, which

includes the ‘Virtual Arrival’ software.

Both companies said that they were

champions of the Danish bunker levy/tax

system for emissions control (see page 30).

NITC sets targetsAnother major international tanker operator has

also given detailed information on the steps it is

taking in response to the shipping industry’s

quest to lower vessel GHG emissions.

Iran’s NITC currently manages 42 crude

oil tankers totalling over 10 mill dwt; these

include 28 VLCCs, nine Suezmaxes and five

Aframaxes.

In addition, there is a large newbuilding

programme, with 22 crude oil tankers due for

delivery between 2010 and 2013, including

three Caspimax (Caspian Sea) tankers.

Speaking in Dubai at ME Ship Tech 2009

conference last month, Mohammad Souri,

chairman and managing director of NITC,

said that climate change was the greatest

challenge facing the world today. The IMO

has agreed to voluntary proposals aimed at

cutting vessels’ carbon emissions. How should

shipowners respond?

Given the industry’s global nature,

mandatory measures to reduce carbon

emissions must have almost universal

participation. Improvements in clean

technology were seen as an efficient means to

reduce CO2 intensity, he said.

Therefore, a step-wise plan of action was

needed. He advocated promoting broad

participation in voluntary measures. There was

a vast potential for improvements in

operational efficiency, fleet management, traffic

control, cargo handling and energy efficiency.

As to NITC’s stated potential targets to

reduce its energy consumption by 28%, these

were - voluntary speed reduction (10%);

reduced hull roughness (5%); reduced

propeller roughness and propeller vortex loss

recovery (3% each); speed optimisation (5%);

main engine fine tuning (2%).

The company also intends to apply silicon

antifouling to reduce hull resistance,

consequent to reduction of fuel consumption

(by 2.1%); modification of propeller edge and

installation of Cap Fin propellers (newly

designed by Wärtsilä), resulting in 6% saving

in fuel consumption; plus the installation of

Cap Saver Fin on newbuild VLCCs, reducing

fuel consumption by three tonnes per day.

In addition, there will be underwater and

hull inspection every four months and

cleaning if needed; optimising fuel by

maintaining the fuel and turbocharger system;

and installing a Marinox system on the new

vessels in order to tune the engine further by

looking at all aspects of the engine

combustion system and to deliver greater fuel

saving while remaining within the limits of

the NOx technical code.

Souri revealed that NITC had formed a

strategic partnership with Carbon Limits,

Oslo, a leading international climate change

consultancy and developer. Together they will

analyse approaches and methods by which the

Iranian and international shipping industry,

proactively, effectively and without market

distortion, could contribute to climate

mitigation efforts.

NITC will co-operate in development of the

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project

related to reduction of natural gas wastage,

such as reducing flaring, elimination of leaks

from infrastructure, and bringing gas to markets

for use to foster sustainable development. TO

NORDEN isintroducing the‘Virtual Arrival’concept.

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 10



IMO global sulphurregulations impact on

marine pumpsminimised

In a worst-case scenario, marine diesel

fuel with low sulphur content and

viscosity levels can damage components

in fuel pumps – causing propulsive

power failure or electrical blackout on a

vessel, according to leading German pump

manufacturer Allweiler.

Under the most recent revision of Annex VI

of Marpol 73/78, IMO has adopted stricter

limits to cap the sulphur content of all marine

fuels at 0.5% worldwide from 2020. This

revision lowers current sulphur limits of 1.5%

in Emission Control Areas (ECAs) – such as

the Baltic and North Sea – to 1% in 2010 and

0.1% in 2015. Additionally, EU Directives for

2010 require ships in inland waterways and at

berths to use marine fuel with 0.1% sulphur

content.

Achieving these goals demands technically

and economically sound options, taking into

consideration all ship subsystems.

Allweiler, a Colfax business unit, fully

supports IMO and other international

initiatives to curb shipping emissions, but

advises operators to check how new fuel

parameters will affect the operating conditions

of on board pumps. Lower sulphur marine

diesel fuels exhibit lower viscosity and

lubricity levels, thus affecting the performance

of a wide range of pump brands in the marine

market.

Yuriy Vladimirov, technical superintendent

of the Russian-based Novorossiysk Shipping

Company (Novoship), believes that emerging

emissions regulations will have a big impact

on the industry.

“The IMO, EU, US and Canadian

authorities are moving quickly to restrict NOx

(nitrogen oxides), SOx (sulphur oxides),

particulates and CO2 emissions in ECAs,” he

said. “We expect that maritime authorities in

other regions will do the same.”

Vladimirov explained that to reduce sulphur

emissions, shipowners must either install

exhaust scrubbers or use low-sulphur fuels,

which are more expensive and can cause

safety issues.

“Low sulphur fuels are lighter, so they tend

to leak more – creating a potential fire risk in

the engine room,” he said. “In addition, these

lighter fuels don’t lubricate as well, which

may result in long-term damage to engine,

boiler components and other equipment –

including pumps.”

Since many existing engine components are

not designed to operate with lighter fuels,

shipowners will have to install redundant

systems and separate fuel tanks for heavy,

diesel, and light fuels, which will allow them

to switch to different fuel types when

necessary. While there has been a lot of

industry focus on boilers recently, pumps –

which are especially critical to merchant ship

operation – remain an issue of concern.

“If pumps cannot reliably operate with

lighter fuels, shipowners face significant safety

and environmental risks,” said Vladimirov.

“Through intensive checking, upgrades and

replacements, Novoship has made all

adjustments to guarantee the life cycle and

functionality of pumps, regardless of the liquid

handled and the substances it contains.”

Novoship recognised market initiatives to

manage risks associated with harmful

emissions. For example, DNV has developed

a class notation to manage emissions issuesShipowners face stringent demands by the IMO for 0.5% sulphur content in oil fuels by 2010.

Stricter sulphur limits being imposed by the IMO and other worldwide national

authorities can significantly influence the operating conditions of marine fuel pumps.

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 11

and is working with the appropriate regulatory

authorities, shipowners and suppliers to

reduce emissions.

“Despite tough markets, we believe that

these rules will go into force, and Novoship,

despite the industry’s slow adaptation to the

changing regulatory environment and the

major upgrade costs involved, is ahead of the

game, able to operate globally with clean,

green ships within all global regulatory

deadlines,” said Vladimirov.

For the past decade, Allweiler has closely

followed new regulations governing the limits

for total sulphur in marine fuels. By

measuring the effects of low sulphur content

on pumps, it has developed new technology

and techniques to ensure high pump

performance to meet current and future

demands with innovative solutions.

Dr Michael Matros, Allweiler CEO and vice

president of Colfax Corporation, confirmed

that close customer relationships enable first-

class solutions: “A very important factor for

the success of our company is to reflect the

voice of the customer. We are focusing on

specific smart technologies to help the

customer lower life cycle costs and to meet

environmental standards.

“Our claim ‘All fluids-�o limits’implements not only our wide range of

products and our global service capacity, but

also our unfailing ambitions to assist the most

cost-effective usage of our high-quality

pumps. With our comprehensive selection of

screw, centrifugal, and progressing cavity

pumps, Allweiler is always able to offer an

optimised solution regardless of the

customer’s liquid or application,” he claimed.

Low sulphur damageSulphur-containing compounds in general are

regarded as providing anti-wear properties,

but the reduction of sulphur and other

components providing lubricity may cause

overheating and friction. This severely affects

all moving parts like bearings and spindles.

Further, while mechanical seals are

controlled leakage devices, a lower viscosity

level found in low-sulphur fuels may cause

additional seepage, thus increasing the fire

hazard risk in the engine room.

Lower viscosity levels found in new regulation sulphur fuels significantly affect theperformance of various pumps in today’s marine market. Allweiler pumps offer highperformance despite stringent global emission initiatives and lower viscosity levels, evenin higher pressure applications.



Novoship is ahead ofthe game, claimedVladimirov#.

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 12

Allweiler pumps operate efficiently at

viscosity levels as low as 1 sq mm/s, but

maintaining high pump performance when

using low-sulphur fuel oils may demand an

upgrade kit or a replacement pump featuring

specially treated spindle and housing

materials.

Allweiler SolutionsIn the majority of low-pressure applications,

Allweiler pumps can handle new fuels without

modifications, but there is a greater need to

check the operational condition of pumps in

fuel oil applications with higher pressure

requirements.

If uncertain, Allweiler can investigate the

current operating conditions of a pump and

recommend remedial action.

Check toolAllweiler’s new fuel oil pump check tool

assesses the affect of low sulphur fuels against

original pump specifications.

The tool, available on Allweiler’s Service

Portal (www.allweiler.com), is simple to use,

requiring information about the pump series,

size, pitch, current material combination,

operating mode, pressure, speed and the

lowest operational viscosity expected.

On entering the required parameters, users

receive an immediate pump assessment

report and recommended actions if pump

limits are exceeded. Additionally and

contingent upon detailed information,

Allweiler can assess pumps from other

suppliers on request.

Allweiler upgrade kits are occasionally

recommended by the check tool. These kits

reduce mechanical failures and total

ownership costs, while increasing equipment

performance and mean time between failures.

Further, they protect metallurgical, hard

facings and coatings to resist wear, erosion

and corrosion damages caused by low-sulphur

diesel fuel, thus prolonging the life of internal

parts and overall pump reliability.

ALLFUELALLFUEL, Allweiler’s new generation 3-

screw pump series for light and heavy fuel

oil, is fully compliant with current and

upcoming low-sulphur diesel fuel regulations.

The series meet regulations requiring

operation of ships in inland waterways and

ports to be powered only by fuels containing

less than 0.1% sulphur.

They feature heating elements for the

mechanical seal and filter chamber, to enable

the pump to start smoothly with heavy fuel oil

and a filter design for easy maintenance. By

modifying how liquid flows through the pump

filter, dirt particles are retained in the filter

and held in place by a magnetic filter base. A

vacuum meter continuously monitors the

cleanliness of the filter, which can be changed

without having to drain, dispose and refill

the oil.

ALLSEALDelivered with the new ALLSEAL leak

detection and collection system, Allweiler

screw pumps utilise an opto-electronic sensor

monitoring of the mechanical seal to indicate

when maintenance is needed and when

emergency shutdown should be activated to

prevent environmental and expensive pump

damages.

Many operators are now retrofitting existing

pumps with ALLSEAL equipment to closer

gauge the wear and leakage of the mechanical

seal. Featuring a bracket sensor and an

innovative leakage collecting solution,

ALLSEAL provides condition monitoring of

the pump and shaft seal, thus avoiding system

downtime and reducing the risk of

environmental and engine room damage.

ALLSEAL fully complies with SOLAS

directives for flammable and explosive

liquids. It is available for vertical installed 3-

screw pumps of ALLFUEL and ALLMARINE

SN series.

"Allweiler is the only manufacturer to offer

a complete approach to sealing," claimed

Dr Matros.

Concerning shaft seals, shipowners can

select Allweiler’s traditional mechanical

seal with or without the leak-detection

system ALLSEAL or the hermetically-

sealed MAGDRIVE pumps with magnetic

coupling.



Allweiler’s new generation pump series – ALLFUEL – is compliant with current andupcoming low sulphur diesel fuel regulations.

TO

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 13



Director Don Gregory explained

that as this particular sector was

becoming more mature with

shipowners looking to invest long

term in scrubbing technology, scrubbing

manufacturers needed some sort of protection

for their product and R&D.

Poor behaviour, such as creating

expectations that cannot be met, is one area to

be addressed by EGSA’s membership and

education is another, such as the exact

definitions of particulate matter.

“We would like to ensure owners are

properly informed enabling them to make an

informed decision,” Gregory said. “There is a

lack of industry understanding and one of our

remits is to educate the shipping industry.”

Scrubbers have been used in land-based

installations for many years and so there was a

considerable amount of experience available.

“Also the key criteria are to apply proper

competences and high standards of

commercial services,” he continued. An

illustration of a common problem in the

industry is the certification of the box, rather

than the meter, which should be operational

continuously.

Gregory explained that confidentiality of

client information and unsubstantiated claims,

both commercially and technologically, while

dispelling misconceptions about equipment for

removing SOx and particulate matter (PM) in

the shipping industry, are some of the

problems that the association and the code

will try to overcome.

EGSA has 11 members with another

pending with at least four different types of

scrubbing technology. The membership is

open to all those involved in the design, build

and commission scrubber systems. An

associate category will also be available for

other companies involved in the fringes of

scrubbing technology, such as gas sensor

manufacturers, water and waste water

monitoring suppliers.

Thus far there have been several scrubber

installations “numbered in the teens,” Gregory

said, including some on super yachts.

Discussions have been centred on ‘Black

Carbon’, which Gregory described as a big

problem. He said that all types of fuel oil

produce black carbon and the switch to

distillates would create even more.

The US already allows the use of scrubbers.

A workshop is planned for next year and the

concept was presented at IMO’s July MEPC

59 meeting and along with IMarEST at the

earlier sub-committee meeting on bulk liquids

and gases (BLG 13) held in March.

Norwegian answerFollowing scrubber tests on a Klaveness

managed asphalt carrier and land-based test

using a 1MW diesel engine at MAN Diesel’s

Holeby facility, manufacturer Clean Marine said

that it intended to enter the market next year.

The land-based tests were conducted

between 2006 and 2008, while the shipboard

tests were undertaken this year.

Since its inception in 2006, Clean Marine –

50:50 owned by Klavenss Invest and Clue –

has been developing exhaust gas cleaning

systems (EGCS) for the marine industry. Its

system was developed to fulfill all the relevant

requirements adopted by the IMO’s MEPC in

October last year.

Its scrubber design is based upon the AVC

principle and technology. Clean marine said

that although EGCS is associated with

seawater scrubbers for reduction of SOx and

PM (particulate matter), it sees EGCS as a

family of existing and future technologies

designed to reduce any harmful substances in

exhaust gas from any engines, irrespective of

fuel type.

With this wide definition, the company said

that it recognised that stricter requirements in

combination with new materials and

technologies will make it feasible to develop

sustainable cleaning processes that will surpass

the technological boundary seen today;

� A scrubbed and cleaned exhaust may be

exposed to ultrasonic light and TiO to split

NOx into N and O2.

� Adding NaOH (caustic soda) to a seawater

scrubber has given a 15% reduction of

CO2 where then CO2 is bound as

carbonates in seawater.

Today EGCS are widely used ashore to reduce

emissions – in land transport, factories and

power stations. These are in the form of

scrubbers, filters, catalysts, EGR, SCR etc.

Hence there exists considerable experience

within the field, Clean Marine said.

With respect to SOx and PM removal, the

EGCS is competing with fuel oil standards in

the marine industry.

Today the large marine engines are burning

the residual oil coming out at the bottom of

the refinery process. This residual oil contain

in average, 2.8% sulphur (28,000 ppm)

compared to the auto diesel ashore containing

0,005% sulphur (50 ppm).

As SOx, it will either contribute to, or form

harmful particles in itself when diluted and

cooled by air, thus there is a strong need to

reduce the SOx emitted by ships close to port.

Such cleaning can either be achieved

through exhaust cleaning – 99%,

desulphurisation, or by higher grade products

– diesel products.

Desulphurisation is a very energy intensive

and costly process and the realistic fuel oil

options are therefore;

Scrubbers are here to stay

The Exhaust Gas Scrubbers Association (EGSA) recently celebrated

its first anniversary by introducing a code of conduct.

EGSA’s Don Gregory.

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 14



� To coke or hydrocrack the residual oil and

thereby convert this to distillate.

� Or simply use more crude oil to produce

more distillates.

The latter imply that several hundred million

tonnes of additional crude oil will have to be

supplied each year. The former imply that the

residual oil must be exposed to high

temperature, pressure and large amount of

hydrogen, to be converted to lighter products.

Clean Marine claimed that compared to the

distillate option, installation of EGCS in the

form of scrubbers, represents a superior

alternative;

� Higher cleaning efficiency unless the

prescribed distillate has ultra low sulphur

content.

� Less costly alternative.

� Less CO2 footprint.

� Better use of scarce petroleum resources.

A ship or a marine installation has sufficient

manpower and infrastructure to operate and

maintain advanced EGCS. In that respect

there is little difference between such facilities

and factories, or power stations ashore.

DescriptionBeing a retrofit or a newbuilding installation,

the exhaust from all sources on board is drawn

through one cleaning unit by a fan installed

after the unit.

The fan is dimensioned to take the highest

relevant accumulated engine loads –

propulsion engines plus auxiliary engines,

plus boiler, as the case may be. Unless the

accumulated load is very low, the fan speed

will be kept constant and the exhaust will be

recirculated back to the cleaning unit.

The cleaning unit consists of an Advanced

Vortex Chamber (AVC) where seawater or

seawater mixed with caustic soda (NaOH) is

sprayed into a vortex created by the exhaust.

The vortex principle allows operation with

extremely small droplets, which together with

the forceful mixing of liquid and gas gives a

high SOx and PM uptake in the liquid.

The liquid is subsequently cleaned through

a flocculants system to a standard meeting the

IMO requirement with respect to turbidity

and PAH.

The sludge from the flocculants system is

filtered out, compressed and stored in drums

on board before taken ashore.

Design and installationThe system has been designed to be a modular

concept with the following qualities claimed:

� High cleaning efficiency.

� It shall be independent any engine or

boiler type, or make.

� Production efficiency achieved through

standardisation.

� Quick and simple installation.

� Low cost.

The illustration shows an installation on board

the Panamax tanker Baru with a highest

accumulated machinery load of 10MW.

The installation includes a gas module;

� A common exhaust collector fitted on top

of the funnel.

� The exhaust suction pipes from the

collector and down to the AVC, the fan

after the AVC and the exhaust and exhaust

return pipe after fan.

The liquid module includes;

� A 20 ft container holding booster pumps,

NaOH and flocculants injection equipment

and switchboard, liquid and gas

monitoring and automation.

The tank module includes;

� Storage tank for NaOH solution.

� Flocculants skimming and filter tanks.

The only interface with the ship is feed water,

high and low voltage electric power, GPS

signal and air.

The system as shown is designed for flow

through and two operational modes:

Mode 1 - Low liquid flow, 10-20 cu m per

hour per MW. Seawater or fresh water mixed

with NaOH.

Mode 2 - High liquid flow, 30-40 cu m per

hour per MW. Seawater only.

Full re-circulation and a bleed flow to sea,

or to a holding tank is also possible.

The power requirement is about 1-2% of the

machinery load covered.

The Holeby tests show that the system is

able to take out SOx up to 98% and PM up to

85% measured by dilution tunnel. The

repeatability of the measurements however,

has not been satisfactory and further

optimisation is required.

As a side effect - by adding caustic soda

(NaOH) in surplus, up to 15% CO2 reduction

was measured.

The take out of NOx was measured to

4-15%.

Tests startedFabrication of the full scale unit was

undertaken in 2008 and installed on board the

Panamax tanker Baru this year. The full scale

The Baru was retrofited with a Clean Marine scrubber in China.

p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 15



test started in June and will continue

throughout the year. Several modes of

operations will be tested:

� Seawater.

� Seawater + NaOH.

� Fresh water + NaOH.

� Seawater and fresh water + NaOH in a

closed loop system.

In general all parameters in the system will

be monitored and recorded, but particular

focus will be set at the PM trapping

mechanism and the cleaning liquid and

sludge composition and handling. An add-

on ‘back pack’ was successfully installed on

the Baru by Chengxi Shipyard in China.

The initial full scale test onboard Baru,

proved that the system is able to reduce the

SOx content by 98%. This was achieved while

the main and auxiliary engines were operated

on HFO with a 4.07% Sulphur content.

The table below indicates a shipowner's pay

back time in years for a 10,000 kW

installation as function of time in ECA

(SECA) and difference in fuel oil prices

between Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) with an

average sulphur content of 2.6 % and a Low

Sulpher Fuel (LSF), which may be a distillate,

with sulphur content as low as 0.1 %.

Assuming a 5,000 kW installation, the

payback time in the table should be increased

by about 25%. While assuming a 15,000 kW

installation the pay back time will decrease

with about 5%.

This non-proportional effect on pay back

time is explained by the scaling of investment

cost as function of kW installation.

The table is indicative, subject to

adjustment of investment and operation costs.

Krystallon acquiredHamworthy has completed the acquisition

of Krystallon.

Krystallon claimed to be the pioneer in gas

scrubber development as a commercially

viable alternative to costly low sulphur

content distillates, to comply with new IMO

MARPOL Annex VI regulations on emissions.

Over the past four years, Krystallon has

supplied two shipboard and two on-shore gas

scrubbing systems capable of cutting sulphur

emissions from plant burning residual fuel oil

with a sulphur content of 3.5%, by as much

as 98%.

Trials and operations of Krystallon’s plant

were material to IMO sanctioning gas

scrubbers as a permissible alternative to low

sulphur marine distillate fuel to meet its

emissions targets.

Hamworthy CEO Joe Oatley said: "The

emerging market for marine sulphur emissions

reduction is an exciting global opportunity

underpinned by international environmental

regulations. The acquisition of Krystallon is

consistent with our strategy of expanding the

group's technological base in long-term

growth markets."

Since renamed Hamworthy Krystallon, it

will form part of the Inert Gas Systems

division where Hamworthy has more than 40

years experience of sea water scrubbing, as

well as extensive project management and

manufacturing resources.

“While low sulphur content fuel had

attracted wide attention, gas scrubbing has

now proved itself as a workable, lower cost

alternative,” said Hamworthy Krystallon new

managing director Sigurd Jenssen. He added

that, as well as eliminating almost all sulphur

emissions, gas scrubbing cuts particulate

emissions by up to 80%.

“Hamworthy’s experience in seawater

scrubbing and its global manufacturing and

service network will be critical in ensuring

that this technical solution can now reach a

wider audience,” Jenssen added.

The technology can be applied to scrub the

exhaust from both two and four stroke

engines as well as boiler systems. The units

thus far delivered have worked in

combination with diesel engines in the 1– 8

MW power range, but Krystallon has

developed designs to work with engines of

up to 67 MW.

A Krystallon gas scrubber installation.

50 8.64 4.32 2.88 2.16

75 5.32 2.66 1.77 1.33

100 3.84 1.92 1.28 0.96

125 3.01 1.50 1.00 0.75

150 2.47 1.24 0.82 0.62

200 1.82 0.91 0.61 0.46

250 1.44 0.82 0.48 0.36

300 1.19 0.60 0.40 0.30

400 0.89 0.44 0.30 0.22

ECA time25 50 75 100

TO

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el s

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p27-42:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:08 Page 16

TECHNOLOGY - NAVAIDS


“This is the first phase of our

vision”, UKHO CEO

Mike Robinson explained.

“Maritime navigation is

undergoing a fundamental shift, from paper to

digital, from protective to proactive

navigation. It is moving beyond the basic

avoidance of risk towards the IMO’s vision of

e-navigation, which will deliver enhanced

services to the mariner. The UKHO is at the

forefront of bringing that vision to life.

Admiralty e-Navigator will provide seafarers

with not just navigational data, but

intelligence, which significantly improves

their ability to sail safely and efficiently.”

Talking of efficiency, he also thought that

on board and ashore operational efficiency

was now a key business objective in shipping

as was the drive to cut costs. Another problem

facing the industry was how to deal with the

shortage of skilled seafarers.

e-Navigator was described by Robinson as a

harmonised collection, integration, exchange,

presentation and analysis of maritime

information for both on board ship and ashore,

thus saving time and money.

One of its prime functions was to bring all

the data together electronically in order to

execute a passage plan. New products can be

accessed instantly and, if appropriate,

transferred to the front of bridge ECDIS for

the execution of the voyage.

As well as tide and weather data, one of the

first new digital products available in e-

Navigator is Admiralty Information Overlay

(AIO), the only global digital service that

includes worldwide Temporary and

Preliminary Notices to Mariners. Combined

with Admiralty Vector Chart Service (AVCS),

Electronic passage planinitiative introduced

The UKHO has launched the Admiralty e-�avigator service,

which is claimed to be the first in a series of enhancements to be launched

by the hydrographic office as aids to navigation.

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 1



AIO will give a navigator the power, utility

and safety, which electronic charts provide, as

well as the quality, reliability and integrity of

Admiralty assured data.

The UKHO claimed that the system is

aimed at setting a new standard in safe

navigation, voyage planning and fleet

management by providing accurate berth to

berth information through one single user

friendly application.

Previously, bridge personnel using

navigational products and services have had to

work with a multitude of different information

from different sources. The aim of Admiralty

e-Navigator is to bring together all the

Admiralty navigational offerings in one place

to make every stage of navigation and fleet

management smarter, simpler and safer.

At the heart of the system is a free

Admiralty product catalogue, free advanced

chart optimisation and selection, real time

product ordering and delivery tools, a free

electronic chart viewer and instant access to

Admiralty digital product updates. It is also

claimed to be able cut the complexities of

chart ordering.

It has also been designed to be a gateway to

a growing number of existing and new

applications, datasets, products and services

produced by both the UKHO and other

maritime information suppliers.

The system has been developed for both

ashore and on board use. The on board e-

Navigator planning station is a software

application for use on a PC at the back of

bridge. The e-Navigator fleet manager version

is a web application that can be accessed via a

company’s internet browser ashore.

Voyage preparationThe UKHO said that around 70% of good

navigation is preparation. Safe and efficient

passage planning can be undertaken across

both paper and digital products. The system

will also reduce the workload on board

through electronic route planning and by

providing immediate access to the latest

navigational intelligence from Admiralty.

Admiralty e-Navigator’s product catalogue,

chart selection and ordering tools enable the

user to purchase the navigational information

needed, when needed and for as long as it is

needed, the UKHO said.

The system has what is claimed to be a

simple product ordering facility to help the

user to have the right information at the right

time, in the right place. It also helps to reduce

the cost of navigation by helping to select the

most cost-efficient mix of charts needed to

sail worldwide safely and in compliance with

international and local regulations.

Admiralty e-Navigator provides immediate

access to any Admiralty digital charts and

publications anytime day or night worldwide

from a user’s preferred distributor.

It also enables the synchronisation of product

holdings with the latest Admiralty updates

direct with UKHO servers in Taunton, UK.

Routes can be planned electronically, thus

reducing the workload on board as the

system will calculate the charts needed for a

voyage, check against current chart holdings

and advise what additional charts and which

corrections are needed for safe and

compliant navigation. It can also be used

to request additional charts and updates

as necessary.

e-Navigator also brings together the

growing range of Admiralty and third party

digital products and services needed for

navigation and voyage planning in one place

to make the viewing, use, organisation,

maintaining and managing easier.

As for the shore-based use, new regulations,

environmental concerns, the demands for

vessel security, as well as the constantly

changing marine environment are all putting

increasing pressure on marine superintendents

and mariners.

Here, the system is claimed to be able to

make modern shore-based management easier

by bringing together all the maritime

information needed to manage the navigation

requirements of a whole fleet in one place.

It will save time by making the ordering of

the navigational products needed easier to

keep vessels compliant and reduce the cost of

navigation. For example, it will help select the

most cost effective mix of electronic and

paper charts each for each vessel to sail

anywhere in the world. A user will only

purchase charts when needed and for the

length of time needed.

The system will also enable a fleet manager

to improve standards and reduce PSC

inspections by giving a real time, accurate

view of the holdings and correction status of

all Admiralty products on board for every ship

managed.

Admiralty products can be ordered easily

from the preferred Admiralty distributor and

permits downloaded for Admiralty digital

charts and publications in real-time on board,

or ashore any time, day or night.

e-Navigation functions � Display advance notification of

navigationally significant changes through

Admiralty Information Overlay.

� View licensed ENCs, ARCS charts, tidal

information from TotalTide.

� View third party applications such as

Maris Weather Manager, Lloyds

Register Fairplay World Ports guide and

DNV Navigator.

� Update via ChartCo broadcast service, as

well as standard email and internet.

� Use in conjunction with third party paper

e-Navigator screenshot.

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 2

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 3


chart updating services to improve the

management of paper chart corrections

on board.

As for the system’s costs, highly compressed

data files are used to update Admiralty e-

Navigator to keep communication costs to a

minimum. However, costs of updating the

system will vary according to which updates

are needed and how urgently they are needed.

The cost of downloading data in port will

be negligible, the UKHO claimed.

Downloading the catalogue and working folio

updates every week via satellite at sea will

take under a minute at 9600 BAUD.

However, for downloading all data updates

(worldwide electronic chart and publication

corrections and catalogue files) a broadband

connection is recommended.

New applicationTo be offered as part of the system, Admiralty

Passage Planning is a new application, which

will only be available through Admiralty e-

Navigator. It will work in conjunction with

other e-Navigator functions to generate a

complete voyage plan, including ship loading

and trim details, squat calculation, port and pilot

information. It will be available from mid-2010.

Robinson said that a comprehensive support

and training package would also be available for

e-Navigator through CBT, which will also be

offered to all of the distributors next year. Also

to be launched early next year will be a 24/7

support service, which will be available in any

time zone, not just during UK working hours.

At the product launch, held in London and

at Marintec China, Hugh Phillips, head of

products at the UKHO, concluded: “The

UKHO has worked closely with mariners at

every stage of e-Navigator’s evolution, and

the result is a product which uniquely

combines the flexibility and real-time benefits

of digital technology with the breadth and

depth of information the mariner requires for

sailing today. I believe Admiralty e-Navigator

sets new standards for safe navigation and

efficient planning and fleet management.”


Another screenshot.

TO

New features added to standard gyrocompassRaytheon Anschütz hasintroduced new features to itsStandard 22 gyrocompass. Among the most important new features are

independent transmitting magnetic compass

and individual speed error correction

functions. With increased failure safety and

flexibility further value is added, the

company claimed.

Standard 22 will now be equipped with a

modified distribution unit, which is enhanced

by an independent transmitting magnetic

compass (TMC) path. Thus, a failure in the

distribution unit or even in the compass

system will not affect the processing of the

magnetic compass heading.

This enhancement ensures that the steering

repeater would be switched automatically to

magnetic heading in a situation of a loss in

the gyrocompass heading. With this function,

various flag state authorities do not require

an optical bypass for the magnetic compass

on board.

According to Raytheon Anschutz’s

gyrocompass product manager, Olav Denker,

the independent transmitting magnetic

compass function of Standard 22 will not only

increase standards of safety, but will also offer

economical benefits: “Thanks to the new

feature, no separate TMC unit will be required

and the yard does not have to install an optical

bypass for the magnetic compass. This saves

costs for the shipowner and installation time

for the yard,” he said.

In addition to manual and automatic speed

error correction modes, the new Standard 22

will also offer an individual speed error

correction mode. In double, or triple

gyrocompass systems it will be possible to

input speed and latitude information directly

into the Standard 22. This means that speed

and latitude from more than one speed

log/GPS receiver are used for speed error

correction at the same time. The benefit is

that in case of a speed or latitude error, the

speed error correction of only one Standard

22 is affected. Subsequent systems such as

dynamic positioning systems are able to

detect a heading error caused by incorrect

speed and position data. Therefore, the

addition of speed and position data processing

is a major contribution to increased failure

safety and detection.

Since the Standard 22 gyrocompass

was introduced to the market, Raytheon

Anschütz has sold more than 7,700

gyrocompasses of this type. Denker said:

“With the new released features we make

sure, that Standard 22 fits perfectly in

new applications and also fulfils future

requirements. The safety of the compass

and of subsequent systems is significantly

increased.”

Standard 22 is available in various

configurations, ranging from a double or

triple system with possible integration of

further heading sensors for retrofit purposes.

All Standard 22 gyrocompasses are equipped

with the patented data transmission

technology that completely replaces the use

of slip rings and offers increased operational

safety, the company claimed. �

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 4

�ACOS Platinumrange up and running

Under the terms of the contract, 10

units will be supplied for a series

of 45,000 dwt chemical tankers

under construction at SLS

Shipbuilding of South Korea for United Arab

Chemical Carriers (UACC) of Dubai.

The vessels are scheduled for delivery to

UACC, the recently-established subsidiary of

containership operator United Arab Shipping

Company (USAC), in 2011-12.

Hamburg-based SAM Electronics, an L-3

Communications company, introduced its

range of new-generation vessel control

systems combining navigation, automation

and control functions, NACOS Platinum, in

October, although it had its first public airing

at the Rotterdam show.

Jointly developed with Lyngsø Marine of

Denmark and L-3 Valmarine of Norway, the

series provides a full range of functionality for

vessels of all types and sizes while ensuring

unprecedented levels of usability and

scalability, the company claimed.

The entire range of the NACOS Platinum

series is based on identical components and a

common network. They support a complete

portfolio of Radarpilot, Ecdispilot, Trackpilot

and Conning functions in addition to those for

Alarm, Monitoring and Control, Propulsion

Control and Power Management as well as

other requirements.

SAM said that the combination of

networked architecture and use of modular

components ensured unrivalled levels of

system scalability. Based on a new platform

concept, solutions can extend from a small

alarm system or a stand-alone ECDIS to very

large, complex configurations for highly

advanced vessels.

Moreover, any system can be easily

expanded, upgraded or modified to provide

increased functionality. Versatility of the

series is illustrated by a new IP radar which,

by direct connection to a ship’s own IP

network, enables complete radar images to be

accessible from any workstation. Similarly,

ECDIS displays can be made available for

viewing in an engine control room, the

Captain’s office or any other ship area.

A key concept of the NACOS Platinum

series is that all products have been developed

observing User Centred Design principles.

Drawing on SAM Electronics’ 50-year

expertise and that of leading international

Human Factors institutes, a collaborative

design process has resulted in the

development of a Human Machine Interface

(HMI) which is intuitive, transparent and

completely consistent across the full range of

products. This results in systems, which are

ultra-efficient and easy to operate by

providing overviews and simplicity of

operation, enabling crews to concentrate on

managing ships safely without any undue

distraction, or stress, SAM said.

SAM claimed that the other main

advantages of the Platinum series with its

system-wide use of standardised hardware and

software components, include significantly

improved quality and reliability of

configurations. Similarly, maintenance

requirements are greatly simplified with a

much-reduced requirement for spare parts,

while continuity of operation is enhanced by

extensive self-monitoring facilities supported

by online diagnostics.

NACOS Platinum series offers enhanced

features in terms of usability, scalability and

network by means of one common hardware

and software platform.

SAM Electronics announced at last month’s Europort exhibition that it had received a

first order for its new �ACOS Platinum range of vessel control systems.


Benefits of NACOSplatinum series� One common software platform for

navigation and automation

applications.

� User centred design for easy and safe

operation across systems and

applications.

� Scalability and flexibility from stand-

alone to integrated systems - for all

types of vessels.

� LAN based network system.

� Easy to install and to maintain.

� Cost efficient solution focused on

increasing user value.

� Extremely user friendly =

less training.

� Common hardware platform =

reduced spare sparts.


NACOS Platinum’s control system.

The new range supports the whole navaid range, plus other requirements.

TO

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 5

At the end of June, Claus-Peter

Offen Tankschiffreederei (Offen

Tankers) took delivery of the

first of a series of eight 52,000

dwt MR chemical/product tankers built to

IMO III standard - CPO Korea.

As in the previous series of eight handysize

36,000 dwt IMO II/III type chemical/product

carriers, although based on a Hyundai Mipo

standard design, Offen Tankers included

several equipment upgrades. These were

primarily designed to speed up load/

discharge times.

For example, the cargo and ballast pumps

installed had higher capacities and two tank

cleaning machines per cargo tank were

installed. For faster discharge, the hydraulic

power pack’s capacity was increased.

The inert gas system capacity was also

increased and the cargo tanks were coated

with a heavy phenolic epoxy, which Offen

Tankers claimed offered better cargo

resistance thus allowing a wider variety to be

carried. A super stripping system was installed

for optimum discharge and to ensure that less

residues/slops were left in the cargo tanks

again for ease of cleaning.

The first series were built to Lloyd’s

Register’s Ice Class 1A and were fitted with

bow thrusters, but the later series dispensed

with ice class and with the bow thrusters.

Offen Tankers also opted for a fully

certificated dual ECDIS system ahead of the

IMO rules, thus eliminating the need for paper

charts and chose a fully integrated software

system for document control, planned

maintenance and purchasing. Offen Tanker’s

managing director Stephan Polomsky

maintained that he was keen to “do away”

with all the unnecessary paper work as far as

possible with all functions integrated into one

software system, which can be interrogated

both on board and ashore.

As for the crews’ accommodation, this was

also upgraded to a higher standard. For

example, for crew comfort, the vessels have

improved interiors, upgraded galleys plus a

gym and sauna fitted. As a further

enhancement to crew welfare, the

communications system included individual

crew email.

CPO Korea, the first of the larger series,

was named at Ulsan on 25th May and was

handed over to charterer ST Shipping and

Trading, Glencore’s shipping arm, on 30th

June. Three more sisters will join the fleet

next year and the final four in 2011.

TECHNOLOGY – SHIP DESCRIPTION


Enhanced HyundaiMipo tanker design

enters serviceHMD’s standard chemical/product tanker designs were ordered

with enhanced equipment for speed of turnaround.

The IMO III CPO

Korea seen leavingthe shipyard. Herequipment wasupgraded to improveload/dischargetimes.

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 6


TECHNOLOGY – SHIP DESCRIPTION

The preceding eight were built under a joint

project with Broström France and are

currently operating in Maersk Tanker’s

Handytankers Pool. Maersk finalised the

purchase of the Broström earlier this year.

The handysize orders, which kicked off

Offen Tanker’s involvement in this particular

sector, were the result of contract conversions

as they were originally ordered as 1,800-teu

containerships. By having roughly the same

dimensions meant that they could be built in

the same dock as the one originally planned

for the containerships without upsetting the

yard’s building schedule.

Both series are powered by a six cylinder

Hyundai-MAN type 6S50MC-C diesel engine

producing 9,480 kW at 127 rev/min

(maximum continuous rating), or 8,530 kW at

122.6 rev/min (normal continuous rating),

giving a service speed of about 15.2 knots at

the normal continuous rating. At this speed

and rating, the heavy fuel oil consumption is

around 34.6 tonnes per day.

As for the auxiliary machinery, the vessels

were fitted with three Hyundai Himsen diesel

generators rated at 730 kW each, plus a

Cummins emergency generator rated at 120

kW. The complete engine room control system

was supplied by Kongsberg.

Cargo is carried in 12 segregated tanks – six

on each side of the vessel. Both cargo and

water ballast pumps are of the submerged and

hydraulically driven Framo type.

Each cargo tank was fitted with one set of

pumps rated at 600 cu m per hour capacity

each and two cleaning machines. In addition,

each vessel is fitted with a further two sets of

300 cu m per hour capacity and another one of

75 cu m per hour. As for the water ballast

pumps, each vessel was fitted with two sets of

Framo pumps rated at 900 cu m per hour

capacity.

The cargo tanks were coated with a heavy

phenolic epoxy supplied by Sigma for the

36,000 dwt series and Jotun for the larger

series. This type of coating was chosen for its

resistance qualities enabling the vessels to lift

a wide variety of cargoes.

Tank cleaning is carried out with the aid

of ScanJet machines and the tanks have also

been fitted with a super stripping system for

optimum discharge by ensuring that less

residues and slops remain in the tank, which

also increases the efficiency of the cleaning

operation.

Increased inert gas functions were provided

by Aalborg Smit generators. The tank level

gauging equipment was supplied by Emerson

Process Management, while the fixed gas

detection system was supplied by Consilium

who were also responsible for the fire

detection system.

Aalborg supplied the auxiliary boiler and

exhaust gas economiser. The boiler’s capacity

is 18,000 kg per hour. The oily bilge separator

was supplied by Georim Engineering, the

sewage treatment plant by Jonghap Machinery

and the incinerator by Hyundai Atlas.

Furuno supplied the navigation and

communications equipment. Here, Offen

Tankers opted for a dual ECDIS system

ahead of the IMO convention, which will

allow the fitting of two ECDIS, to eliminate

the use of paper charts. The communications

suite includes the use of individual crew

email on board.

Polomsky said that he was a champion of

the paperless vessel and shoreside office,

illustrated by the fact that the company has

invested in Ulysses Systems’ Task Assistant

integrated management software for document

control, purchasing and planned maintenance,

as well as taking the dual ECDIS route.

Elsewhere, DongNam Marine Crane

(DMC) supplied the tankers’ hose handling

cranes, while Rolls Royce supplied the

steering gear and Pusnes was responsible for

the deck machinery.

Principal Particulars - CPO KoreaClass LR +100A1

Double Hull Oil and Chemical Tanker,

Ship Type 3, CSR, ESP, *IWS, LI,

+LMC, UMS with the descriptive note:

COW, ETA, Part High Tensile Steel,

ShipRight (SCM).

Gross tonnage 30,000

Deadweight, at maximum dft 51,950t

Length, oa 183m

Length, bp 174m

Breadth, moulded 32.2m

Depth, moulded 19.1m

Draught, design 11m

Draught, scantling 13.3m

CapacitiesCargo 55,000 cu m

Heavy fuel oil 1,400 cu m

Marine diesel oil 170 cu m

Fresh water 400 cu m

Ballast water 22,500 cu m

Complement 29 + 6

MachineryMain engine MAN 6S50MC-C

MCR 9,480 kW at 127 rev/min

NCR 8,530 kW at 122.6 rev/min

Service speed (NCR) abt 15.2 knots

Fuel consumption (HFO)

abt 35t per day

Cruising range (NM) abt 12,400

TO

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 7

One such course is an MSc in

Shipping Operations, which will

start around September next year.

It is primarily aimed at those

seeking a career progression when considering

coming ashore. Moving from ship to shore can

be problematic for some people. The aim of

this Master’s course is to help people move into

the realms of higher education.

The Course will be split into units as the

whole Master’s degree takes around 1,800

hours to complete, or four to five years. The

entry requirements will be aimed at full time

employees, either self or company sponsored.

Course deliveries will be flexible as

employers can provide the mentors needed.

For example, it could be delivered in short

phases with two weeks spent on site at

Warsash. The student will take the

responsibility for completing the course with

Warsash providing support.

Claire Pekcan, the course leader, explained:

“One of the aims of the course is to empower

individuals to change from within and

challenge their pre-conceptions by removing

subjects and professional boundaries and to

develop their strengths to be able to solve

complex problems”.

The course is based on research undertaken

over many years and is based on the use of

distance and the virtual learning environment.

The Academy claimed that it would be

competitively priced.

This year, Warsash, part of Southampton

Solent University, formed the School of

Management and Postgraduate Studies to

streamline its courses.

The idea was to group a linked set of

management courses together in one School.

These courses range from basic familiarisation

to advanced management level coaching and

where appropriate are approved in accordance

with international regulations.

The courses have been sectionalised under

five different titles –

� Resource management.

� Operations management.

� Petrochemical management.

� Postgraduate studies.

� Research and consultancy.

Resource management offers courses on

engine room resource management, steam

propulsion plant operations, crew resource

management, leadership and communications,

leadership coaching for senior officers and

advanced leadership for senior managers.

Operations management courses on offer

include security training, company security

officer, ship security officer, ISPS Code

familiarisation, training the trainer and a raft

of international safety management (ISM)

courses.

Petrochemical management offers courses

on LNG familiarisation, tanker familiarisation,

specialised tanker training programme

(liquefied gas, chemical and oil), liquid cargo

operations simulator (LICOS), inert gas and

crude oil washing, inert gas systems and crude

oil washing, plus the transport of packaged

dangerous goods by sea.

The Postgraduate studies include a

certificate in maritime education and training,

the PGCert (MET), and the MSc in Shipping

Operations mentioned earlier, which is under

development. The PGCert (MET) is starting

its third year and is being funded by the

International Maritime Training Trust.

Research and consultancy concentrates on

the human factor. However, other services are

offered including port development projects.

DPA coursesWarsash is also developing designated persons

ashore (DPA) courses, the first of which was

TECHNOLOGY - TRAINING SYSTEMS


For the past couple of years, Warsash Maritime Academy has been developing new

courses aimed at the management level, both ashore and afloat.

Warsash helpscombat management

shortage

Bridge team management is becoming more important to training institutes, such as Warsash.

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 8



scheduled to start on 2nd November. They are

being put together in collaboration with

Regs4ships and are based on IMO

MSC/MEPC circulars.

In 2007, the Paris MOU undertook a

concentrated campaign on the ISM Code

where several tanker detentions were down to

a failure to implement ISM on board ship.

Warsash’s Simon Holford explained that the

shipping industry was changing from a “trust

me culture to a show me culture.”

“The role of the DPA was not yet seen as a

mature process by the industry,” Holford said.

Improvements in Port State Control

administration has led to a change of direction

with a ‘ship risk profile’ being developed with

generic information and company

performance, plus historical data in the form

of detentions and deficiencies included.

The European Maritime Safety Agency

(EMSA) intends to take this information into

the public domain, enabling a company’s

performance to be analysed by anybody

showing interest.

The DPA course will take in best practice

and lasts for three days, or two, if

accreditation has already been given by a flag

state in a prior learning assignment. It is open

to DPAs and/or their deputies and will include

the question of how to maintain standards, if a

DPA is not present.

Warsash is working with the Liberian

registry and the UK’s MCA among others to

gain accreditation for the course.

The crew resource management course is

partly aimed at the STCW revisions, which

have a deadline of 2012 for compliance.

For on board resource management,

Warsash will look to tailor courses to take in

the whole vessel, not just the bridge and/or

engine room. Pilotage, shore operations and

other interests could also be included in the

management course. Those attending the

course can make use of the bridge and engine

room simulators, or both combined, as

necessary.

A suite of courses is also being developed

for the human interface starting with cadets,

then junior and senior officers and moving

onto shoreside management. They will be

tailored to the level required in experience and

seniority of the people attending.

Simon Holford and Katherine Devitt, of the

School have commenced a year long research

project to gain an idea of behavioural markers

across the industry. Interviews will be held

with the MCA, MAIB, Nautical Institute,

various shipowners, P&I clubs and others to

obtain an in-depth knowledge of the human

element.

Continuing to meet your training needsContinuing to meet your training needs

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Intertanko’s Howard Snaith is responsiblefor TOTS.

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 9

Warsash has embraced Intertanko’s

voluntary Tanker Officers Training Standard

(TOTS) scheme unveiled in April, 2008.

Earlier this year, Intertanko introduced

ETOTS, the electronic training version of

TOTS, which has gained Nautical Institute

and IMAREST approval.

ETOTS was launched in association but not

exclusively with Norwegian software house

Seagull.

TOTS introducedThe initiative was introduced for several

reasons, not least due to the increase in

accidents on board tankers and officer training

requirements connected to the continuous

improvements as laid down in TMSA2.

Howard Snaith, Intertanko’s director marine

and chemicals, speaking at the seminar

organised by Warsash, said that the human

factor, which is heavily allied to the shortage of

experienced officers, could explain the increase

in incidents added to the fact that there is more

transparency today than a few years ago.

He also said that the shipping industry did

not know why this was happening but that an

inter-industry working group was analysing

some 35 fires and explosions on small chemical

and product tankers over the past 25 years.

Snaith said that the working group had

come to the conclusion that procedures on

board were not being followed. “They weren’t

complying with what they were trained for –

the human element aspect,” he said.

The group looked at the aviation industry

and in particular at the CAA, which had

designed the human element out of the cockpit

thus the human interface had become more of

a monitoring operation. However, humans in

general are not good at this, so accidents

increased, the group found.

The birth of bridge resource management

led to TOTS including a crew resource

management element in the standard. The

objective was to ease compliance by

demonstrating that the officer had undertaken

competent training and to ease candidates

into the system before they would normally

be accepted.

The human factor element that the industry

is trying to introduce is a training system that

engenders the “….not only knows and

understands, but realises the consequences of

not doing it (the task),” Snaith said.

At the STCW revision discussions, the IMO

is trying to harmonise seafarer endorsements

for handling dangerous cargoes, as some flag

administrations have different interpretations

of the sea time required for the endorsements.

Raising the barBy and large the IMO introduces the

minimum acceptable standard requirements

but TOTS raises the bar to what oil companies

are looking for when vetting a possible

tanker’s crew for a charter, Snaith claimed.

ETOTS licenses are issued as an alternative

to the paper version and Seagull’s

involvement is on a non-exclusive basis,

Snaith explained. A company’s HR manager

can monitor progress. As for its

implementation, he said that all IACS

members were authorised to undertake two

sets of audits – on tanker companies’

compliance certificates and on audit centres.

Snaith said that thus far, both the maritime

colleges and companies were now being

audited and that around 40% of Intertanko

members have implemented, or are in the

process of implementing, the scheme, or

its equivalent.



MPRI’S LIQUID CARGO HANDLING SIMULATORTHE RISKS ARE SIMULATED. THE BENEFITS ARE REAL.

For details, contact Ray Gillett at [email protected] or call +44 7764 654667.

GOVERNMENT SERVICES > AM&M > SPECIALIZED PRODUCTS > C3ISR

This material is MPRI general capabilities information and does not contain any controlled technical data as defi ned within the International Traffi c in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

TO

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 10

7-11 June 2010Hellenikon Exhibition Centre, Athens, Greece

Posidonia 2010

Organisers: Posidonia Exhibitions SA, e-mail: [email protected]. +30 210 428 3608, Fax +30 210 428 3610

The International Shipping Exhibition

www.posidonia-events.com

Your opportunityThe biggest gathering in the shipping calendar

with the owners of the world's largest fleet.

Welcome to the home of shipping

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 11

DigitalShip

www.apmaritime.com/DigitalShip

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 12


TECHNOLOGY - FOULINGS

Alarge percent of anchored ships

are in warm Asian waters with

known high level of ‘fouling

pressure’ activity from the

standpoint of slime, and marine growth.

Performance losses, just due to light growth

an inactivation of the coating system or

inability to ‘foul release’ can result in an

Aframax losing six tonnes per day ($2,700 per

day).

The concern from a scientific and industry

standpoint is that the accumulation of fouling

will cause an inactivation of the anti-fouling

properties for biocide hull coatings. For foul

release coatings, the possibility of slime and

marine growth accumulation is exacerbated by

their non-biocide nature.

The local diving contractors in proximity to

these anchored vessels will no doubt have

some good business in the future when these

ships return to service (assuming Port States

allow underwater cleanings) but what are the

consequences of not cleaning hulls and

propellers in a timely manner, ie before

sailing again?

According to Daniel Kane, Propulsion

Dynamics vice president; “From the

standpoint of ship technical performance,

there are robust formulas to calculate the

ship’s added resistance while sailing, however,

no formulas to work with in order to

determine the increase in hull resistance of

idling ships.

“Factors such as age of ship, time since last

docking, type of coating, underwater surface

area, and duration at anchor will all result in

various degrees of fouling and resistance. Then

additional factors while underway (speed and

loading conditions) are factors that will make it

impossible to determine which ships need

husbandry and which ships will recover their

fuel efficiency prior to anchoring. In other

words, which ships with anti-foulants will have

deactivated antifoulant and which ships with

foul release will be unable to wash away the

fouling is yet to be seen.

“The astute shipowner will at minimum

polish the propeller and at the same time order

an in water hull inspection prior to departure,

other shipowners will simply sail and observe

the speed and fuel losses in order to schedule

husbandry (if needed) at the next port of call,

but the latter may mean wasted bunkers.

“Of the hundreds of ships in our

programme, we do have several dozen that are

at anchor until further notice. We look

forward to observing the changes in resistance

of these ships when they lift anchor and

eventually do sail. Our CASPER® service

will benefit customers by working closely

with them to assess fouling effect on fuel

efficiency and mitigate fuel losses in the most

timely and appropriate manner,” he concluded.

For ships in long layup periods, docking

may be needed, according to other experts.

Below is an example of the dramatic

increase in hull and propeller resistance for a

ship that was at anchor for only four weeks

off the coast of West Africa. The x-axis

represents the time in days (2,940 days since

delivery). The last set of performance data

was received on ‘Day 3,130.25’ the ship then

anchored until we received the next set of

performance data on ‘Day 3,155’.

The resistance of the ship increased 30%

which is normal for an older tanker to 52%,

which for this ship represented a 0.9 knot loss

in speed at 85% MCR. The resistance then

climbed steadily indicating that the anti-

foulant had been inactivated by the marine

growth. These cases are not common because

today’s hull coating systems are doing a

terrific job, but with thousands of ships at

anchor now, these cases will be more

common.

According to Daniel Kane: “Let’s look at

some numbers again, assuming the following

ship types are at anchor for only a few months

and then sail at design speed and draft. The

Aframax tanker at six tonnes per day ($2,700

per day) was just due to light growth an

inactivation of the coating system, or inability

to ‘foul release’. A conservative pay back

time for hull and propeller cleanings varies

from a few months for smaller ships and as

little as two weeks for larger ships!

These figures shed light on why hull and

propeller performance monitoring are key

areas of the Ship Energy Efficiency

Management Plan (SEEMP) drafted by IMO

in order to increase awareness of fuel

conservation measures. This means that CO2

reductions, when a part of reduction in fuel

consumption is achieved at a negative cost per

tonne of CO2 avoided.

In the future, more and more focus will be

on the biological risk of hull fouling, and

integration of reducing biorisk whilst

simultaneously improving fuel efficiency, “

Kane said.

The economic slow-down has resulted record breaking amount of ships at anchor

and a speed-up of organisms attaching themselves to their hulls.

An idle ship is thedevil’s playground

Source: Propulsion Dynamics.

Incr

ease

of

resi

stan

ce

60%55%50%45%40%35%30%25%20%15%10%5%0%

Days for development of added resistance

2 9 1 0 2 9 3 0 2 9 5 0 2 9 7 0 2 9 9 0 3 0 1 0 3 0 3 0 3 0 5 0 3 0 7 0 3 0 9 0 3 11 0 3 1 3 0 3 1 5 0 3 1 7 0 3 1 9 0

TO

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 13

TECHNOLOGY - NEWS


Germanischer Lloyd’s (GL) newconsultancy division FutureShiphas come up with several ideasabout how shipowners can savefuel costs – starting with a newbow. Karl Jeffery investigates.Shipyards are good at designing ships. They

put together a number of possible designs, test

them and come up with one which works.

But what they don’t usually do, said Volker

Höppner, managing director of GL’s FutureShip

consulting division, is test tens of thousands of

possible designs in a computer simulation, to

come up with the best possible solution.

For one German ship operator, about to

purchase a new vessel, FutureShip was able to

identify a bulbous bow design, which could

reduce overall fuel consumption of the vessel

by 10% – amounting to Eur30 mill over the

vessel’s lifetime - compared to the design

being proposed by a top South Korean

shipyard, Höppner claimed.

Taking a tour of vessels in lay-up will

reveal that there is no standard or optimum

bulbous bow shape for the maritime industry –

vessels have a wide range of different designs,

short and fat to thin and narrow.

GL claimed that changing the bow on an

existing vessel was not an expensive exercise

– the class society estimated Eur200,000 if

undertaken in China or Eur300,000 if a

European yard is chosen - a drop in the ocean

against a saving of Eur30 mill.

Fluid dynamics There is potential for optimising many other

areas of the vessel’s fluid dynamics (how it

passes through the water), Höppner said. It is

a similar process to how cars are optimised for

reduced air resistance.

FutureShip can model how the water flows

over the propeller and interacts with the

rudder – and how small changes to the

rudder’s shape can improve efficiency. Also

different hull coatings can be used.

There is also the question of ‘appendages’ –

metal shapes welded to the bottom of the ship

by the yard thought to improve propulsion.

“We can show if it is worth doing or not,” he

said.

When it comes to operating the vessel,

small changes to the trim and draft and how

well the hull and engine are maintained, will

also impact on fuel costs, Höppner explained.

Of course, small changes to vessel

operations (different sea temperatures or

loadings for example) can change the

optimised set-up.

FutureShip creates software systems, which

can run on board the vessel, informing

operators if there is an opportunity to reduce

fuel consumption.

“The chief engineer knows this – but a chief

engineer is not always available. With this

system, everyone can act,” he said.

Persuading shipyards to change their

designs is not something every shipowner is

able to do. But ultimately, the market

normally wins – which means shipyards

insisting on inefficient designs will be

disadvantaged, Höppner said.

Already this year, FutureShip has persuaded

seven shipping companies to change their

designs. It was also engaged by a Navy, who

compared a FutureShip optimised design with

the one the shipyard was proposing and found

the FutureShip design was better.

Of course, FutureShip’s software can be

used directly by shipyards – for example

South Korean shipyard DSME has adopted

the program.

Fit a new bow and save money

Teekay signs up to CASPER® Propulsion Dynamics has beenawarded a monthly contract tocontinuously monitor 90 Teekayvessels over a three-year period. Two sea trials conducted on small groups of

Aframax and LNGCs convinced Vancouver-

based Teekay Corporation of the merits of the

vessel performance analysis and hull

resistance monitoring service provided by

Propulsion Dynamics of Long Beach,

California, the company said.

Teekay first mooted the idea of using

CASPER® to monitor hull and propeller

performance on a major part of its 160-plus

owned and managed fleet in the Autumn

of 2008.

This move was to establish the criteria to

measure and monitor fuel conservation and

emissions reduction initiative. Agreement was

reached in December and by the beginning of

March 2009, 70 Aframaxes and Suezmaxes

were yielding usable information.

The final twin-propeller LNGCs and shuttle

tankers became active in the programme

during the Summer of this year. Twin-

propeller vessels require careful management

as each propeller develops a different rate of

revolutions, which must be measured to the

nearest decimal reading.

Each month, Propulsion Dynamics

establishes fully corrected data from the

vessels for wind force and speed, wave height,

sea current, draught, and trim which enables

CASPER® computer program to calculate the

added hull and propeller resistance, true speed

and fuel consumption. Using the monthly

reports, Teekay has developed a benchmark

that enables its four regional offices

throughout the world to see at a glance the

hull and propeller efficiency of each of its

vessels, and the internal performance rating

that a vessel has attained.

The technical performance of individual

vessels is used to evaluate realistic charter

rates, review added resistance, and determine

when hull cleaning and propeller polishing

would be advantageous.

Comparisons between sister ships enable

different hull coatings to be evaluated for

fouling, and the effect on speed and fuel

consumption. Furthermore, metrics are

presented for determining which ships have

need for more intensive hull preparation while

in drydock.

FutureShip’s Volker HöppnerTO

TO

p43-56:p39-50.qxd 03/12/2009 17:16 Page 14

IBC:OBC.qxd 03/12/2009 17:21 Page 1

INTRODUCING THREE NEW ATEX APPROVED SAILORS

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The ATEX versions completes the SAILOR SP3500 series of maritime radios. They are designed and developed for the tough conditions – and will cover every possible maritime need.

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OBC:OBC.qxd 03/12/2009 17:22 Page 1

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