Bunkering of ships

Notes to the text:

a compliance – соответствие a sample [s'a:mpl] – образец

a spark – искра sawdust – опилки

spillage – разлив a driptray – поддон

a scupper – шпигат to plug – затыкать

a hose – шланг capacity – вместимость

an amount – количество a manifold – трубопровод

to fine – штрафовать a vent – вентиляционное отверстие

a procedure [pr ∂'si:dz ∂ ] – процедура a grade – марка топлива sulphur content – содержание серы flash point – температура вспышки

Exercise 1. Read the text and be ready to answer the following questions:

1) How many logical parts can this text be divided into?

2) What names can be given to each logical part of text?

The bunkering starts a few days before when the Chief Engineer contacts the operators and discusses the conditions of bunkering operations with them. Before that the shipmanager arranges the delivery of fuel oil, its quantity, grade, and cost.

After the vessel is securely moored to the bunkering tanker (if fuel oil is supplied from the bunkering tanker) the fuel oil certificate is checked. The Bunker Delivery Note is necessary to check the compliance of the delivered oil. It is kept on board for three years after the fuel delivery. The fuel sample is attached. A supplier is responsible to provide this sample but it can be taken onboard as well. The sample is kept onboard for one year.

The Bunker Delivery Note has:

· name and IMO (International Maritime Organization) · product name;

number of the ship; · quantity (metric tones);

· port; · density;

· date of delivery; · sulphur content;

· name, address, and telephone number of fuel oil · flash point.

supplier;

Bunkering is a dangerous operation that must be carried out very carefully. Before it begins the watchkeeping officer informs the crew about the start of the bunkering operation and gives an order not to smoke on the deck. He also checks that red light/flag Bravo is displayed and there are not hot works that cay produce a spark.

Each vessel has a schedule of bunkering operations where crewmembers can learn when they participate in bunkering and what their duties are. They will also have a meeting with the 3^rd or the 2^nd Engineer to discuss actions during bunkering in more detail.

At the same time the crew prepares the bunkering station. They supply it with sawdust, rags, buckets with sand, fire extinguishers, and other oil spill absorbent materials in case of accident spillage, pollution, or fire. Driptrays are placed under the flanges. All drain pipes and scuppers on the deck must be plugged. Flanges of the fuel hoses or pipes are connected and firmly tightened with the help of nuts and bolts.

The service staff is supplied with a portable radio to communicate with the engine-room, bridge, bunkering barge, or coast bunkering personnel. And there must always be a visual watch during the whole operation.

The Third Engineer takes readings in all fuel tanks and writes them down in the log-book. He opens the valves on the tanks that will be filled with fuel. When fuel oil system is prepared the Third Engineer reports to the Chief Engineer that everything is ready for bunkering.

The Chief Engineer orders to start bunkering but first he tests the pressure of flowing liquid. A motorman examines the connection of the hose with the bunkering station flange. If there are no leakages the Chief Engineer orders to continue bunkering with full pressure.

When a tank is filled to 70 % capacity the engineer will give an order to reduce pumping rate to half capacity. When a tank is filled to 80 % capacity the engineer will order the barge to stop pumping for five minutes to avoid air pockets. Then they will continue at a minimum rate until sounding shows 90 %.

After all tanks are full they are checked and readings are taken again. If everything is all right the Chief Engineer signs all documents. Motormen unscrew the connecting nuts of the flanges and remove all fire-fighting equipment. The time when the bunkering was finished and the amount of taken fuel are recorded in the log-book.

Before disconnecting the engineer will ask the barge to blow the hose with air to empty the system. Depending on the contract, the hose will be disconnected by the supplier or by the ship’s personnel. In any case the Chief Engineer must make sure that the hose is empty. A driptray must be placed under the manifold for draining during disconnection. Flanges must be immediately secured on the bunkering hose and the ship’s manifold and fully bolted.

It is necessary to be very careful during the bunkering. In case some fuel oil leaks into the sea, the Port State Control fines the vessel’s officers who were responsible for the leakage. Plus the staff will be punished or fined by the shipowner as well because the fuel oil is very expensive and even the loss of the smallest part of fuel is a big fault of the staff.

Bunkering can cause many problems so the Chief Engineer must be in charge of bunkering. He must prepare written instructions:

· pipeline diagram including location of all valves, pumps, controls, vents, and overflow system;

· number of persons required to be on duty;

· procedures for emergency shut down;

· valve closing procedures;

· pollution reporting procedures;

· scupper plugging reminder;

· ship/shore communication procedures;

· a reminder to check the condition of all bunker hoses and pressure test lines as required.

Exercise 2. Give the Russian equivalents of the following word combinations:

the bunkering tanker; air pockets; the fuel oil certificate; valve closing procedures; the Bunker Delivery Note; pollution reporting procedures; the fuel sample; scupper plugging reminder; a fuel oil supplier; ship/shore communication procedures; the bunkering station flange; bunker hoses; pumping rate; pressure test lines.

Exercise 3. Answer the following questions:

1. What are the actions of the Chief Engineer and the shipmanager before the bunkering starts? 2. When is the fuel oil certificate checked? 3. How many years is the Bunker Delivery Note kept on board after the fuel delivery? 4. What information does the Bunker Delivery Note have? 5. What does the watchkeeping officer do before the start of the bunkering operation? 6. What does the crew prepare the bunkering station with? 7. What is the service staff supplied with? 8. What duties does the Third Engineer have during bunkering? 9. Who reports to the Chief Engineer that everything is ready for bunkering? 10. Who orders to start bunkering and to continue it? 11. What does a motorman examine? 12.What order will the engineer give when a tank is filled to 70 % capacity? 13. Why will the staff be punished or fined by the shipowner because of the fuel oil leakage? 14. What written instructions must the Chief Engineer prepare?

Exercise 4. Find correspondences:

1) the service staff a) must be in charge of bunkering and

prepare written instruction;

2) the engineer b) unscrew the connecting nuts of the

flanges and remove all fire-fighting equipment;

3) the Port State Control c) informs the crew about the start of the

bunkering operation and checks that red

light/flag Bravo is displayed;

4) the crew d) opens the valves on the tanks that will be filled

with fuel;

5) the watchkeeping officer e) fines the vessel’s officers who were

responsible for the leakage;

6) the Chief Engineer f) is supplied with a portable radio to communicate

with the engine-room, bridge, bunkering barge,

or coast bunkering personnel;

7) the Third Engineer g) prepares the bunkering station;

8) motormen h) will order the barge to stop pumping for five

minutes to avoid air pockets when a tank is

filled to 80 % capacity.

Exercise 5. Find the correspondent English equivalents in the text:

обсуждать условия бункеровочной операции; поставка жидкого топлива; быть ответственным за обеспечение этого образца топлива; принимать участие в бункеровке; обеспечивать опилками, ветошью, ведрами и огнетушителями; подписать все документы; проверить соединение шланга; открутить соединяющие гайки фланца; быть оштрафованным судовладельцем.