Bunkering Operations: Safe Oil Transfer
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MARITIME TRAINING SERVICES INC.
IN CASE OF ANY CONFLICT BETWEEN THE REQUIREMENTS SHOWN IN THE MOVIE AND THE COMPANY’S SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SMS), PLEASE FOLLOW THE COMPANY’S SMS REQUIREMENTS
[music]
THE MARITIME SAFETY SERIES
Bunkering Operations
Safe Oil Transfer Procedures
-- The transfer of fuel oil
into a vessel, bunkering,
requires diligence,
safety consciousness
and proper procedures.
Safe bunkering is the product
of good communication,
proper crew training
and compliance
with international, federal
and local laws.
The safe bunkering procedures
you'll see presented here
come from those three sources:
internationally accepted
maritime practices,
the United States
Coast Guard regulations
and the brand-new guidelines
of a local regulator,
the Washington State Office
of Marine Safety.
You'll see in hear
a collection of transfer tips,
timely reminders throughout the program
on handling oil safely.
You'll see in here safe procedures
listed, explained and illustrated.
And you'll see in here
the state of the art in marine safety,
Washington State's
new bunkering guidelines.
-- Now, the deck row we watch is…
-- Maritime safety is a people process.
Virtually, every marine accident or
oil spill is the result of human error.
It's well trained people
working conscientiously together
that make safe seamanship
a reality.
-- Since the enactment of
the Oil Pollution Act of 90,
there's been a tremendous consciousness
on the part of all,
Capt. Richard Softye
U.S. Coast Guard, COTP Puget Sound
the regulators and the customers being
or mariners to the fact that
no longer will we tolerate
having oil going into our environment.
-- He’s going to have to watch
his containment location
to make sure it’s not going to
fill up with rain water.
-- Right.
-- A good bunkering operation
begins with proper preparation.
Sharing key information,
explaining correct procedures,
establishing communication links,
reviewing pre-loading plans,
providing crew education and training.
-- Everybody who's involved
in the training session
should be told everything
about the bunker operation.
Capt. Gary Schimidt, Inspector
Wa. St. Office of Marine Safety
Not only their own job but
they should be sitting there listening
when the other person's job
is being talked about.
So, they have a full understanding
of the fact that communication
in almost all operations is critical.
-- The first step in
safe bunkering is
to identify the vessel’s
person in charge.
Who is responsible for
the bunkering operation.
The person in charge on the ship
or a receiving vessel
must be a licensed or authorized master,
mate or engineer.
He must identify and be familiar with
the vessels oil transfer procedures.
These include location of pipelines,
valves, vents and overflows.
Numbers and duties of people
assigned to the transfer operation
and all relevant procedures before,
during and following oil transfer.
Oil transfer procedures should be
prominently posted for easy reference.
Transfer procedures should detail
critical steps for communication,
for topping off tanks
and for emergency shutdown.
The state of Washington adds
two steps here
which are common practice
on well-managed vessels
that the person in charge
complete and post a pre-loading plan
and conduct crew training
within 48 hours before bunkering.
-- I made up the pre-loading plan,
identifies the tanks
and what tanks I’ll be filling in to.
-- The pre-loading plan
locates all bunker tanks
and gives their capacities,
lists the oil level
and type of oil currently in each tank.
The expected final level
and the percent fall
at final level after bunkering,
the sequence of filling
and the monitoring procedures.
Monitoring includes
not just transfer activity
but tank levels and valve alignments
during bunkering.
-- Number one reason for
spill is overflowed tanks
and no one there to catch them.
Wane Sundberg, Manager
Olympic Tug & Barge
It’s usually the
apathy of the crew
or the complacency of the
crew on board of us.
-- Say there is a spill
and it flown over into the tank,
into the containment tank there.
How long does it take
to stop the operation?
-- You got radio. Just tell them
to stop bunkering, stop it right now.
-- Training should include everyone
to be involved in bunkering
and be conducted in a common language.
Remember, that if watches will change
during bunkering
to include relief personnel
in training and the pre-loading plan.
Training includes a review of
procedures, laws and regulations.
These would include local harbor rules.
In the United States,
the regulations of the U.S. Coast Guard
and internationally such agreements
as the Singapore Bunkering Procedure
and the European Harbormaster's
guidelines.
There are I.S.O. standards for bunkering
currently under development as well.
Laws and regulations may change
from time to time,
check with your local authorities
or ships agent
for the most current regulations.
Washington State regulations
require that a log entry be made
documenting the names
and ratings of crew
and that crew training
has been carried out prior to bunkering.
Step three in safe bunkering requires
that the person in charge
designate key transfer personnel.
[man talking from the radio]
[foreign language]
Regulations vary but the consensus
among seamen seems to be
that at least four individuals
should devote their full time
to the oil transfer process.
The first is, of course,
the person in charge
who must oversee
the entire bunkering operation.
The point of transfer watch
remains throughout the process
at the connecting point between
the transferring and receiving vessels.
Washington State requires
that a deck rover watch
monitor for spills on deck
and over the side.
And those who have seen oil spilled,
say a tank level monitor
is a key preventer of accidents
caused by valve alignment
and topping errors.
Capt. Gary Schmidt, Inspector
Wa. St. Office of Marine Safety
-- If they're pumping
at 300 or 400 tons an hour,
there's an awful lot of oil moving.
The couple extra seconds it takes
to communicate a shutdown
can be the difference between
the oil being held in the containment
and the oil going over into the side,
into the bay.
Crew members assigned to bunkering
should have no other duties
during the oil transfer process.
Step 4 in safe bunkering
requires that the person in charge
establish communication.
Communication systems
and procedures
must be established
and understood.
These range from coordinating
radio frequencies
to knowledge and use of common
English phrases and hand signals.
Hand signals are useful
because radios are fallible.
During a noisy
bunkering operation,
air horns will always
get people's attention.
Make sure
everyone involved knows
he may stop the transfer process
at any time.
Should anything appear
to be out of order.
Dave Burmeister, Ship Supt.
Sea-Land Service, Inc.
-- I think the bottom line to avoid
any type of spills whatsoever,
you've got to make sure
that everybody's in sync
and that if there is a problem,
they can identify it quickly
and stop the source.
-- Once preparation is complete,
the process of fuel transfer can begin.
Crew members assist first
in securely mooring the bunkering barge.
Step 5 in safe bunkering is
to prepare the deck and receiving areas.
This includes closing of required
hatches, doors and port holes
and sealing all scuppers and drains
from which overflowing oil
might spill over the side
of the vessel.
Should bunkering take place at night,
a well lit receiving area is crucial
to efficiency, safety
and crew alertness.
Capt. Gary Schimidt, Inspector
Wa. St. Office of Marine Safety
-- You start filling a fuel tank.
You know that it's going to take
an hour and a half to fill his tank
and you start daydreaming.
Maybe you lose your concentration.
-- Additional
preparation includes
posting of proper warning
signs and signals
and visual inspection
of equipment
on both receiving and
delivering vessels.
In Washington state, regulations require
that you provide safe access
to and from the barge
either by the accommodation ladder
or other so less approved ladder.
Now, the communication process
begins in earnest.
The person in charge
on the receiving vessel
meets his counterpart from
the delivering vessel face-to-face.
Together they set up
and conduct a pre-transfer conference.
-- Chief engineer, please.
-- Each pre-transfer conference
is unique.
Different people,
different languages,
different fuel requirements,
different conditions.
Out of these differences,
the conference must establish
common ground
in a common language
to be used not only
during the conference
but during the procedure itself.
In Washington State
and many ports,
this common language
must be English.
-- In oil transfer procedures,
Capt. Richard Softye
U.S. Coast Guard, COTP Puget Sound
you have a delivering
vessel and receiving vessel
and those vessels must have a
common language between them.
They must be able to positively
communicate between themselves.
For storing, for mercy operations
and for ending the transfer operation.
-- Approximate how many barrels
per hour do you want to pump on this?
-- About 300 ton.
-- 300 ton an hour?
-- Okay, fine.
-- During the pre-transfer conference,
suppliers must also provide
a Material Safety Data Sheet
or M.S.D.S. to all parties present.
The M.S.D.S. presents personnel
with important information
about the handling of a toxic substance
such as oil.
Including its toxicity,
its health effects
and the proper procedures
in the event of a spill.
If finding a common language
is a problem,
ask the vessel agent to arrange
for a translator or interpreter.
At the pre-transfer conference,
both persons in charge
will complete and sign
the declaration of inspection
or the pre-transfer checklist.
Each item on the declaration or
checklist should be reviewed carefully
and signed off by both parties.
-- Right there on the red.
-- Typical declarations of inspection
cover the oil products to be received,
sequence of transfer
and flow rates,
key procedures for
starting and stopping,
identity of personnel involved
and watch changes
and notification
before topping off or shutting down.
Any and all crew members should be
empowered to instantly shut down
the fuel transfer process in
an emergency or suspicious circumstance.
Dave Burmeister, Ship Supt.
Sea-Land Service, Inc.
-- You've got to be able
to stop things quickly
because it just takes a few minutes
and then you have a major problem.
-- Washington State requires
that a log entry document
the pre-transfer conference.
Completed declaration of inspection
and pre-loading plans
must be kept for at least 30 days.
Most of the people who regulate
the bunkering process
say the rules aren't difficult to follow
since they're basically
just safe practices set down on paper.
What shows these practices
are being followed
is the state of crew alertness
and competence.
-- They are, in fact, communicating.
They do have written procedures,
they do have a check sheet
that has all been signed off
and very easily we can quiz those people
Capt. Richard Softye
U.S. Coast Guard, COTP Puget Sound
that are in fact involved in the
transfer operation and say,
“What is your role?”
and they can respond like that.
We know that they are
on top of the operation.
-- With preparations complete,
the crew members connect
the oil transfer hose
to the vessel’s manifold.
All pipe connections, tank vents,
overflow or fill pipes,
must have spill containment that
is adequate for the outlet they serve.
Be sure to handle
the hose carefully.
It may still contain oil
from a previous transfer.
Crew members should use
a new gasket for each connection
and secure bolts tightly before pumping.
Containments must be kept
free and clear.
A rainwater filled box
will quickly overflow with spilled oil.
Below decks, all valves routing oil
to tanks must be double checked
for proper distribution of fuel.
Beware of crew fatigue,
lack of alertness
is a major contributor to accidents.
Many ports have established
crew work hour limitations in law.
Check the local rules.
Pay attention to the overall condition
of the transfer hose.
It must be adequately supported
to avoid undo strain on connections
and should be free of obvious defects.
The position of the hose may have
to be adjusted during the transfer.
With confirmation from both
the receiving and delivering
persons in charge,
crews begin fuel delivery.
Fuel flow begin slowly
with special attention
to oil levels and pressures
in all tanks
to make certain fuel is going
where it's supposed to go.
High fuel pressure could mean
no oil is flowing.
-- The fuel pressure, for some reason,
would be extremely high
Fred Bayles, Chief Eng.
Sea-Land Service, Inc.
for some unknown reason.
He can see that
and would be able,
with his radio,
to stop the bunker procedure.
-- Washington State requires also
that the person in charge
alert the barge crew when
changing tanks and topping off tanks.
Many ships engineers will take soundings
in all their tanks as a precaution.
In case oil is going into
the wrong tank inadvertently.
Capt. Gary Schimidt, Inspector
Wa. St. Office of Marine Safety
-- The only way you know
that the valve to No. 3 port
is completely closed
is if you continue
to take soundings in the
tank for a little while.
-- Ship's personnel should
always be alert
to the possible presence of H2S
or benzene in bunker fuel
and take adequate precautions.
Nothing is more important
during the transfer process
than constant communication
among the barge, the watches
and the person in charge.
In the case of overfilling
or some other accident,
a quick response and shut down
will keep the oil contained
and off the water.
The final step in fuel transfer
is to conclude the process
and disengage from the delivery vessel.
The same rules
and monitoring practices apply
with careful communication
between both parties.
Person in charge checks fuel levels
and shuts down valves and tanks
before loosening bolts.
Be certain the hose
is depressurized
and drained back to the barge.
Make sure all bunkering operations
are completed
before resuming restricted activity
such as hot work on or below decks.
Maritime safety
is a collaborative process
and a process that
can be continually improved.
-- We have an active boarding program
that goes on that we go out
Capt. Richard Softye
U.S. Coast Guard, COTP Puget Sound
and we educate them,
we let them know that we're on scene
and then we assist them
in safe operations.
-- Today we see increased awareness
of the environment
and stricter rules protecting it.
In this climate,
it's working partnerships
between the shipping industry
and those who regulate it
that are helping refine and improve
procedures such as fuel transfer.
Capt. Gary Schimidt, Inspector
Wa. St. Office of Marine Safety
-- There isn't anybody
who wants to see oil in the water.
If the training
session is the key
or something else that
we're doing is the key,
then, we've done
what we were here to do.
Continuous improvement
is taking place.
Thanks to better record
keeping and documentation
of processes and procedures,
improved training, better equipment
and more universal standards
for safe bunkering operations.
Dave Burmeister, Ship Supt.
Sea-Land Service, Inc.
-- I think we're all working
the same avenue.
I think we're working to
the idea of heightening already
good practices build into stronger ones
so that we can enhance
the operation,
safeguard the environment
and abide by all the laws
that are put down to do that.
When you see all that happening,
when you're seeing us moving
in a positive direction
at a progressive direction,
we're going to find
that we're very successful
and that's the way we want to be.
THE MARITIME SAFETY SERIES