Safe Bunkering Operation guidelines

Ships bunker operation involve many hazards and careful consideration will need to be made for safe planning and execution.

PREPARATION OF BUNKERING PLAN    

1.Has the vessel have adequate space for the volume of the bunker to be bunkered? (it should be met with below safety margin) 

• 90% under for each deep Tanks, 
• 85% under for each double bottom tanks of FO tank capacity, 
• 80% under of the final loading tank for double bottom tank as far as possible. 

2. Has the order of tanks to be loaded been decided to make the heel and trim of the vessel during bunkering minimal? 

3. Have the personnel positioning and work demarcation been clarified and entered in the list of personnel to engage in the FO/LO transfer work, and put up near the bunker station?

4. Has the Masters signature been obtained in above list?    

5. Are FO/LO transfer work procedures and piping diagrams put up in the bunker station

6. Have an onboard meeting on personnel positioning and work proceeding been held to have crew well know matters that required attention

PREPARATION FOR BUNKERING (PRIOR ARRIVAL BUNKERING PORT) 

1.Are Valves and pipe lines marked for easy identification

2.Are valve markings correct (Have round covers on the floor plates in the    machinery space been also confirmed) 

3.Are all deck scuppers effectively plugged    (Are wooden plugs, if any then cemented up?)    

4.Has it been confirmed that no deficit, crack, corrosion, and the like exist on the    pipe line to be used    

5.Have a leak test to the pipe line by an air pressure of 5 kg/cm2 or under been carried out (To be entered the date of last testing in remark column )

6.Have operation of remote valves and level gauges used in bunkering been confirmed And also accuracy of remote gauging system verified(if fitted)    

5.Is bilge line valves fully closed and secured    

6.Are all the pressure gauges to be used working satisfactorily    

7.Are all thermometers fitted in manifold working satisfactorily    

8.Alarm setting on overfill alarm accurate & operational(if fitted)

CONFIRMATION AT BEGINNING OF BUNKERING 

1. Has bunker requisition form given by supplier had all information? (Specific gravity, Sulfur Content, Viscosity, Grade and Quantity etc.)

2. Has the commence of the bunkering been notified to the watch keeping personnel in Deck department and announced on board?    

3. Is there any leakage from the hose connection?

4. Is there any leakage from the bunkering-related line and valves? 

5. Has oil flow through the planned line been confirmed by listening to with the ear on the pipe?    

6. Is oil flowing into the prescribed tank? (Confirm the inflow by air blow, inflow noise, level change, and so on).

7. Check the respective tank sounding manually and confirm.

8. Has air blow through an air vent for the tank into which oil is to be supplied been confirmed?    

9. Is not there any change in level in the other tanks?

10. Is continuous measurement kept until the inflow to the prescribed tank and the inflow rate are confirmed?    

11. Is oil supply rate proper?    

12. Has the time when the bunkering started been recorded?    

CONFIRMATION AT TANK CHANGEOVER 

1. When valves were changed over, has it been confirmed not only by the    indication on the remote control board but also on the spot (if possible)?    

2. Has oil inflow to the planned tanks been confirmed?

3.Has air blow from air pipes been confirmed?    

4.Is not there any change in level in the other tanks?

 

Pre-bunker exchange of information between responsible persons on Ship & Barge/Facility:"    

1.Have the following matters been confirmed with the oil supplier?

- Oil qualities including type of oil, viscosity, density,

sulfur content and oil temperature, volume & H2S presence as per MSDS.

- Pumping rate agreed (The rate to be slow at the beginning of supply in particular).    

- Mutual communication means and communication method in an emergency.    

- Emergency shutdown procedures.    

- Sampling method and the destination of the retained sample.

- Presence / absence of local rules on oil leakage prevention.

- Name of a responsible person and personnel arrangement of the terminal.    

2.Have confirmation letters for oil leakage prevention been exchanged with the oil supplier? exchanged with the oil supplier? (Applicable in Japan) 

3. Have the Declaration of Inspection been properly filled in and signed after confirmation by the vessel and oil supplier? (Applicable in United States)    and signed after confirmation by the vessel and oil    supplier? (Applicable in United States)

CONFIRMATION PRIOR COMMENCMENT & DURING BUNKERING    

1. Are portable fire hoses & fire-fighting equipment on Barge/Facility and ship are ready for immediate use. 

2.Are materials for containment and oil spill clean-up arrangement readily available for immediate use? 

(saw dust, oil absorbent, and oil-treating agent)

3.Are the valves for the manifolds not in use (of the other side in particular) fully closed, and manifolds properly blanked?

4. Are all the air vents of all tanks to be bunkered in good working condition and free from any restriction?

5.Are drain plugs set to save all trays securely?    

6.Is there any sharp bend of the hose? Is weight of hose adequately supported so that hose weight should not come on hose itself?

7.Is the transfer hose properly rigged and fully bolted with all bolts of correct size and length?    

8. Is electric power supply to the FO/LO/DO pumps shut, and is an indication On Bunkering. 'Do not Use posted?'

9.Have open/close position of valves been confirmed according to the check list (prepared by the vessel)? Has closure of all valves isolated from the bunkering been confirmed? 

10.Overboard valves connected to engine room bilges and bunker lines are closed and sealed?

11.Are necessary signal flags and lights indicated?    

12. Is the lighting equipment for night work proper?    

13. Has the Supply Barge/Facility have adequate volume of oil to be supplied? (Confirm by Barge/Facilitys Tanks Sounding)    

14. Are oil fences extended? (If it is required).    

15.Are all personnel for the work in their positions?    

16. Has it been confirmed by a communication test that the communication means is properly secured?    

17. Are communication means with each part of the vessel secured?

18.Has a communication test been made between the bunker station and the hose connection monitor?    

19.Is the sampling container fitted at point of transfer of Custody (Ships Manifold)?  Is the sampling container sealed properly and have adequate space to collect required amount of sample?    

20. All cargo and bunker tank hatch lids are closed?    

21. Has MSDS for the bunker to be transferred been exchanged when requested?

22. The Hazards associated with Toxic substances in the bunkers being handled have been identified and understood?    H2S contents:____    Benzene Contents: ____    

23. Are safe means of access provided between ship and Supply Barge or Facility?    

24. Are all external doors and port holes in accommodation are closed?    

25. Is smoking area identified & restrictions are observed?    

26. Are all scupper plugs in place? Temporarily removed scuppers plugs will be monitored at all times?    

27. Drip trays are in positing on decks around connection and bunker tank vents? Are all the save all trays around the air vents clean and free from oil?    

Cf) Air vent openings should be provided with an oil pan, which depth is 18 or more, capacity: 5 U.S. gallon (about 19 L)or more, if a fixed pan is not fitted.

28.Is the barge/ship properly moored and secured?    

29.Is a means of communication have established between the responsible officers on the vessel and the barge/Facility via VHF/UHF CH. Primary:______Back up:______?    

Emergency stop signal: established between both parties    

30. Is there any floating oil on the surface of the sea near the vessel?    

31. Are sea and weather conditions suitable for the bunkering work?    

32. All bunker tanks sounding to be checked manually and  recorded at an interval of not exceeding 30 mins    

33. There is an effective watch on board the barge and on the ship receiving bunkers? (a man should be always placed at manifold) 

34. Naked light regulations are being observed?    

CONFIRMATION AT FINALLY LOADED TANK AND COMPLETION OF BUNKERING 

Has the oil flow rate been dropped by notifying before the end of the bunkering?

Has air blow through of the line been carried out very carefully taking tank overloading into consideration?

Has remained oil in the line been removed completely?    

Has the manifold gate valve been closed with the Chief Engineers permission?

Has remained oil in the line outside of gate valve been removed completely? 

Cf.) It is prohibited to open the gate valve to remove remained oil without Chief Engineers permission.

Has the tanks been sounded manually and confirmed the correct receipt of ordered quantity.

Have the tanks been sounded, and has the refueled volume been confirmed by the vessel side?

Have the all sample been confirmed, including the sealing?

Cf.) Samples included, MARPOL sample, Retained sample, Sample for Analysis, for the vessel, Retained sample by supplier 

Have the indication of sample been confirmed on labels? Such as the date, port name, type of oil, quantity, name of the barge/jetty or the supplier, and the signature of both the parties.

Have blind plate been securely fitted?

Have oil fences been stored (if extended)?

Has Bunker delivery note received have all the necessary information 

Have fire extinguishers and materials for outflow oil prevention and removal been returned to their storing positions? 

Have bunker barges left the vessel?    

Have signal flags been lowered?

Has the completion of the bunkering work been announced on board the vessel?    

Have scupper plugs been removed and stored?    

Has the refueling line been restored to the normal conditions for the vessels use?    

Has the setting of FO/LO/DO transfer pumps been returned to the automatic mode?

Additionally for Tankers & Gas carriers:    

Are Main Radio transmitters earthed and Radar switched off? 

Are VHF / UHF transceiver and AIS changed over to correct (Lower) power mode or switched off? 

Is the oil flow pressure (oil supply volume) proper?    

Is the flow rate to the sampling container being properly adjusted so that sampling will continue till the time    bunkering ends?    

If the vessel is provided with remote gauges, is the gauge board being monitored all the time?    

Is not there any change in level in the other tanks?    

Is not there any abnormality in trim and heel of the vessel?

Procedures to be followed during bunkering operations will be detailed in a vessel's Safety Management System. However, this Bulletin has been written in order to reiterate best practice and includes a number of recommendations regarding the items that should be checked and verified throughout the various stages of the operation. These are summarised in the form of a loading plan and checklist, either for direct use by the ship or to assist Members in reviewing or formulating their own versions. Utilising a loading plan and checklist and following a predetermined routine may minimise the likelihood of important safeguards being overlooked.

A senior engineer should always be appointed to co-ordinate and take charge of the bunkering operation, and it is intended that the loading plan and checklist be used by this officer. He should first ensure that all crew members involved in the exercise are fully conversant with the specification and quantity of fuel to be lifted, the ship's fuelling and tank sounding arrangements, the alarm systems and the loading sequence. It is of primary importance that all personnel on board are made aware of the intention to bunker so that the vessel’s emergency response plan can be activated without delay in the event of a spill. In addition, it should not be forgotten that the bunkering facility itself may be the source of a spill, and the contingency arrangements of the barge or terminal should be checked and discussed beforehand.

When agreeing signalling procedures with the terminal or barge, Members are advised to consider using an audible alarm to supplement an emergency stop, recognisable by all parties. This additional defence may secure a swifter response than relying entirely on VHF contact or other methods of signalling. To reduce the chance of misunderstandings still further, the key elements of the bunker plan may be summarised in writing and signed by both the responsible bunkering officer and the supplier as confirmation of mutual agreement.

During the course of bunkering, representative samples should be taken and retained in line with company and regulatory requirements. The duty officer should keep in close contact with the bunker team throughout. Moorings should be tended to ensure that the movement of the vessel is restricted to a minimum and that the ship, as far as practicable, is kept upright and on an even keel.

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