TEST CASE
FUEL QUALITY UNDER SCRUTINY
INSIDE:
Good housekeeping
Switching over from residual to distillate fuel oil
requires careful preparation of a vessel’s tanks,
as Albert Leyson of Drew Marine explains
I
n the coming months, ship operators who true when it comes to residual fuel oil, which oil is not water soluble. The types of cleaning
operate entirely or who traverse partly is considered to be a dirty petroleum product chemicals that will work include degreasers,
within an emission control area (ECA) (DPP). Even though marine engineers are detergents, and/or multi-purpose cleaners.
must make final decisions over whether familiar with the fuel switchover process Solvents, solvent cleaner, and/or hydrocarbon
to use fuel oil with a maximum of 0.1% required for meeting the existing 1.0% removers may also be necessary on stubborn
sulphur content or to utilise an equivalent fuel sulphur content in an ECA, preparing or hard to reach residues and surfaces.
arrangement at least as effective in terms the bunker tanks for permanently loading Drew Marine recommends using TC#4
of emissions reductions (i.e., exhaust gas distillate fuel oil will involve additional planning. tank cleaner, which is a superior hydrophilic,
cleaning system, alternative fuel, etc.) Due to the increased number of customer solvent emulsifying detergent with a flash
for compliance. On 1 January, 2015, the inquiries on how to prepare their ships’ bunker point greater than 60°C for cleaning petroleum
International Maritime Organization (IMO) tanks from carrying residual fuel oil or low residues. TC#4 tank cleaner can be applied
Resolution MEPC.176(58), commonly sulphur residual fuel oil to distillate fuel oil, via standard tank cleaning methods including
referred to as the revised MARPOL Annex the following recommendation will ensure a machine cleaning or hand-spraying. TC#4 tank
VI, is expected to impact a major percentage smooth and permanent switchover. Based cleaner can also be applied to empty bunker
of vessels, since most vessel voyages call on
major trading ports in the pre-existing ECAs,
namely the North Sea, Baltic Sea, United
States and Canada, and the US Caribbean.
While it is expected that those operators
‘With increased market demand
who spend only a portion of their voyages for distillate fuel oil, unscrupulous
inside an ECA will simply switch over to
premium low sulphur distillate fuel oil whilst
suppliers may include naturally low
in the ECA, those operators who spend the sulphur blend components (used
majority of their time in an ECA would by now
have already evaluated scrubbers and liquefied lube oil, biofuel, chemical waste,
natural gas (LNG) as prominent alternatives.
Prior to entering or exiting an ECA, the former
etc.) into the marine supply’
operators are required to properly document
how the fuel oil change-over was executed
and to document the amount of low sulphur
fuel volume, vessel position, date, and time. on proper tank cleaning guidelines, these tanks via sounding tubes, prior to dry dock
The latter must record the performance instructions are intended for operators that using a two-step rock-and-roll procedure.
of their exhaust gas cleaning system or have followed routine bunker tank cleaning For typical bunker tank conditions
fuel switchover execution for compliance. and inspection as per international, as where sludge accumulation is normal and
Simply switching from residual to distillate well as any local, regulatory requirements. heating coils are capable of heating the
fuel oil sounds straightforward enough, Ideally, full access to the nominated tank to 38°C, 190 litres of TC#4 total per
although most marine engineers would find bunker tanks would be necessary, meaning 100 tons tank capacity would be required.
the required cleaning process somewhat the cleaning process should be done while In order to handle excessive sludge and
challenging, unless they have had prior the vessel is in dry dock. Residual fuel oil is inadequate heating facilities, whereby 38°C
exposure to tank cleaning procedures considered to be a very difficult product to is unachievable, 300 litres of TC#4 total per
onboard tankers, specifically chemical parcel/ clean away as it includes not only the bunker 100 tons tank capacity would be required.
product tankers. In order to properly switch tanks, but the pumps, pipelines, and crossover Once in dry dock, the tank should be
from one cargo to another cargo and avoid lines. The residual fuel oil is to be stripped and machine washed with heated sea water
product contamination, chemical parcel/ drained well from the bunker tanks. While hot followed by a fresh water rinse, ensuring that all
product tankers must follow recommended sea water would work, it is recommended that tank surfaces are completely rinsed. Ensuring
tank cleaning procedures. This is especially a cleaning chemical be used since residual fuel that the bunker tank is isolated from other