USCG Alert: Compliance with MARPOL Requirements
The Coast Guard has confirmed several reports it has received stating that main engines may not attain the expected speed when using ultra low sulfur fuel oil. The Coast Guard has revised its list of recommendations to vessel owners and operators about the importance of establishing effective fuel oil changeover procedures to comply with MARPOL Annex VI emission regulations. Ensure fuel oil switching is accomplished outside of busy traffic lanes and the ECA. Generally the ECA is 200 nm from the North American Coast and 50 miles from the U.S. Caribbean coast (e.g., the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Anticipate that there may be many technical challenges for operators when beginning to use ULS fuel oil as a matter of routine and compliance.
USCG Marine Safety Alert
The U.S. Coast Guard issued a marine safety alert today to remind vessel owners and operators to establish effective fuel oil changeover procedures during efforts to comply with MARPOL Annex VI emission regulations. The USCG said that several recent incidents of fuel leakages during changeovers prompted the alert. The USCG cited multiple unspecified incidents involving substantial machinery space fuel leakages that occurred while vessels were switching fuel oil to ultra low sulfur (ULS) fuel oil to ensure compliance with MARPOL Annex VI, Regulation 14.3.4. The new regulations, which came into effect on January 1, lowered maximum fuel sulfur content from 1.0% to .10%.
ABS Releases Environmental Management Software
Energy & Environmental Manager module supports regulatory compliance and operational efficiency. ABS, a leading provider of classification services to the marine and offshore industry, today announced the release of the new Energy & Environmental Manager module within NS5 Enterprise, the industry-leading asset management software suite. This module complements the ABS portfolio of services that help owners and operators meet the environmental and operational demands faced by the maritime industry.
Marine Safety Alert: Propulsion Loss, Fuel Switching
Ships switch fuel oil from residual fuels to distillate fuels in order to reduce emissions. The Coast Guard expects ships will switch fuel more frequently to comply with new emission reduction regulations. When switching fuel oil, some ships have experienced propulsion losses linked to procedural errors or fuel oil incompatibility. API developed a paper titled “Technical Considerations of Fuel Switching Practices” that discusses problems that lead to propulsion loss while switching fuel. It is available at http://marineinvestigations.us. This document may be useful to vessel owners, operators, and engineers interested in preventing fuel system failures and propulsion casualties while meeting current and future exhaust emission control requirements.
