From Paper to Pixels: Embracing the Digital Logbook
In an era of ever-smarter shipping, one key area of vessel and fleet administration appears stuck in the dark ages. Pierre Dominé explainswhy Stolt Tankers is rapidly transitioning to digital logbooks, unlocking a broad range of big data benefits.Although the switch from paper to digital logbooks is yet to be mandated, Pierre Dominé, Quality Assurance & Investigation Specialist, Stolt Tankers, sees no need to wait. “There’s so much data across a single vessel’s portfolio of record books…
DNV GL Offers Free Sulfur SIP
Global certification body, DNV GL offers a free web-based application of the Ship Implementation Plan (SIP) to prepare for 2020 0.5% sulfur cap.The ship owners and managers can use the SIP to prepare vessel-specific SIPs and maintain an overview of their fleet, said a press release.While not mandatory, the SIP is an IMO guidance which all ships are encouraged to prepare and implement to be ready for 1 January 2020.“As we approach 2020, good preparation will be essential to ensure a smooth transition into using compliant low-sulfur fuels,” said Christos Chryssakis, Business Development Manager at DNV GL – Maritime.“This includes technical actions…
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%.
Cleaner Maritime Air for North America Comes Soon
On the operative day the sulfur content of the fuel oil used on board ships operating within the ECA may not exceed 1.00 percent m/m (10,000 ppm). The boundaries of the North American ECA are defined in IMO MEPC.1/Circ.723 . The US EPA has issued Interim Guidance on the Non-Availability of Compliant Fuel Oil for the North American ECA and more information is also available on the US EPA website.
