Marine Safety Forum Safety Flash 12-04

Issued: 11th January 2012 Subject: Fuel Leak

Introduction A recent incident occurred on a Platform Supply Vessels where fuel oil leaked from a cargo tank in close proximity to a box-cooler while the vessel was alongside at harbour during bunkering operations. The result of the corrosion was a fine sheen of fuel that had leaked from the vessel of approx 1000 litres. Incident The PSV was instructed by its charterers to load bunkers. The plan was for the vessel to take on 300m of marine diesel oil and deck cargo before departing on its next voyage. Bunkering commenced at approx 11:50 and the quayside bunker operative informed the vessel that he had noticed small traces of oil coming from under the vessel about amidships starboard side. On inspection the chief engineer suspected that the leak was hydraulic oil & he also informed the captain & at 12:20 bunker loading operations recommenced. 13:10 bunkers were stopped when the Captain and Chief engineer were concerned that fuel was leaking into the harbour from the vessel, a total of 54 m of fuel was loaded in this period & no further leakage could be observed when the bunkering operations were halted. The Vessel Manager was notified that there was an oil leak from the vessel, at the same time Aberdeen Harbour Board was informed. During the period before the fuel transfer was stopped the vessel engineers were checking various hydraulic systems to see if the vessel was losing hydraulic oil from any of the systems onboard e.g. aft thrusters system. It was observed no oil was missing from the header tanks or the gearboxes. 13:30 the local environmental response company was notified of the leakage of fuel oil into the harbour and were on scene quickly to contain the spill and recover the fuel that had leaked into the harbour. A local diving contactor was mobilised who quickly arrived & identified that small amounts of fuel oil could be seen leaking in the vicinity of a box-cooler between tanks 6 & 7 starboard. Fuel in these tanks was transferred to other unaffected tanks. Due to the fuel oil leakage & potential environmental impact emergency response teams & a joint media statement was issued. Fortunately the local dry-dock was available & the vessel proceeded to dry-dock after transferring fuel to another vessel to achieve a suitable draft for docking. Once the vessel was dry on the blocks, the effected box-cooler was removed & severe corrosion was observed on the bulkheads of No 6 & 7 stbd FO tanks.
The information available on this Safety Flash and our associated web site is provided in good faith and only for the purpose s of enhancing safety and best practice. For the avoidance of doubt no legal liability shall be attached to any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained.

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A small hole was clearly visible on the bulkhead of No 7 stbd tank & the surrounding steel had several spots of localized corrosion. On No 6 stbd tank bulkhead, UT thickness measurements indicated that the steel was in places up to 40% depleted. Both tank bulkhead plates were cut out & renewed by the Yard & the tanks were pressure tested by air to verify the welds. All box-cooler sea chests were inspected for signs of corrosion & the opposite cooler on the port side of the vessel was removed to aid closer inspection though no corrosion was present. Background info The box-coolers on the vessel had never been removed before therefore the coating in the hull area surrounding the box-coolers had not been renewed due to the limitation of access with the box-cooler in place. Vessel is due its 10 year Class renewal docking & surveys April 2012 when the box-coolers were planned to be removed to have the mounting gasket renewed. Vessel was last dry-docked 1.5yr previously with no indications of corrosion visible. The vessel had problems with the impressed current anti-fouling system which was identified after first dry-docking; it is likely that the isolation coating on the box-cooler tubes was damaged due to cleaning which has attributed to the corrosion. Insufficient sacrificial anodes installed from new-build to protect the hull areas surrounding the box-coolers in case of coating damage.

Actions 1. Remove all box-coolers during 10yr docking for inspection & renewal of tank coatings. 2. Develop an anode plan for the box-cooler sea chest areas & install at next dry-docking. 3. Box-cooler manufacturer to advise how to recoat box-cooler tube stacks with a suitable coating & attend at next dry-docking to inspect the coating. 4. All relevant company vessels with box-coolers installed in a similar way that prohibits renewal of the local hull coating to be removed & surrounding area to be recoated every 5 years at class renewal dockings. Job to be implemented in the relevant vessel PMS systems. 5. A sister vessel was dry-docked to investigate any similar issues with the box coolers. Corrosion was identified on 4 Port during the docking although not as serious as observed on the previous vessel, surrounding zinc anodes were approximately 70% depleted. Any corroded steel was repaired & anodes renewed, the vessel will dry-dock again for the scheduled 10yr class renewal docking. 6. DNV was commissioned to investigate the corrosion issues found on the previous vessel & have formed part of the investigation team.

Corrosion on FO No 6 stbd tank bulkhead

The information available on this Safety Flash and our associated web site is provided in good faith and only for the purpose s of enhancing safety and best practice. For the avoidance of doubt no legal liability shall be attached to any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained.

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No6 Fuel tank from inside the boxcooler

Area marked for cutting on No7 fuel tank

Section of the steel cut from No7 fuel tank

Close up of the corrosion

Repaired fuel tank bulkheads

The information available on this Safety Flash and our associated web site is provided in good faith and only for the purpose s of enhancing safety and best practice. For the avoidance of doubt no legal liability shall be attached to any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained.

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