The shipping industry has been proactively working to reduce emissions, but there have been unexpected safety implications connected with the use of ultra-low sulfur fuel. Engine problems and power issues have been reported and such incidents could increase as regulations on sulfur content in fuel tighten further. According to Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) annual ”Safety and Shipping Review ” there has been an increase in machinery claims in relation to fuel.
While the drive to reduce emissions is applauded by AGCS, there have been unexpected safety implications connected with the use of ultra-low sulfur fuel that need to be considered. Engine problems and power issues have been reported and linked back to the rise in use of lower sulfur fuels, incidents that are expected to increase as regulations on sulfur content in fuel tighten further.
Captain Andrew Kinsey, Senior Marine Risk Consultant at AGCS has spoken with pilots about the effect of low sulfur fuel on engines and believes that its use presents a larger problem than at first thought.
“Pilots have reported power losses during critical maneuvers,” he says. “These lighter fuels are not used in the deep-sea trades, so we are seeing electrical blackouts when the ships are at their most vulnerable in tight areas and when changing speed. At worst, this could lead to groundings.”
One challenge is that there is no standard specification for low sulfur fuels, making it difficult for engine manufacturers to give appropriate operation and maintenance advice. Hybrid fuels available on the market today may all have the same sulfur content but can be entirely different in their composition.
“The question is: ”are they all compatible with current engines?” asks Captain Jarek Klimczak, Senior Marine Risk Consultant at AGCS.
“We need proper International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards as a matter of urgency.”
Operators of older tonnage are required to make investments in additional tanks to separate fuels, but AGCS experts question whether this is being done in every case. Using the same tanks for mixed fuels could exacerbate fuel-related power and maneuverability issues.
“We have seen an increase in machinery claims in relation to fuel,” confirms Sven Gerhard, Global Product Leader Hull & Marine Liabilities at AGCS.
“The residues, or cat fines, are abrasive and if they are pumped into machinery they cause the cylinders to deteriorate within two to three years. A new cylinder could cost $200,000 to $300,000, which may not seem high, but if you have regular failures this soon mounts up.”
Better and more effective monitoring of bunker quality would go some way towards addressing the problem.
Further details may be found by reading Allianz’s Safety and Shipping Review 2016
Source: Allianz
