Ships taking deliveries of marine fuel oil in Singapore can from 1 January 2017 rely on quantity figures recorded by the bunker barge’s mass flow metering system, reducing the possibility of quantity disputes.
Although the responsibility to install approved MFM systems lies with the bunker barge owners, crews on ships undertaking bunkering in the Port of Singapore should familiarise themselves with the MFM system requirements. The Gard P&I Club advises operators to revisit their onboard bunkering procedures and checklists well in advance of 1 January 2017 and pay particular attention to the Chief Engineer’s, or his representative’s, duty to:
- verify that the MFM security seals remain intact both before and after the bunkering operation and that the seal numbers match the seal numbers indicated in the latest Seal Verification Report onboard the bunker tanker;
- witness and record both opening and closing MFM readings; the meter reading must be set to zero before the commencement of the bunkering operation;
- check that the printed Bunker Metering Ticket contains the correct information (Name of bunker tanker and craft license number, MFM unique identification number, date and time of the bunker operation start and end, print time and mass in air); and
- ensure that the printed Bunker Metering Ticket is duly signed by both parties and attached to the BDN.
Using a bunker surveyor is still important as the role of the surveyor as an independent party to witness and ensure compliance during bunkering processes remains unchanged. However, the role of bunker surveyors for MFM deliveries will change. For example, the surveyor will be required to cross check the seal verification report and the actual physical seals at various locations in the MFM system.
Source: The Gard P&I Club
