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T HE OF FICIA L P U B L I C AT I O N O F M A RI NE M A I N TE N A N CE WO R LD E XPO | OCTOB E R 14-16, 2 0 14 | BRUS S ELS , BELGI UM

JA NUA RY 2014

JANUARY 2014

MA RI N E MA I N TE NA NCE TECHNOLOGY INTE RNATIONA L

Exclusive: Decision
time for the Royal
Canadian Navy p.20
Spotlight on Norways tough
Hurtigruten fleet p.04
UKIP Media & Events Ltd

p.10
Why dont more operators
practice condition-based
maintenance?

The quality, economic and


logistic challenges of spare
parts procurement and how
best to overcome them p.26

Leveling work at sea

Did you know that misalignment of rotating machinery accounts


for between 30% and 40% of equipment failures on a workboat?
Research shows this, and also indicates that misalignment is
generally caused by inadequate measurement techniques or
unsuitable chocking. The biggest part of the downtime is not
the re-alignment process but the choice of chocking method.
Some methods will result in longer downtime due to the
installation process and logistics.
SKF can help reduce costly downtime and technically improve
the chocking process with one simple solution the SKF Vibracon
re-adjustable steel chock.
SKF Vibracon is easy to install first time and every time and
is adjustable when re-alignment is needed, as many of the
worlds leading companies already know.
Leading global workboat companies are already specifying
SKF Vibracon as their standard chocking solution for most
of their rotating equipment.

The Power of Knowledge Engineering


www.skf.com/marine | service.marine@skf.com

CONTENTS

XXXXXXXX

\\

Graham Johnson
Managing Director

20

04

26

32

38

In this issue
04 Extreme regime

The maintenance team at Norway's


Hurtigruten express ferry service
explain how they keep the fleet
operational despite a brisk
schedule in Arctic conditions

32 Ship repair

Ship repair contracts should be


drafted and studied with the
utmost care and attention

38 Propeller cleaning

A clean set of propellers can lead


to substantial fuel savings, while
operators should always take care
when carrying out repairs

10 Condition-based maintenance
CBM could help operators avoid
costly breakdowns and reduce
maintenance costs so why are so
many in the marine industry yet to
be convinced?

44 Marine Maintenance World


Expo 2013

Some of the many highlights from


our September show in Brussels

20 Royal Canadian Navy

Should the RCN opt to keep fleet


maintenance in-house or would a
single in-service support contract
partner make a better choice?

26 Spare parts

MMTI investigates the


challenges surrounding spare
parts procurement

52 Coating inspection

Intelligent tools to make the


difficult job of coating thickness
inspection just that little bit easier

56 Engine monitoring

Cylinder pressure monitors can


provide vital information on
engine condition reducing
downtime and slashing costs

60 Condition monitoring

Fuel, oil and lubricant solutions

62 Structural conversion

How a side-loading paper carrier


was converted into a logger in
just five weeks!

64 Coatscale removal

A cost-effective and
environmentally friendly
alternative to grit blasting for
the removal of coatscale from
ballast tanks

66 Rotor balancing

A compact and complete system


for all field balancing tasks

68 Ask the expert...

John Carlton, Professor of Marine


Engineering at London's City
University, examines the future of
ship propulsion
THE OFFIC
IAL

PUBLIC ATION

OF MARIN
E MAINT ENANC

E WORL D
E XPO | OCTOB
ER

14-16, 2014
| BRUSS ELS,

BELGI UM

JANUA RY
2014
INTER NATIO
NAL

Exclusive: De
cision
time for the
Royal
Canadian
Navy p.20
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JANUA RY

Spotlight on
Norways tough
Hurtigruten
fleet p.04
p.10
Why dont more
practice cond operators
maintenance?ition-based

The quality,
economic and
logistic challe
parts proc nges of spare
urement
and how
best to overc
ome them
p.26

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014 01

FOREWORD
THE O F F I C I A L P U B L I C ATI O N O F M A R I N E M A I N TE N A N C E WO R L D E X P O | O CTO B ER 1 4-1 6, 201 4 | BRUSSE LS, BE LG I UM

JANUARY 201 4

Welcome

Bunny Richards
Editor

Exclusive: Decision
time for the Royal
Canadian Navy p.20
Spotlight on Norways tough
Hurtigruten fleet p.04
UKIP Media & Events Ltd

The expo welcomed


more than 100
exhibitors and 1,500
attendees from almost
50 countries

MARI NE MAI NTE NANC E TEC HNO LO GY I NTE RNATI O NAL

nyone who was in Brussels for the inaugural Marine Maintenance World Expo back in
September will no doubt agree with the assessment of NATO Support Agency project
officer Khristian Kowalski, who described the free-to-attend show as a goldmine.
Launched with the express aim of bringing the pages of this magazine to life by
focusing on the issues and technologies set to shape the future of the marine maintenance
industry, the expo welcomed more than 100 exhibitors and 1,500 attendees from almost 50
countries, including Korea, Australia, Singapore and the USA, as well as representatives from all
the major European ports.
Attendees left with a host of new business contacts, and a wealth of ideas about how to
improve their maintenance operations. One happy visitor was Captain Andrew Glennie of the
Royal Navy, who said, The range of industries represented at the show was excellent. The
companies there had capabilities we were not aware of in the Naval Base and they have the
potential to remedy a couple of difficult technical challenges we have on our ships at sea today.
Meanwhile, the conference and technology demonstration area was packed with
presentations from more
than 30 experts, covering the
hottest industry topics with a
particularly strong emphasis on
condition-based maintenance
(CBM). Visitors were clearly very
keen to learn all they could about
CBM, with many in the industry
still unsure how to best implement
this new tool to ensure the best
return on their investment. In fact,
this is the subject of our own CBM
feature, which you can find on page 10.
You can also read about how the Royal Canadian Navy is making big changes to its
maintenance program for its vessels and sub-sea fleet (p.20), and respected marine journalist
Wendy Laursen looks at ship repair contracts (p.32).
But perhaps the most important words I should draw your attention to are as follows:
with more than 200 exhibitors and double the number of attendees expected, plus an even
bigger conference, the most important dates for your 2014 diary are October 14-16, when
Marine Maintenance World Expo will be returning to Brussels, Belgium. I look forward to
seeing you all there!

JANUARY 2014

p.10
Why dont more operators
practice condition-based
maintenance?

The quality, economic and


logistic challenges of spare
parts procurement and how
best to overcome them p.26

Editor: Bunny Richards


(bunny.richards@ukipme.com)
Production editor: Alex Bradley
Chief sub editor: Andrew Pickering
Deputy chief sub editor: Nick Shepherd
Proofreaders: Aubrey Jacobs-Tyson, Christine
Velarde, Tara Craig, Nicola Keeler, Lynn Wright
Art director: Craig Marshall
Art editor: Andrew Locke
Design contributors: Andy Bass, Louise
Adams, Anna Davie, James Sutcliffe,
Nicola Turner, Julie Welby, Ben White
Head of production & logistics:
Ian Donovan
Deputy production manager:
Lewis Hopkins
Production team: Carole Doran,
Cassie Inns, Frank Millard, Robyn Skalsky
Circulation manager: Suzie Matthews
Publication director: Mike Robinson
(mike.robinson@ukipme.com)
Project manager: Peter Sarno, Tom Eames
and David Binge
CEO: Tony Robinson
Managing director: Graham Johnson
Editorial director: Anthony James

CONTRIBUTORS
ISSN 2049-8152
Published by
UKIP Media & Events Ltd

Wendy Laursen
started working
as a freelance
journalist in 2004
after completing a
Master of Science
research degree in
marine ecology, a
journalism diploma
and an advanced
communication
skills certificate.

Neil Jones is
based in Scotland
and has worked
in, and covered
stories on, a wide
range of industries,
including marine
electronics, the
motor industry and,
for the past 20
years, oil and gas.

Colin Sowman
started writing
for Commercial
Motor magazine,
until he became
technical editor for
The Motor Ship,
before turning
his attention to
construction plants.
He now specializes
in technical writing
on a freelance basis.

Contact us at:
Marine Maintenance Technology International
Abinger House, Church Street, Dorking,
Surrey, RH4 1DF
tel: +44 1306 743744
fax: +44 1306 742525
The views expressed in the articles and
technical papers are those of the authors and
are not endorsed by the publishers. While
every care has been taken during production,
the publisher does not accept any liability for
errors that may have occurred.
Copyright 2014
Subscriptions
60/US$108
Printed by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd,
26 Planetary Road, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3XT, UK

02 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

FROM RUST & SCALE LAYERS


TO PRE-CLEANING STANDARD
EQUAL TO ISO 8501-1 D Sa 1,
D Sa 2 OR BETTER, USING:
COATSCALEREMOVER
BEFORE

AFTER

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HURTIGRUTEN

Extreme maintenance challenges

Service
while you wait
Hurtigruten has 11 ships calling at 34 ports
on Norways northwest coast. How is the fleet
maintained under such harsh conditions?
Colin Sowman, Marine Maintenance Technology International

04 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

HURTIGRUTEN

or an intensive operation in
challenging conditions, there is
no need to look any further than
Norways Hurtigruten. Conceived
as an express postal service (hurtig ruten
means fast route) in the 1890s, the fleet
plies the Norwegian fjords northwards from
Bergen into the Arctic Circle and almost to
the border with Russia. Today, the ships also
carry up to 1,000 cruise passengers; in 2012,
Hurtigruten carried 400,000 passengers,
spending 1.1 million cruise nights along the
Norwegian coast.
The 2,700 nautical mile round trip
(Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen) takes 11 days and
calls at 34 ports, but the longest stop is only
eight hours most are less than two hours
and many are just 15 minutes leaving little
time for maintenance. Whats more, a fleet
of 11 ships is required to provide the daily

postal, goods and local passenger transport


service required by the contract Hurtigruten
has with the Norwegian government. The
eight-year contract runs to 2020, with a
possible one-year extension.
Dag-Arne Wensel, Hurtigrutens director
of maritime operations, explains how
maintenance is arranged with such very
tight schedules. As the time in port is so
short, there is little opportunity to carry out
any involved maintenance, so redundancy
is built into everything. We work on the
philosophy of taking the cost upfront rather
than having issues on a daily basis.
We build our ships with a lot of
redundancy and postpone work until the
docking period whenever we can, as it is
more convenient and less expensive. But
some work needs to be done to keep the
vessels running and in the worst case, a ship

may need to go to the shipyard. However,


in most cases we avoid that, he says.
Because the ships generally call into
up to three ports a day, the ethos is that
maintenance is done in port. If necessary,
additional maintenance staff can be
dispatched from the main depot, while in the
event of a major problem, a vessel is never far
from a port and a stopover can be arranged.
This year, the company has reintroduced
a scheduled one-day maintenance stopover
in Bergen throughout October. By doing this
successively for each ship, there is only a
one-day gap in the services provided to the
Norwegian public. With the strict regulations
on the use of anti-fouling paint, one of the
key tasks during the stopover is having the
hull cleaned by divers, as Wensel explains:
Even though the ships are running 24/7,
we stop in 34 harbors, so in total they spend

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

05

HURTIGRUTEN

MS NORDNORGE
Built: Kvrner Kleven, 1997
Length (LOA): 123.3m
Beam: 19.5m
Draft: 5.1m
Gross tonnage: 11,386
Passenger capacity: 623
Cargo area: 960m2
Vehicle capacity: 45
Main engines 2 x MaK 6M552C
Bore/stroke: 450/520mm
Output@rpm: 4,500kW @ 500rpm
(750kW/cylinder)
Mean piston speed: 8.7m/sec
Reduction gearboxes: 2 x Lohmann +
Stolterforht GCK755 HP-50
Shaft generators: 2 x 2,300kW AVK
Aux engines: 2 x 1, 265kW Ulstein
Bergen KGR8
Propellers: 2 x 3,340mm diameter with
variable pitch
Bow thrusters: 2 x 1,070kW Brunvoll
Stern thrusters: 2 x 545kW Brunvoll
Steering: 2 x Becker-type rudders

a lot of time at the quayside and growth


starts to stick to the hulls. And as this
year has been a really warm summer, the
challenge is even greater.
We can see that fuel consumption has
gone up through the summer, so now we
are spending some time cleaning hulls.
Maintenance-wise, it would be better if the
ships kept running and didnt stop in so
many harbors. But the number of ports on
our schedule is specified in the contract and
is a very important part of the Hurtigruten
travel experience, he says.

TOP LEFT: New lube oil separators use less power


TOP RIGHT: Visual engine monitoring and the main
control panel
ABOVE: Port-side Lohmann + Stolterforht GCK755
HP-50 gearbox
RIGHT: One of MS Nordnorges two MaK 6M552C
main engines
OPPOSITE PAGE
TOP LEFT: Final paint touch-up before winter sets in
CENTRE: Engineer Steve Mikkelsen checks over a
valve in MS Nordnorges workshop
BOTTOM LEFT: While a few patches have been
necessary, the paintwork remains in great condition
TOP RIGHT: Although major overhauls are carried out
at dry docking, a cylinder set of spares is carried
BOTTOM RIGHT: Winches are used intensively but
give few problems, even in arctic conditions

Voyage of discovery
To get a closer look at the maintenance
operations, we spent some time aboard MS
Nordnorge the second of three Hurtigruten
vessels built by Norwegian yard Kvrner
Kleven. Having just had her hull cleaned,
chief engineer Stig Johannessen was
closely monitoring fuel consumption. At
the time of our visit to the control room,
the ship was cruising at about 13kts and
burning 928 l/hr. On a typical round trip, the
vessel will use 220m3 of fuel and has enough
bunker capacity for three voyages.
The twin six-cylinder MaK engines
produce 4,500kW at 480rpm and run on a

fuel that Johannessen, who has 27 years


experience with Hurtigruten vessels,
describes as akin to a marine diesel but
with a high wax content. Beyond heating
to 50C, there is minimal requirement for
fuel processing. In an effort to reduce fuel
consumption two (one for each engine), new
GEA Westfalia lube oil separators have been
installed, which consume far less energy
than the original units.
Because the ship is not fitted with SCR
exhaust aftertreatment, the company has to
pay the Norwegian government an emissions
tax. However, Hurtigruten can reclaim 80%

06 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

of the capital cost of measures that reduce


NOx emissions (as happens when less fuel
is burned) from the governments NOx fund.
The fund is designed to encourage ship
operators to invest in technology that cuts
NOx emissions. Not only does the new lube
oil processing system on MS Nordnorge fall
into this category, so does the retrofitting of
low-energy lighting throughout the ship.
More importantly, while Marine
Maintenance Technology International
was on board MS Nordnorge, Hurtigruten
announced that it will be replacing the
original CP propellers on the MS Richard

HURTIGRUTEN

With (built by Volkswerft, Germany, in


1993) with Rolls-Royces Promas Lite
integrated propeller and rudder system. At
the vessel's 15kts service speed, the new
propulsion system is expected to reduce fuel
consumption by 11-14%. The retrofit will also
be partially paid for out of Norways NOx
fund, and if the system proves successful,
Hurtigruten will consider retrofitting sister
ships MS Nordlys and MS Kong Harald with
the new propulsion system.
MS Nordnorge carries 10 engineers
(including two trainees) working in a
three-shift system, each with a lead engineer

and a motorman. The other four members


of the maintenance crew are a fitter, an
electrician and two apprentices (one
mechanical, one electrical). Individual crew
members work 22 days (two round trips)
followed by 22 days leave. Handovers are
made easier because they join and leave at
a variety of ports, not just Bergen.
Maintenance work, including routine
tasks such as changing injectors or exhaust
valves, is scheduled during one of the many
port calls, depending on the time available.
Full engine overhauls with piston and
liner changes are carried out every five

years (43,000 hours) to coincide with dry


docking. In case there is an engine problem,
a spare cylinder set (head, liner, piston
and connecting rod) along with gaskets,
seals and bearings is carried on board.
Should engine removal be required (as was
necessary on one vessel), then bulkheads
have to be cut.
The main engines drive twin propellers
at 175rpm via two reduction gearboxes and
also power shaft generators that can be
used as feed-in motors to maintain service
speed in the event of a problem with one
of the main engines. However, during our

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014 07

HURTIGRUTEN

ABOUT HURTIGRUTEN

urtigruten was established in 1893 as


a regular year-round service along
the coast of Norway. Today, 120 years
later, the fleet still carries goods and local
passengers, but also a significant number
of international cruise guests.
The combination of cruise and local
transportation is sustainable to the
destinations along the magnificent
Norwegian coastline and offers exceptional
experiences of nature and culture to
international guests. The companys
captains use their extensive maritime
expertise to ensure that guests and
goods are safely carried from port to port.
Today, as then, Hurtigrutens ships
form an essential part of Norwegian
coastal life. One of the fleets 11 ships
departs Bergen daily, sailing to Kirkenes
and back in 12 days at an average speed
of 15kts.

visit, the starboard shaft generator was


out of action, with the exciter having been
removed for rewinding at an independent
engineering facility in lesund. Other
recent work included the replacement of
motors in the stern and bow thrusters, with
the removed motors being dropped off in
thruster manufacturer Brunvolls home town
of Molde a port visited on both the north
and southbound voyages.
A combined mechanical/diesel electric
drive with podded azimuthing thruster
propulsion is used on the newer (post2000) vessels. While Wensel says such
systems add complexity and complicate
maintenance, he believes the operational
advantages outweigh these drawbacks
and pods would feature in any new-build.
Although maintenance of such systems
could require specialist knowledge, he
says the regular stops make it easy to take
additional maintenance staff or contractors
on board a particular vessel. This is done in
the event of a problem with the navigational
equipment or other electronic systems
(which are also duplicated).
Hurtigrutens vessels are Ice Class 1C,
but for the majority of the voyage the Gulf
Stream prevents the water from freezing.
Operating conditions are, however, far
from benign because the air temperature

ABOVE: Rolls Royce's Promas Lite integrated


propeller and rudder system will be retrofitted
to MS Richard With

can fall to -25C and below. Despite this,


external equipment such as the winches,
which are used intensively, generally causes
few problems for the maintenance crews.
We have a lot of experience and select
machinery very carefully, says Wensel.

Painting before dark


Even in early October, aboard MS Nordnorge
the hours of daylight were diminishing by
12 minutes a day. The crew took what may
be their last opportunity to repaint a few
small areas of the deck before the light fades,
the temperature drops and the bad weather
sets in. Painting, says Johannessen, is a
never-ending job, although repainting of the

If we were designing a newbuild, we would have even


more redundancy built in
such as a second gangway
Dag-Arne Wensel Hurtigruten

08 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

main hull is carried out during scheduled


dry docking which for MS Nordnorge was
a year ago. While small areas have been
repainted since, the Jotun paintwork on the
hull is in excellent condition. Water around
the Norwegian coast has low levels of salinity
and the hull is protected by a combined
sacrificial anode and impressed current
system with four anodes fitted around the
areas of the bow and stern thrusters.
To accommodate the dry dockings,
each ship will miss one or two round trips
depending on the extent of the work needed.
The oldest (and smallest) vessel on the line,
the MS Lofoten, built in 1964, is dry-docked
every year. It is not required by class, but it
is a precaution because on older ships more
problems can arise and again we prefer to
accept the cost of preventive measures than
have the service disrupted, says Wensel.
With the vessels movements known well
in advance and an 11- or 22-day window
for the ship to be delivered to the dry dock,
have the work carried out and returned
to Bergen, Hurtigruten has the choice of
many shipyards. According to Wensel, It
is down to competition between the yards
and Hurtigruten uses facilities in Norway,
Sweden, Germany and Denmark.
With a regular route and 120 years of
experience to draw on, it is perhaps not
surprising that Hurtigruten has its operation
finely honed, but that is not to say that
improvements couldn't be made. If we were
designing a new-build, we would have even
more redundancy built in such as a second
gangway, says Wensel.
And as to the fuel consumption of MS
Nordnorge following the hull cleaning, it was
6% better than on the previous trip (albeit
she had fewer passengers this time) a very
worthwhile saving. \\

CMS

Clever Marine Services Ltd

CMS

Clever Marine Services Ltd


Reasonable pricing for fast and professional
solutions

Reasonable pricing for fast and professional solutions

Reasonable pricing for fast and professional


solutions

CMS Ltd was founded in 2009 with the aim to provide


shipowners, shipmanagers and other companies in the
marine industry with an alternative, pricely predictable,
fast and professional option to the costly manufacturers
and consultancy services.
We are currently employing six steady employees and have
a large pool of experienced engineers, enginefitters, welders,
turners, painters and sandblasters to source from.

SERVICES
Overhaul + Maintenance of auxiliary + main engines
UT wall thikness measurement (class approved)
Superintendency
Pre-purchase and condition survey
Insurance surveys (member of IIMS)
ISM/ISPS/ILO consultancy and service

CONTACT
Cpt. Sven Fromm
Managing Director
ph: +44 (0) 7624 433096
email: svenf@clevermarine.com

Jayne Kinley
Logistics and Dispatch Manager
ph: +44 (0) 7624 475152
email: clevermarine@clevermarine.com

Stefan Skaba
Supervising Engineer
ph: +44 (0) 7624 463994
email: stefans@clevermarine.com

Piotr Krajniak
Supervising Engineer
ph: +44 (0) 7624 460231
email: piotrk@clevermarine.com

CONDITION-BASED MAINTENANCE

ILLUSTRATION: Shaw Nielsen

Industry response

10 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

CONDITION-BASED MAINTENANCE

Gear
shift
Why has the marine industry been so slow to
embrace condition-based maintenance?
Anthony James, Marine Maintenance Technology International

ondition-based maintenance (CBM)


is yet to really take hold across the
marine industry, with ship owners
often failing to grasp the value of
investment, while maintenance personnel
worry about the impact this new technology
could have on their employment. However,
the evidence continues to grow that CBM
has much to offer the marine industry,
particularly with regard to ship availability
and extended maintenance cycles.

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

11

CONDITION-BASED MAINTENANCE

One reason why the industry has been


slow to embrace CBM is a lack of knowledge
about the techniques to be used, but the
main reason is a lack of clarity regarding
the possible return on investment, says
Harry Lijzenga, manager integrated logistic
support, Defence Materiel Organisation for
the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN).
Lijzenga recently addressed some of
the issues surrounding CBM at the Marine
Maintenance Technology Conference, held
in Brussels in September. He understands
that owners and operators remain
skeptical: They want to know what they
gain by investing in CBM, buying lots
of new equipment and paying for all the
necessary training before implementing it
into an existing maintenance strategy, he
says. Meanwhile there is also a cultural
resistance from those already working in
the maintenance environment, who point
to proven techniques and ask why they
have to change.
Danny Shorten, lead business
development specialist, CBM services, at
Lloyd's Register, who also spoke at the
Marine Maintenance Technology Conference,
agrees that common misunderstandings
about CBM persist and are caused, in
his opinion, by a combination of culture,
current regulation and low margins. It is
surprising that so few ships are enrolled on
planned maintenance system and condition
monitoring schemes with their classification
provider and that the majority of these
vessels (70%) are managed out of Europe,
he wrote in a September 2013 paper entitled
Marine Machinery Condition Monitoring
Why has the shipping industry been so
slow to adopt?
As the reliability of marine machinery
is critical to the success of the modern ship

Condition

Reasons for resistance

Detectable indication
of a failing process

Potential
failure, P

Detection of the
potential failure
Net P-F
Interval
Functional
failure, F

CBM inspection interval:


< P-F Interval

P-F Interval

Working age

operator, it is curious that the willingness of


companies to devise an optimal maintenance
strategy based upon the needs of the
machine as opposed to schedules created
by the manufacturer is not greater, he
continues. The reason companies take this
position is not so clear but may be rooted
in the power shift where control has moved
away from the ship towards the office.
Shorten also echoes Lijzengas point
about concerns over return on investment:
The benefits are harder to objectively
quantify because they rely on an unknown
potential for improvement in reliability,
availability enhancements, spares bill
reductions and efficiency savings, which
all result from doing more work that yields
benefit and less that does not, he says.

Which is the best method?


Ship operators and managers are often
overwhelmed by a bewildering range of
techniques and technologies offered by
a rapidly growing supply base of CBM
products and services. Unfortunately, there
is no clear winner the best monitoring
techniques need to be decided on a caseby-case basis. It differs in every company
and according to the goal to be achieved,
notes Lijzenga. In the RNN we primarily
use vibration monitoring, oil analysis and
infrared techniques.

Overall there are many techniques, with


many degrees of complexity and capability
in each one, warns Shorten. "Vibration
analysis is the most mature technique
as a condition monitoring tool but is not
a panacea, he says. It must be applied
appropriately, as must all other tools such as
oil analysis, acoustic emission, ultrasound
and thermography.
However, Shorten says its not always
about new technology: It is important
to remember that condition monitoring
performed as part of a planned preventative
maintenance plan, or indeed a conditionbased maintenance plan, is done to evaluate
the health of the machine and we can do
many things, without resorting to high
capital expenditure projects, that can
steer us towards this. For example normal
pressure, temperature and flow readings
can be used, and our own senses are very
powerful and can be used to routinely gather
knowledge about the state of a machine
and its environment. As I now say regularly,
Condition monitoring is a state of mind!
Meanwhile Przemyslaw Kowalak
of the Maritime University of Szczecin,
Poland, warns against an over-reliance on
vibration analysis alone: On board many
vessels there is reciprocating machinery
that generates huge amounts of additional
vibration, he says. To complicate the

There is also a cultural resistance


from those already working in the
maintenance environment, who
point to proven techniques and
ask why they have to change
Harry Lijzenga, manager of integrated logistic support,
Defence Materiel Organisation for the Royal Netherlands Navy

12 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

CONDITION-BASED MAINTENANCE

HOW DOES CBM WORK?


Harry Lijzenga, manager of integrated logistic support for the
Royal Netherlands Navy, explains the key principles behind CBM

BM is best explained using


the P-F interval concept
(pictured, below). This is based
on the fact that most failures
give some sort of warning or
deterioration in condition before
they occur. The condition
should be measurable either
directly or indirectly via a
related parameter, for example
pressure or vibration. The
condition should be directly
related to the functional
capability of the system of
interest. When a component

is new or just maintained, the


functional capability and thus
the condition is assumed to
be optimal. As time passes,
the condition decreases to a
point where the deviation from
normal becomes measurable.
This is point P, the point of
potential failure, at which
there are not yet any or any
unacceptable effects on
capability. As time passes the
condition decreases until point
F, the point of functional failure,
at which the component ceases

problem, the ships are built from steel,


which can transmit vibration signals over
a long distance with only a little loss. Those
vibrations influence one another, resonate,
etc. Therefore vibration monitoring is
extremely difficult on board any vessel
with reciprocating machinery.
At the very least he advises that oil
analysis should also be carried out: Any
machine should be considered individually,
and we should look for a specific source of
information, he says. In diesel engines, for
example, many problems result in altered
lubrication performance: main and journal
bearings, liners and rings are all exposed
to friction, temperature, fuel, water and
leaking exhaust gas contamination. If we are
able to monitor the oil with respect to many
parameters it can be a valuable source of
information. But it is definitely not sufficient
to monitor the oil only. A reliable and
comprehensive monitoring system should
consist of as many sources of information
as possible. Then we can confirm or exclude
problems observed by one source with the
aid of another.

Potential pitfall
Having decided that its actually worth
investing in a particular condition
monitoring technology as part of a CBM
engine strategy, ship operators and
managers need to guard against mistakes
regarding where and how readings are
taken. A misplaced or poorly fitted sensor
is not going to provide useful data. But the
biggest mistake is to fail to make the most
of the potential of CBM.
The single most likely cause of problems
with condition monitoring is the failure
to establish a company-wide belief that
these activities are valuable to the whole
of the business, says Shorten. Experience
has shown that often companies rush to

to function at the required


level of capability. The P-F
interval determines the required
measuring periodicity to enable
the detection of potential failure
at an adequate time before
functional failure.
A refinement of the P-F
interval is the net P-F interval
(left). This is important for
logistical reasons and it
is determined by the time
between P and F minus the
inspection interval. This net
P-F interval is the worstcase scenario in which there
is the least time to react to
a developing failure. The

net P-F interval determines


how far ahead you can plan
maintenance, so the longer this
interval the less emergency
provisioning and repairs in
overtime are expected. Up to a
certain level the net P-F interval
can be reduced by shortening
the inspection interval. This
can lead to additional costs,
because inspection and
analysis must be performed
more often. With continuous
online monitoring the difference
between the P-F interval and
the net P-F interval disappears,
resulting in the maximal
planning time for maintenance.

Changes in vibration
P-F interval (1-9 months)
Point where
failure starts
to occur

Wear debris in oil P-F


interval (1-6 months)
1R Thermography P-F
interval (3-12 weeks)

P1

Audible noise P-F


interval (1-4 weeks)

P2
P3

P4

Heat by touch P-F


interval (1-5 days)

P5

F
Catastrophic
failure

buy hardware and software but do not


actually integrate it well or develop the right
management culture to put it to good use.
Shorten says at each level in any
company there will be different motivations.
For example the CEO is interested in profit,
the fleet manager is concerned with fewer
off-hire events, and the third engineer wants
fewer unnecessary tasks and greater job
satisfaction. As with any change, it has to be
managed properly, he says.
Lijzenga advises that operators make a
plan on how best to implement CBM within
their maintenance organization before they
purchase equipment, and that they should
not be afraid to ask for advice. First decide
which installations CBM is going to be used
for, and then start the implementation with
a qualified company that has experience in
CBM and the techniques that can be used,
he advises. In my experience with many
companies I see that they start too soon with
vibration or oil sampling, before asking if
they are the right techniques.
Classification societies are also there
to offer help. For example Lloyd's Register

has produced its own guide, entitled


Condition Monitoring of Marine Machinery,
and Shorten says the company plans to do
more: We are looking to produce a further
supplementary document to align condition
monitoring with class descriptive notes,
which allow chief engineers to credit items
for survey.
Another good source is ISO 17359:2011,
which establishes the general guidance
for setting up and operating a condition
monitoring system in any industry. This is
particularly useful for the marine industry as
it links business requirements with criticality
and the condition monitoring cycle.

Skills gap
Once an operator or manager opts for
CBM, they potentially face a deluge of data.
This raises an obvious question: Who
should analyze the information gathered?
In order to process data an advanced
processing unit must be installed, which
in turn has to be verified by a well-trained
specialist, says Kowalak. The company
has to decide whether they can trust the

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

13

CONDITION-BASED MAINTENANCE

personnel on board, or additional costs of


training and/or increased salaries have to
be considered. Otherwise the data has to be
sent ashore, which means a wide bandwidth
communication system is necessary,
requiring additional investment plus
regular transmission costs. Specialist data
processing ashore is a further cost.
Shorten argues that it doesnt always
need to be expensive, with less sophisticated
solutions perfectly acceptable under the
right circumstances: Expertise can be
local where it is based on local needs and
experience, he says. It can be built into
software to allow greater autonomy at
the vessel, and it can be looked at ashore
by highly qualified persons, he reasons.
The ideal mix will vary from company
to company, which is why it is critical to
identify a third party to work on your behalf
to align the needs of the business and the
staff with the needs of the system.
Lijzenga also advises a hybrid approach:
The data is best analyzed by trained
engineers, he says. This can be a third
party, a department in the organization or
the people on board the ship. The advantage
of an internal department or people on board
is the commitment of the engineers when
analyzing the data.
However Lijzenga warns it can take three
to five years to become a senior analyst
when using vibration as a CBM technique,
while oil monitoring is best done by
engineers who are familiar with the engine
and chemists who have knowledge of the
different analyses that can be applied to oil
samples. Regardless of which technique you
decide to use in CBM, it takes trained people
with years of experience and commitment,
he says. I would choose a mix of company
people and a third party.
For Kowalak, a combination of analysis
on land, backed up by the experience of
the crew on board, is most likely to yield
the best results: In general I am of the
opinion that the data should be analyzed
ashore, he says. The main reason is that
only professional analysts can derive

HUMAN FACTORS

hen it comes to CBM, its important


to remember that the technology in
itself is not a miracle cure. For example,
installing a CBM system will not protect
you against human error. On board one
of my vessels a turbocharger monitoring
system was only installed following an
accident caused by human error, which
resulted in a fire in the engine room,
recalls Przemyslaw Kowalak from the
Maritime University of Szczecin, Poland,
and a former marine chief engineer. Such
accidents occur relatively seldom and on
this vessel, due to increased caution of
the crew, it will hopefully never happen
again. The problem is that CBM does not
protect against human error that results
in sudden failure. It is meant to protect
against relatively slow deterioration of
the machine. In some cases it may help
in deciding whether the maintenance
can be delayed or not.

Ultimately, Kowalak says, CBM wont suit


every operator: For a typical merchant
vessel the profit of reducing maintenance
cycles is not sufficient to compensate
for the initial cost. Mostly because it is
difficult to define precisely when it will pay
back. However, for special vessels where
reliability is of the utmost importance,
such as in the offshore energy business,
any spending that leads to improved
reliability is profitable.

useful information from a huge flow of


data. They have to be very well trained
and supported by dedicated software, and
through processing information from many
sources they gain experience much faster
than an engineer on board. However, the
crew still has to be a part of the system.
Only they know the specific environment
surrounding the machinery. They know the
working conditions and they know many
small problems related to the supporting
installations and systems. Moreover
they know the history of the plant. Such
information is much harder to be transferred
ashore in automatic form, so good
cooperation between a shore-based analyst
and an aware engineer on board is crucial.
He warns of potential friction between
the two parties: I have frequently noticed
unnecessary friction between the vessel
and the shore, he cautions. It comes mostly
from a lack of understanding on both sides.
Support ashore frequently treats the crew
simply as technicians with very basic
knowledge and education. At the same time

engineers on board question the seagoing


experience of those on shore, and whether
they really understand problems on board.

Clearly, if data storage is not controlled,


then you risk having millions of results
that offer no benefit. As a diagnostician,
I want as much relevant historical
information as possible
Danny Shorten, lead business development specialist,
CBM services, Lloyds Register

14 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

Storage protocols
There are fewer concerns regarding actual
data storage, with increasing maritime
connectivity enabling easy uploading to the
cloud or data centers. This is not such a big
issue as it once was, due to the degree of
connectivity improvement that has occurred
in recent years, however it remains a
consideration, says Shorten.
But what actually requires long-term
archiving? My view is that data that has
not varied is of no value, replies Lloyds
Registers Shorten. Thus I think that there
is a need to design storage protocols around
what and why we store data. Clearly, if
data storage is not controlled, then you
risk having millions of results that offer no
benefit. As a diagnostician, I want as much
historical information as possible that is
relevant to the diagnostic process and as
little as possible that has no relevance.
As such, he advises designing a protocol
for data storage based on a cascading
system that makes an active choice to
increase or reduce the data collection
frequency and to delete or store data
according to a set of rules. What ultimately
forms the data store is then perfectly
relevant to the diagnostic process, he says.
However, he goes on to offer a cautionary
note with regard to the context of the
stored data in relation to the whole data
population, which must also be taken into
consideration. Often the data available has
more than one intended use, he says. One
excellent example is where the data is also

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User defined
(based upon the
users unique
blend of safety,
environmental or
business critical
variables)

2. Create a comprehensive asset


register and set up a Computerised
Maintenance Management System (CMMS)

3. Carry out
criticality analysis

Spare part
optimization

4. Define the appropriate


maintenance task
and frequency

Feed back loops

Maintenance
task priortization

4a. Scheduled
maintenance

4b. Condition-based
maintenance

5. Do the task

6. Record outcome, notes,


recommendations, etc, and update
results in the CMMS system. Perform
trend analysis, evaluations and fault
diagnostics detailing recommendations
and any new tasks

7. Monitor, review and


measure effectiveness of
maintenance strategy

used to manage the daily performance of


the main engines. The source of the data
may well be the same, but the use to which
it is put is different and as such subject
to different alarms, alerts and associated
protocols. One should always consider the
wider implications so as to stay in control.
I suspect that cloud storage combined with
local storage will become most acceptable
so that those who use the data can access
manageable chunks with ease.

Slow progress
With so many considerations and potential
costs, its no surprise that large sections

Based upon
consideration of
the requirements
from class, OEM,
risk and reliability
study/RCM study,
regulations, etc

of the marine industry have yet to fully


embrace CBM. As Shorten writes in his own
report: Within the shipping industry there
is no single and powerful motivator. The
business of shipping in the main is a covert
operation in that minor issues surrounding
maintenance are often not reported or
considered normal operation. Hull and
machinery insurance costs are so low as
to effectively create a tier of protection that
mitigates the need to apply maintenance at
anything other than a compliance level.
However that attitude is changing,
particularly in the offshore energy and
naval sectors, where the benefits of CBM

We took the decision to use condition


monitoring after realizing that most
failures were occurring after a
repair or overhaul
Harry Lijzenga, manager of integrated logistic support,
Defence Materiel Organisation for the Royal Netherlands Navy

16 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

4c. Re-design

4d. Corrective
unplanned
maintenance
Raise non-conformity
and carry out corrective
action process
(ref IACS, guideline 74)

Observation from
internal and external
audits (SIRE, oil major
vetting, class survey,
PSC, ISM, etc)

CM data collection, analysis and assessment

1. Define the business objectives


of the maintenance strategy

Review

RIGHT: Lloyds
Register advocates a
seven step
approach to CBM in
its condition
monitoring
guidelines for
owners

Policy, strategy, objectives and targets, plans

CONDITION-BASED MAINTENANCE

in preventing failure and the extortionate


costs or loss of life that might result are far
easier to grasp.
It should also be noted that a great many
failures to ship machinery happen after a
poorly performed maintenance procedure
or inspection, hence a more intelligent
approach to maintenance intervals could
be of benefit to all ship owners.
We took the decision to use condition
monitoring after realizing that most failures
were occurring after a repair or overhaul,
says the Royal Netherlands Navys Lijzenga.
By using condition monitoring as part of a
CBM strategy, you can gain insight into the
condition of the machines and installations
without having to open them, thereby
reducing the risk of faults. And if you
know the condition of the installation, you
can, as a ship owner, choose to extend the
maintenance, if class approved. For example,
instead of carrying out maintenance of an
engine after 6,000 hours, you can ask to use
a period of 8,000 hours.
Eventually the investment in CBM will
begin to pay off and those operators and
owners that have understood and explored
its benefits first and to the fullest will have
the most to gain.\\

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ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY

In-house or in-service support?

Fresh
start
20 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY

The Royal Canadian Navy is in the throes


of a transformation process that will see
a complete change in the way that ships
and submarines are maintained
Harry Reynolds, Marine Maintenance Technology International

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

21

ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY

he maintenance regime at the Royal


Canadian Navy (RCN) is moving
toward bringing in a single inservice support provider to instigate
efficiencies and cost savings as laid down
by the governments National Shipbuilding
Procurement Strategy.
Analysis work is being conducted by the
surface fleet to investigate what work could
be done under a class-based, in-service
support arrangement. Currently, ships are
maintained at two fleet maintenance facilities
(FMFs): Cape Breton, Esquimalt in British
Colombia on the West Coast; and Cape Scott
in Halifax on the East Coast. Level 1 and 2
maintenance is carried out by the ships staff
or at the FMFs, with Level 3 contracted out to
Irving Shipbuilding in the east or Seaspans
Victoria Shipyards in the west.
In 2008, the Department of National
Defence (DND) awarded Halifax Shipyard
a C$549m (US$533m) contract and Victoria
Shipyards a C$351m contract for the
ongoing maintenance and refit of Canadas
12 frigates. Each contract will last 12 years,
and when refit options are exercised, both
shipyards have to complete the refit work on
each ship within the 12-month operational
window given to that vessel.
Geoff Simpson, director of Maritime
Equipment Programme Management for
major surface combatants at the DND,
says that under the 10-year fleet plan,
maintenance periods are defined well in
advance and decisions are taken early as
to whether a vessel should go to the private
shipyard or remain at the FMF.
Each ship is sent to the private shipyard
every 13 months for a refit, and also on a
longer 60-month cycle for Level 3 dockingrelated maintenance, where the hull is taken
out of the water. The work is managed with
an individual contract per ship, and the
company will know what maintenance is
required on each vessel before it enters port.
But the decision now, as the RCN moves
toward a modernized fleet with new ships
being acquired and the Halifax-class
modernization and frigate life-extension
program underway, is what in-house
maintenance capabilities it wants to retain
at the FMFs or whether services should
be outsourced?

Frigate focus
Lockheed Martin was awarded a C$2bn
contract in September 2008 for the frigate
life-extension program, which included
C$1.4bn for combat systems integration
and a further C$600m for design, build and
in-service support. Under the program,
each ship will be out of service for almost
two years, but the time for the completion
of the work is tight, with only 81 months to
complete all 12 ships. The first ship entered
in September 2010, and the last ship is due to
come out in mid-2017.

But it is more than just


a money decision; it is a
question of whether we want
that capability strategically
Geoff Simpson, director of Maritime Equipment

Programme Management, DND

22 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

As we go toward a modernized fleet, we


are looking at whether we want to maintain
capability and costs, and the requirement
to build up capability within the FMFs, or
whether we want to set up an in-service
support-type arrangement with industry.
We are going through that analysis right
now, says Simpson. But it is more than just
a money decision; it is a question of whether
we want that capability strategically.
Tracy Poirier, communications officer at
the DND, says that as existing standalone
maintenance contracts for system-specific
support expire, it will reassess and
determine whether a more holistic approach
to managing support is possible and can
provide efficiencies: While contracts are in
place for the modernization effort, the followon in-service requirements are still being
established. As part of the overall Halifaxclass modernization project, we are assessing
a strategy that would see the bundling
of requirements that are similar under
standalone in-service support contracts.

ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY

MINOR WAR AND AUXILIARY VESSELS

he ships that the DND classes as


Minor War and Auxiliary Vessels
(MWAV), which include the 12 Kingstonclass coastal defence vessels, Orca-class
training vessels, diving tenders, HMCS
Oriole, tugs, harbor support vessels and
HMCS Quest, are maintained under an
eight-year, in-service support contract
with SNC-Lavalin Defence Programs.
Support for the Kingston-class ships
was extended under the MWAV contract
in 2012, and will be supported until
2020 when a new set of ships will enter
service to replace the class. SNC-Lavalin
contracted MacDonald, Dettwiler and
Associates (MDA) to provide operational
support services. MDA was an original
member of the SNC-Lavalin-led team that
designed and built the Kingston class
and provided integrated ship systems.
Maintenance for these vessels is both
based corrective. The RCN conducts
the first-level maintenance, while the
second and third levels are conducted
by the in-service support contractor or
its subcontractors.

OPPOSITE PAGE:
HMCS Chicoutimi,
one of four Victoriaclass, diesel-electric
submarines, being
towed back to the
Royal Canadian
Navy's Esquimalt
base on the West
Coast following an
onboard fire back
in 2004
LEFT: HMCS Iroquois
being painted

Simpson adds, The cost of setting up


the FMF and having qualified individuals
do the necessary work, operate the tools
and equipment, and all the things that go
with that, will determine whether we should
be outsourcing in total and have industry
conduct that type of activity.

Submarine lessons
Initial steps have already been taken by the
submarine service, which is running the
Victoria-class in-service support contract
(VISSC), initiated in 2008. Babcock Canada
was awarded a contract for up to 15 years
and C$1.5bn to provide third-line, deep-level
maintenance, support and upgrade work
under the Extended Docking Work Period
(EDWP) at Victoria Shipyards.
There are major challenges in returning
the RCNs four Victoria-class submarines
to service. One is the reactivation of supply
chains that had become dormant between
the decommissioning of the Oberon class
and acquiring the Victoria-class boats.

Earlier in 2013, the DND exercised the first


optional five-year renewal period for VISSC.
Blaine Duffley, in charge of submarine
management at Maritime Equipment
Programme Management, says that the
advantage of the VISSC relationship was
the continuous flow-through of work
at one facility so that Babcock and the
subcontractors can build up industrial
expertise. Using this knowledge, Duffley
says that operations are becoming more
sophisticated and they can gain an
understanding that not all equipment needs
to be overhauled, depending on its condition.
But we only make those judgements when
we have the technical analysis to back up
the change, he says.
Certainly cost-effectiveness is one factor,
and providing operational availability is
another. We do some maintenance based on
insulation readings on electrical equipment
programs, oil analysis programs and some
vibration analysis, to find the greatest return
on investment, he says.

SNC-Lavalin was first awarded a


maintenance contract by the RCN
in 1994, and in 2011 was awarded the
MWAV contract. In 2012, the company
was responsible for integrated logistics
support for the Canadian Coast Guards
Polar Icebreaker project, designed by
STX Marine, and says that overall it now
supports 53 vessels.
As the DND develops the support
arrangements for the future arctic and
offshore patrol vessels to be built by Irving
Shipbuilding, and joint support ships to
be built by Victoria Shipyards (which will
be contracted out to a single in-service
support provider for an initial term of eight
years with five-year extensions), it can look
to the MWAV arrangements for lessons on
how to proceed.
The three Iroquois-class destroyers
and two Protecteur-class auxiliary oil
replenishment ships, which will be replaced
by the joint support ships, are maintained
by the RCN for first- and second-level
maintenance. Third-level maintenance has
traditionally been contracted out to industry.

The oil analysis program looks mainly for


metal material contaminants and how many
parts per million would be in the oil. Based
on those readings, an assessment is made on
the action for that component.
With condition-based maintenance you
also need a team of qualified experts to be
competent in the analysis of that condition as
you increase the load of analysis required,
he says. Often the OEMs are brought into
the assessment as a submarine is a tightly
integrated platform and a change cant be
made in one area without checking the
impact on the rest of the platform as a whole.
Once the submarine has completed
EDWP, it is transferred back to the RCN and is
available for operations for the next six years.
The RCN is then responsible for conducting
all in-service maintenance up to Level 2 on
a very prescriptive basis at the FMFs.
One of the things VISSC does is take us
away from the era of many small contracts
that were complex to manage and integrate
into a program. It enables us to conduct a
lot more business more effectively under
one contract, Duffley says. But he adds that
some classified or complex systems, such
as communications or weapon systems, are
outside the VISSC arrangement.
The DND says the VISSC model will
provide the basis of the support arrangement
for the new Arctic/offshore patrol ship
and joint-support ships with a combined
through-life contract for the support of both
classes: This approach will mean a large
volume of long-term work for the successful
contractor. The economy of scale will result

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

23

ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY

in greater efficiencies and lower overall


costs, compared with issuing two separate
contracts, Poirier says.

Shop improvements
As part of developing the capabilities of the
FMFs, the DND has been running the FMF
Cape Breton Shop Consolidation Project
worth about C$500m. The project includes
extensions to the two industrial-support
buildings that were built in the early 1990s
and the construction of one new major
industrial building; minor renovations to
each of the shops two modern industrial and
industrial-support buildings; the demolition
of 32 aging buildings of various sizes, most
of which dated from the World War II era;
clean-up work; the upgrade and renewal of
power, water, sewerage and other utilities;
and improvements to roads, sidewalks,
pavements and fencing.
Poirier says that the first three phases
of work, valued at C$92m, have been
completed. Phase I was completed in 1998,
and included the design and construction
of the first of the new buildings. Phase II
included the design and construction of
the Dockyard/Naden electrical supply
and distribution upgrade work, and was
completed in 2000. Phase III was completed
in 2005, and involved part of the extension
and renovation work for the pre-existing
modern industrial buildings, demolition of
10 old industrial buildings, and extensive
environmental site remediation work.
Phase IV started in 2006 with the
demolition of one old industrial building
and involved further construction work on
the extension to the pre-existing modern
industrial buildings; the provision of an
interim storage facility; the fitting-up of
several individual industrial areas within the
area of the new building extensions; further
renovation of the pre-existing buildings; and
the demolition of a further two buildings.
This phase will cost about C$157m and is
nearing completion.
The design work for Phase V, the final
part of the project, is underway and some
construction and demolition work has
already started. The DND estimates that this
work will cost about C$251m and involves
the remaining construction work associated
with the extension of the pre-existing
modern industrial buildings.
According to Poirier, the finished facility
will greatly increase efficiency at Canadian
Forces Base Esquimalt by consolidating the
various workplaces, including equipment,
engineering and industrial support, into
one centralized location, providing the
base with "a modernized ship repair zone
infrastructure that is far better positioned for
the challenges of the 21st century".

ABOVE: Line 1
maintenance being
carried out on board
HMCS Halifax
RIGHT: Screenshot
from the RCN's Virtual
Task Trainer an
essential tool in
maintenance training

Virtual training
To aid maintenance training, the RCN is
using two main virtual reality systems for
the Victoria-class submarines: a submarine
familiarization system and an equipment
maintenance system. The familiarization
system enhances the level of system
knowledge of personnel before crew
members step on board an actual submarine.
In 2011, the equipment maintenance
program was contracted to NGrain, a 3D
graphics modeling software developer, to
provide the Virtual Task Trainer (VTT) system
for the RCN operations school. Delivered
in early 2012, the software is accessible on
computers, tablets and smartphones.
The VTT is being used for training on
the hydraulics for the Victoria-class boats
because of the complexity and difficulty of
accessing the system. The 3D model of the
submarines hydraulic system was created
by taking pictures and videos of the system
and developing the images.
Most often it is a 3D image of the actual
equipment itself," explains Gabe Batstone,
CEO of NGrain. "It is replicating warm hands
on cold steel. This is where we are more
effective; we can actually simulate that.
The VTT enables personnel to observe
how to carry out a specific task by watching
demonstrations through narrated 3D
animation. They can then interact with the
3D model and attempt to repeat the sequence
previously observed.

24 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

Batstone says that 3D simulation is


faster, cheaper and more effective than more
traditional training because submarines and
hydraulic systems have endless amounts of
complexity. They have lots of parts inside
that you cant even see. The beauty of
augmented reality is that you can actually
see things that the naked eye cant.
The averages that we have found and
they have been validated by third-party
reports are that the introduction of 3D
technology will improve task performance
by 30% in an operational environment. If
you introduce 3D into a training program,
you can usually also reduce the time of that
program by 30%, he adds.
To attract and keep maintenance
personnel, the RCN offers subsidized
post-graduate training in specialist fields,
in addition to undergraduate programs
and professional occupational training,
which are comparable to those available in
civilian industries. It also offers a variety of
employment in the technical fields from firstto third-level maintenance, as well as project
management, leadership opportunities and
working alongside defense industry partners.
To retain key people, the RCN is running
initiatives for better career management and
greater support to service families, including
improved deployment; reunion and relocation
programs; improved child care; enhanced
mental health care; and better alignment of
services for the armed forces and veterans. \\

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SPARE PARTS

Planning parts procurement

The global scope of spare parts procurement


poses a number of quality, economic and
logistics challenges for purchasers
Wendy Laursen, Marine Maintenance Technology International

Spare
a thought
26 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014
xx

SPARE PARTS

aving a fleet that consists of vessels


built in many different countries
means that shipowners and
managers must ensure they have
a smooth spare parts supply chain. An
unforeseen need for a part can involve a
six-week wait, even longer depending on
the customs red tape of some countries.
Even if the machinery is from a
well-known brand, we still have to purchase
locally as we have many examples of
license-built equipment where the makers
have introduced a few changes to the
original, making it difficult not to purchase
spare parts from any one other then them,
says Mikkel stergaard Engsbro, general
manager for procurement at Nordic Tankers.
For Engsbro, safety is not to be
compromised: We have chosen to only
use original manufactured spare parts
however not necessarily purchased from
the equipment manufacturer. If we have an
identified off-the-shelf type of equipment,
we will source the lowest price. On selected
consumables we have decided on a single
source of supply; we then have traceability
and quality under control.
The question of assessing quality is a
major challenge. We have noticed some
companies have tried to reduce production
costs over the past few years by slacking

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

27

SPARE PARTS

on the quality or durability. We have


also seen a trend where manufacturers
consolidate their regional warehouses,
and unfortunately the very large
warehouses are unable to cut through red
tape and get something done quickly. We
have had cases where we know the parts
have been stuck for days because the
warehouse was unable to release them.

BOTTOM LEFT: A
spare part delivery
at sea can be costly
and is best avoided
through the
adoption of a
condition-based
maintenance program

Do not compromise on quality


Senior purchasing manager for Norden,
Ole Lykke, also faces quality issues.
Lykke handles more than 10,000
purchase orders each year from
well-known suppliers, and upholds the
highest standards of quality, especially
on those parts critical to vessel safety.
Unfortunately we are contacted from
time to time by companies that claim to
be class-approved and licensed using
logos, etc, without proper authorization,
he says. This malpractice undermines the
good intentions behind the system and
should be stopped for the benefit of the
many manufactures that put great efforts
into upholding standards and the buyers
who rely on the class approvals.
The challenge is to have control and
know your suppliers, says Knut Ove
Thuland-Hansen, purchasing manager at
Utkilen. We have an audit program where
I visit our suppliers after having sent them
a questionnaire in advance regarding
management systems, products,
environmental policy and certification.
How often the companies are visited
depends on the criticality of the spares.
In the marine spares market, it is also
easy to find references. In these cases,
Shipserv [a website that helps marine and
offshore buyers find the best suppliers]
is a great help. Problems can occur if you
purchase from countries such as Africa

MAERSK TARGETS MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES


Morten Andersen, head of
the engine team in Group
Procurement at Maersk,
is working to achieve a
10% reduction in spares
expenditure in 2014: We are
putting a lot of effort into the
forecasting process internally
and really ramping up our
efforts in planned maintenance,
condition-based maintenance
and extending times between
overhaul in cooperation with
the equipment licensors.
This enables the purchasing
teams to improve the lead

time for suppliers, which


can then provide bigger
discounts. In return, Maersk
will provide a commitment
to the supplier that spares
will be purchased from them,
subject to competitive pricing.
The IMO environmental
regulations Tier II and Tier III
impose great challenges on
the industry in general, but
will also offer opportunities as
they will improve the operating
conditions of the engines
through the use of cleaner
fuels, says Andersen.

We have had cases where we


know the parts have been stuck
for days because the warehouse
was unable to release them
Mikkel stergaard Engsbro, general manager for
procurement, Nordic Tankers

or India, as they may present something and


give you something else. This means we only
purchase from secured sources.
Thuland-Hansen requires ship chandlers
to provide the brand name of consumables
and spares so that he knows what he is
getting: We never purchase critical parts
from an unknown company. Our suppliers
have to sign on how they promise to perform
on critical parts.
Statistical data is used to measure
supplier performance. If we send 100
requests for quotes to a company during
a year, Shipserv gives us statistics so we
can see how many they have responded
to, he says. We can see how many orders
they have been given, how many they have
declined, etc. This is a great help when it is
presented to the suppliers. Very often after

28 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

rather poor statistics, we see that service


levels and response times rapidly improve.

What are shipping lines doing?


Maersk Groups list of approved suppliers is
clearly defined. More and more subsuppliers
from China are being used. Peter Steen
Olesen, head of supply chain tankers
group procurement, sees the growing
manufacturing capabilities of China
positively, not as a threat to quality. I believe
you can find high-quality suppliers in China
as well as low-quality suppliers, which is
also the case for many other countries.
Olesen sees a lot of opportunities being
part of the Maersk Group as the group can
negotiate across all the business units for
some of the same parts, or similar parts built
by the same maker. This is different to other

SPARE PARTS

shipping companies, which may only operate


in the tank segment or the liner segment.
Maersks spare part consumption on
engines is around US$65-70m each year. The
groups fleet consists of around 225 vessels
in Maersk Line, 112 vessels in Maersk
Tankers, 70 vessels in Maersk Supply and
520 vessels in Svitzer. With a range of
supply options available, the company uses
e-auctions to a large extent and prices are
generally negotiated on a two-year basis.
Maersk is moving increasingly to provide
a differentiated spare parts supply chain
matching the different trading patterns of
the fleets. The liner vessels are extremely
predictable and shipments of spares can be
planned well in advance, says Olesen. But
with the tanker vessels, we may have only
20-30% predictability in trading patterns.

Part procedures
Captain Sanjay Mittal, general manager
at Epic Ship Management, highlights the
increasing importance of computer systems
in supporting timely parts procurement.
Most standard operators have enterprise
resource planning software to manage the
interfaces between vessel, the operators

ONBOARD SUPPORT

BELOW: Nordic
Tankers, which
operates a fleet of 120
chemical tankers. has
chosen to use only
original manufactured
spare parts

Nordic Tankers has a clear


when the remaining orders
strategy for supporting its
will be.
crews in spare-parts ordering,
Meanwhile, Anglo-Eastern
which is especially important
specifically trains cadets on
with a fleet that trades on the
supply chain management
spot-market. We noticed that
before they board a vessel.
the less predictability our
Cadets need to learn new tricks
seafarers had on the next store and understand more about
delivery, the less they planned supply chain management as
ahead, says Mikkel stergaard it is a significant amount of
Engsbro, general manager for
money that is spent through
procurement. We therefore
purchasing, says Ivan Blazina,
did several things: first of all we group purchasing director.
made a customized delivery
Future officers (onboard
schedule outlining fixed weeks managers) must understand
for the next 12 months, indicating the procurement process,
which weeks the vessel could
understand how important it is
expect stores delivery. In this
that purchasing must be planned,
way, they gained insight and
how the supply chain works, and
could plan for the future. We
the part that e-commerce plays.
also chose to have all our orders It is not rocket science, but it
delivered into our own thirddoes take some time to grasp
party managed warehouse,
the intricacies of purchasing and
making it visible to each vessel understand that every purchase
which orders are delivered and order has a price.

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

29

SPARE PARTS

SEAL OF APPROVAL
ISS Machinery Services (ISSMS),
headquartered in Japan, encourages
the supply of genuine spare parts by
providing customers with parts from
companies belonging to the Japan Ship
Machinery & Equipment Association.
These parts come with a seal
demonstrating that the consignment
contains genuine spare parts.
ISS also provides technical support
to ship managers through their own
service engineers who are authorised
by several equipment manufacturers.
Working with Japanese equipment
manufacturers, they can recommend
preventative maintenance schedules to
prevent ships from serious equipment
failure. The company also helps to
minimize spare parts costs through its
buying power, says Takashi Kitamura,
general manager for ISSMS in Osaka:
We have established relationships with
original marine manufacturers for over
40 years, meaning ISSMS is able to offer
the most competitive prices based on
the best terms and discounts.

RIGHT: Since its


launch, Shipserv has
made a major
commitment to
enable better
communication
between existing
computer systems
and maritime
purchasing systems,
as well as its trading
network
BELOW: Thome stores
its spares in a
network of
warehouses at
strategic locations
worldwide until ship
schedules are known
and then despatched
to the respective
vessels in the most
cost-effective manner

We use the planned maintenance


system to its full potential to predict
ordering requirements for spares as
much in advance as possible
Ryan Delgado, procurement and supply chain

manager at Thome Ship Management

and the suppliers, he says. The challenge


arises if a particular supplier does not have
the capability to do so. Increasingly, the
vendors have upgraded their systems to
enable electronic exchange of information
from the quotations to invoicing. Within the
organizations handling large volumes of
procurement, the back-end solutions need to
be efficient to ensure that the process flow
is not interrupted at any stage, for seamless
fulfilment of each purchase order.
Ryan Delgado, procurement and supply
chain manager at Thome Ship Management,
sees the AMOS system from SpecTec and the
MarineLink system from EVRY as critical to
the companys processes and management
of the purchasing functions. Thome
uses the AMOS M&P system for planned
maintenance on board its ships, as well as
for purchasing in the office. All purchasing
is done via the MarineLink e-procurement
portal. These systems provide the required
controls, efficiency and business intelligence
necessary for Delgado.
We use the planned maintenance system
to its full potential to predict ordering

requirements for spares as much in advance


as possible. These items are stored at a
network of warehouses at strategic locations
worldwide until ship schedules are known
and then despatched to the respective
vessels in the most cost-effective manner,
says Delgado. We have also initiated a bulkbuying strategy where spares requirements
for particular machinery across our fleet of
ships are negotiated and purchased in bulk,

30 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

with delivery times spread through the year


as the spares are required. This not only
ensures we are able to leverage our buying
power to get good prices, but also that the
spares are available when needed.
Ship management company AngloEastern operates globally from seven offices
to manage around 450 ships. The company
has used ShipServ to introduce a policy
of single point of contact (SPC) for all its
major suppliers which also have multiple
locations around the world. The strategy
enables suppliers to channel all requests for
quotations (RFQs) and purchasing orders
(POs) from different Anglo-Eastern officers
to one single supplier connection in the
ShipServ TradeNet platform.
As a result, each suppliers branch
offices can see all RFQs and POs from
Anglo-Eastern and respond in a coordinated
manner. This has reduced errors and
delays. Anglo-Eastern has also worked
with ShipServ and key suppliers to produce
bespoke catalogs that ensure that correct
part numbers or product codes are entered
in the onboard requisition process. The
company has since increased the use of
key performance indicators to assess the
response times of pre-qualified suppliers
to ensure they only use quality suppliers.
Quotes and orders can essentially be worked
on 24/7 around the world. \\

Booth 4022

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e-mail: aurand@fuse.net Web Site: www.aurand.net

SHIP REPAIR

Contracts

Fineprint

32 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

SHIP REPAIR

Ensuring that documentation


is consistent is a crucial part
of ship repair contracting
Wendy Laursen, Marine Maintenance Technology
International

hen a shipboard engineer


died recently as the result
of the explosive failure of a
nitrogen valve, the ensuing
legal battle focused on documentation. In
this instance, Paul Aston, partner at Holman
Fenwick Willan Singapore and specialist in
new-building and ship repair contracts,
was representing the repair yard accused
of fitting the valve incorrectly. It was a
situation that demonstrated some crucial
differences between new-building yards
and repair yards.

The commercial departments of ship


repair yards tend not to be as sophisticated
regarding documentation as new-building
yards, which have teams of designers and
draftsmen, says Aston. In this particular
case, the misrepresentation of the nitrogen
valves one department in the yard
referring to them by internal diameter and
another by external diameter seemed to
indicate that the yard had in fact worked
on the failed valve. In the end, it was
photographic evidence that proved that
it had not.

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

33

SHIP REPAIR

The problem is not uncommon. When


you come to have disputes over precisely
what the yard did or didnt do, weve often
found that the technical people will describe
a piece of equipment in a certain way, and
yet the commercial department will have
described it completely differently.
The law treats the repair situation
differently from new building, where the
buyer pays in installments but doesnt have
title of the ship until it is actually delivered.
While a repair yard will do an inspection
in order to be able to quote on the scope of
work required, the inspection cannot be
comprehensive until cargo is discharged,
void spaces are entered, tanks gas freed and
equipment cleaned. Basically the yard is
taking the ship as it is and where it is, and is
taking the history about the ship, and indeed
what is actually on board the ship in terms
of ballast water, etc, from the shipowner and
class records, says Aston.
Therefore, even if care is taken in
describing the scope of work at the
time of contract exchange, disputes can
arise over costs and delays once the
work has commenced. It is very easy
to underestimate what is required, says
Aston. For major work he recommends that
a bespoke contract is drawn up and that
shipowners ensure they have adequate
flexibility to deal with the unexpected.

Ensure the right contract is set


Often conversion or repair is trickier from
a shipyards point of view than new building.
It is like renovating a heritage building you
have to work within the confines of what is
there and you never quite know how much
work has to be done when the initial scope
is agreed, says Aston. It would be very
wise for shipowners to build into the
contract the ability to try and control the
amount of time the project takes beyond the
specification of a set period. They can do
that by defining a two-tiered scope of work
and nominating some courses of action to be
taken in the advent of delays. Then, if delays
do occur, they can opt to have only the top
priority work completed to get the vessel
back into operation.

The commercial departments


of ship repair yards tend not to
be as sophisticated regarding
documentation as newbuilding yards
Paul Aston, partner at Holman Fenwick Willan Singapore

34 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

SHIP REPAIR

MAIN IMAGE: Repair


is very different from
new build with a full
inspection essential
ABOVE: Contracts
need to include
actions to be taken
in the event of delays

Alternatively, if they believe the repairer


is not proceeding as quickly as possible,
they could ask the yard to put more
resources on the job, or bring in a riding
gang to handle some specific equipmentrelated tasks, leaving the yard to focus on
the steel work. With the correct terms agreed
in the contract, this can be done without

TIERED DISPUTE RESOLUTION

ob Jardine-Brown,
partner at Wikborg
Reins London office,
advises shipowners to
consider a tiered dispute
resolution clause in repair
contracts. Then the parties
can agree to have technical
disputes determined by
class without the need to
go to court or arbitration.
The best local practice
clause is another important
consideration and JardineBrown recommends it
should be specified as
best international practice.
What is good local
practice in Singapore may
not be the same standard
as applied at a new yard
in some other countries,
he says. From an owners
perspective, cheaper

isnt always better. With


rates as low as they are in
shipping, quite often they
go for the cheapest repair
they can, but this can be
at the expense of quality.
In any case, owners should
supervise works closely
and should ensure that
the contract covers them
adequately for liquidated
damages if delays
occur to the repairs to a
vessel or offshore unit
that then misses its
chartering obligations.
Jardine-Brown
recommends that in
circumstances in which
the shipowner is not of the
same nationality as the
yard, ship repair contracts
should specify English
law as the governing law
of the contract due to the
extensive body of case law
that provides a substantial
degree of certainty when
interpreting the contractual
clauses. It can be unwise to
enter into contracts under
the yards local law. China,
for example, does not

recognise court judgments


made in a number of other
countries. However, it does
recognize arbitration rulings
from recognized arbitral
bodies. It is very difficult
to enforce an English High
Court judgment in China,
says Jardine-Brown. It is
much easier to enforce an
arbitration award, so owners
have to be aware of what
jurisdiction they are having
the repairs carried out in.
While some shipowners
are experienced enough
to manage their own
contracts, Jardine-Brown
generally recommends
legal involvement before
contracts are signed so that
shipowners can fully protect
their interests and avoid as
far as possible problems
arising while the repairs
are carried out. He cites
a recent case where the
owners were inadequately
protected in circumstances
where a drilling rig repair
took six months longer
than anticipated and cost
US$5 million more.

having to terminate the contract and enter


into a dispute.
Aston is in favor of the preparation of a
bespoke contract for major repair projects.
Often the parties will agree the price. Then
theyll exchange their standard terms and
conditions without realizing that they often
contradict one another.

Check the T&Cs


In a recent case, when a dispute arose it was
discovered that the shipyard had nominated
Philippines law without mentioning
arbitration and the shipowner had specified
English law and London arbitration. The yard
terms prevailed but it created the awkward
situation of London arbitration under
Philippines law. You end up with this sort
of mess all the time, says Aston. It is very
important for both parties to look closely
at the terms and conditions the contract is
going to be subject to.
An FPSO conversion project is trickier
than new building, with high project costs,
issues about design responsibility (including
interface compatibility) as well as strict
provisions for Owners Furnished Equipment.
Even renovations and upgrades of existing
FPSOs can have budgets in excess of
US$50m, so with that sort of money it is
worth having a bespoke contract rather
than just the yards standard terms and
conditions on the back of their quotation,
which the parties often do not even read.
Owners also have to be careful and notify
their own hull and machinery underwriters
when a vessel goes in for repair. While the
repair yard will have a ship repairers liability
(SRL) policy, it only pays out when the owner
can demonstrate that the yard is negligent. It

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

35

SHIP REPAIR

SETTING THE STANDARD

IMCO has designed a


standard repair contract
REPAIRON to provide
a uniform set of terms and
conditions for ship repairs
ranging from major repairs
that may take months to minor
repair work done in a few days.
REPAIRCON is designed for
larger repair projects while its
sister document, MINRECON,
is designed for small repairs
(such as a single contractor

fixing a winch or electrical item


on board). REPAIRCON can also
be used for conversion work.
The REPAIRCON contract
is needed because repairers
often find themselves in a
risky financial position by
undertaking repairs to a ship on
credit terms, says Grant Hunter,
BIMCOs chief officer for legal
and contractual affairs. Once
the ship has been repaired
and has sailed, the repairers
are in a difficult position if the
owners do not subsequently
pay for the repair work. In the
past repairers have asked for
payment in advance, but this is
no longer the case. The owners
are usually in a fairly secure
position as many repair yards
are owned by larger and wellinsured shore-based entities.

REPAIRCON is fairly well


used in the industry, says
Hunter, and its use is becoming
more widespread. Between
350 and 400 REPAIRCON
contracts were concluded in
the past 12 months. It is used by
companies such as Seatrade
Groningen, Teekay Shipping
Canada, Harland and Wolff
Heavy Industries and Crowley
Maritime Corporation.
One of the key aspects
of REPAIRCON is the way
in which it addresses credit
risk issues. For example, if a
vessel under repair is bareboat
chartered and the repair work
is not paid for by the bareboat
charterer before the charter
is terminated, then the repair
yard may find itself without
recourse against the registered

owner. REPAIRCON specifically


addresses this risk by requiring
the owners to clearly identify
whether they are the registered
owner of the vessel or a
bareboat charterer so that the
repair yard can adopt the
appropriate measures.
Liability is a big issue in
repair contracts, says Hunter.
REPAIRCON is unusual in
that it provides not only for
contractors liability and a cap
on that liability, but also
enables the owners to set a
contractual cap on their own
liability. This is a much more
balanced approach than is
commonly found in other repair
contract forms. The cap on
contractual liability also makes
it easier for the parties to insure
their risk.

5 KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER

Singapore has a strong maritime legal


community and a reputation for being
a neutral meeting ground between
East and West
Paul Aston, partner at Holman Fenwick Willan Singapore

is not the same as a Builders All Risk Liability


insurance, which covers a new build. The
owner should check what the limits of liability
on the SRL policy are. It is not much use if the
vessel catches fire and is a constructive total
loss and the policy is only for US$5m when
the vessel is worth US$45m, warns Aston.

Business in Asia
Aston recommends Singapore as a seat
of arbitration. Singapore has a strong
maritime legal community, says Aston, and
a reputation for being a neutral meeting
ground between East and West. Additionally,
the courts in Singapore are very reluctant to
intervene in arbitration matters. There is no
right of appeal and very restrictive grounds
for setting aside an award. This prevents
doubtful allegations of fraud or illegality,
which are difficult to prove, from being used
to delay legal proceedings. It is a system that
gives people certainty in their dealings.
Technical disputes lend themselves to
mediation as it is possible to get two experts

to meet and discuss things, but ideally


mediation should not occur in a vacuum. In
contrast to arbitration where a judgement is
made, a mediator tries to resolve a dispute
but not determine it. Mediation should not
take more than a day or two, says Aston.
And you should always have an arbitration
first, where you agree to mediate under
a strict timetable. If you cant solve the
problem then you go back to arbitration.
Otherwise, there is no incentive to settle
in mediation.
Although mediation does not involve
a judgment being made officially by the
mediator, they can sometimes facilitate
settlement by giving a non-binding
determination based on their experience of
how the situation is likely to be viewed by an
arbitrator. They would do this after having
discussed all disputed matters with the
parties involved, getting both commercial
and technical viewpoints.
A financial settlement agreed during
mediation may be more palatable than the

36 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

1 Ship repair/conversion is very different


from new build it is like renovating a
house rather than starting from scratch
2 Title is with the shipowner, who will most
likely have a mortgage. On new build
the title normally passes on delivery
3 Insurance is SRL (ship repairers
liability), whereas on a new build it is
a non-issue for the buyer. The owner
must prove yard negligence to claim
on it and must keep existing hull and
machinery (H&M) and P&I in existence
4 Document and record all invoices,
quotations, site instructions, changes
to scope of work, etc and take lots of
photographs
5 Make sure the agreed terms are not
in conflict with other parties general
terms and conditions (GT&Cs). Often
ship repair contracts are inadequate
on essential terms. Time overruns
can be avoided by prudent drafting,
accelerating, take over and omitting
work, as well as appropriate liquidated
damages (LDs)
time and cost involved in going to court.
For the sake of conceding a bit, the parties
can get rid of the claim and go on and do
business, possibly even more business with
the same party, rather than having to fight
with them in court for the next two years. A
mediated agreement could easily be settled
within a month, concludes Aston. \\

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29.04.2013

15:21 Uhr

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PROPELLER MAINTENANCE

Increase vessel efficiency

ne man with many years


experience, not to mention passion,
for propeller maintenance and
repairs is Don Quilliam, managing
director of Stone Marine Shipcare. He relates
the story of one shipowner who decreased
the intervals between the routine cleaning
of his ships propellers from once every six
months to once every four months and found
a saving of 1 metric ton of fuel per day.
Routine cleaning of propellers was not
commonplace 10-15 years ago, but, with the
increased focus on energy costs, it is now
accepted that keeping a ships propeller
in good condition with regular cleaning
can provide energy savings equivalent to
cleaning half the whole hull of the ship.
With a straightforward cleaning
operation costing perhaps as little as
US$2,000 for a fixed-pitch propeller (FPP),
saving even 1 metric ton of fuel each
day would be a substantial contribution
to profitability.
Of course, the costs of routine
maintenance will, to a greater or lesser

38 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

PROPELLER MAINTENANCE

Spin
doctors

For many shipowners, propellers are out of


sight and out of mind. But blades shouldnt
be forgotten expert maintenance and repair
can save time and money
Neil Jones, Marine Maintenance Technology International

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

39

PROPELLER MAINTENANCE

extent, be dictated by the original choice


of propeller. The initial capital cost of
FPPs is obviously going to be lower than
controllable-pitch propellers (CPPs)
although, as Quilliam points out, the cost
of cleaning the blades will be similar and
it is clean blades that give you optimum
propulsive efficiency.

Efficiency levels
Efficiency is indirectly measured usually
on a daily basis by comparing the actual
forward movement of the vessel with the
theoretical maximum it should be able
to achieve if the propeller was turning in
a solid substance.
That theoretical maximum is a measure
of forward movement for one revolution
of the propeller. The difference between
actual and maximum is known as slip or
the ships constant. Any deterioration in the
performance of the propeller, through either
lack of maintenance and the consequent
build-up of marine growth or damage, would
quickly show up through increased slip.
All machinery requires regular
maintenance to achieve prolonged troublefree operation, but damage, by its very
nature, is unforeseen. The one type of
vessel where propeller repairs are rarely
necessary is submarines! says Quilliam,
while, conversely, vessels in very shallow
waters, such as suction dredgers, or ships
regularly in and out of port such as ferries,
often sustain propeller damage.
But despite both capital and repair
costs usually being greater with CPPs,
they have their place. They offer greater
maneuverability and faster response times
going from ahead to astern (or vice versa)
because simply changing pitch is quicker
than declutching an engine and selecting
reverse in a large, heavy and cumbersome
gearbox. CPPs are also sometimes chosen
to free up space that would normally be
taken by a gearbox so that extra cargo
or in the case of military vessels,
armaments can be carried.
Nevertheless, it is accepted that CPPs
are generally less efficient than fixed-blade
propellers in the propulsive sense, due to
the size of the hub, which is why most ship

ABOVE: There are many ways a propeller can be repaired: emergency action; cropping and blending, cold
straightening; hot straightening; welding; build up, inserts and new tips; afloat (must be enclosed); and finally,
in a workshop
BELOW: A damaged propeller will never be the same again. The materials micro-structure will be changed by
hot work or welding

40 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

PROPELLER MAINTENANCE

THE SEA LADY

assing a rotating shaft


through the hull of a ship
below the waterline obviously
requires some method of
stopping the ingress of water
and so, right from the time that
propellers were first thought
of as a propulsive mechanism
for marine vessels (the first
practical demonstration
was arguably in 1775 for the
first submarine), part of the
engineering challenge was
keeping the vessel watertight.
Consequently, the
development of the stern seal
inevitably went hand-in-hand
with the development of the

propeller, and modern stern


seal designs are efficient and
long lasting. But all stern seals,
whatever their actual design,
are susceptible to damage
from foreign bodies, such as
a fishing line or environmental
abrasion, causing the seal to
fail. Once this has happened,
then any single propeller
vessel is effectively unable
to move under its own power,
while even a twin-screw
vessel has its motive ability
seriously compromised.
So repairing stern seals
quickly and effectively is
essential, preferably without

the need to take the vessel


out of the water and into dry
dock. One such example
was the case of the bulk
carrier, the Sea Lady, whose
propeller shaft became
entangled in buoy chain in
a Venezuelan river.
Through Subsea Global
Solutions in Florida, the
shipowner contacted Wrtsil
in Gothenburg, Sweden, and
arranged for a replacement
stern tube seal, specifically
engineered to the vessel, to be
designed, cast and assembled
in Gothenburg, with the senior
engineer who would be

responsible for fitting the


seal supervising the assembly
and testing.
In the meantime, the vessel
had been towed to Trinidad,
where sea conditions were
more favorable for the diving
operation. Wrtsils team of
divers then built a hyperbaric
chamber around the stern
seal and propeller assembly
to allow the new stern seal to
be fitted underwater in a safe
operating environment. Once
the chamber was de-watered,
the old seal was cut from the
shaft and the new seal was
fitted and tested.

designers opt for FPPs, usually either four,


five or six bladed. That choice of blade
number is dictated by a number of factors,
not least being the propeller diameter. Given
that theres a limit to the amount of power per
square meter of the propeller blade, a higher
engine output dictates a larger blade surface
area, which may then lead to a greater
number of blades.

Cleaning choices
In terms of cleaning, theres a choice
between cleaning a propeller in situ under
the water or doing it with the ship in dry
dock. Underwater cleaning proponents
suggest that by cleaning under the water, the
water itself is used as a lubricant and that
this is less damaging than dry cleaning.
Quilliam, though, is an advocate of
propeller cleaning in dry dock although
you might argue he would say that, wouldnt
he? But he articulates a reasonable case
when he argues that by dry cleaning, the
technician in Stone Marine Shipcares case,
an experienced expert on propellers is
taking a close look at the propeller as they
clean it. Theyll see poorly shaped edges
and cracks that arent visible to an untrained
eye underwater, he claims. And we dont
use abrasives unless they are necessary to
remove erosion; all were doing is removing
marine growth and taking the propeller
back to its original finish, not polishing it
to a high gloss finish for a Concours
dElegance competition!

Causes of damage
Quilliam is philosophical about how damage
is caused to ships propellers: Propellers
are cathodic and have very low corrosion
rates unless the electrochemical relationship
is upset, for example by painting or coating
part of the propeller.
Yes, you can get erosion through
cavitation, but in my 40 years of experience,

ABOVE: Certain types of vessel often sustain


similar types of propeller damage

ABOVE: Virtually any repair can be carried out if


properly equipped

the biggest cause of damage to propellers


is people, he says, usually by steering the
vessel too close to something solid. There
are all sorts of things that the propeller can
hit, be it ice, rocks, sand, hard mud, or even
the chains used to anchor navigation buoys.
Each one of these will give characteristic
damage and to the practiced eye we can
usually pretty much tell what has happened
to the propeller, says Quilliam.
Hitting sand or a mud bank will generally
lead to bending of all the blade tips with
no scouring or missing pieces, while
hitting rocks or old ice can cause bending,
scouring, tearing and cracking, and missing
bits to virtually all the blade tips.

He goes on to suggest that it is rare


today that propellers are completely
written off. As well as sophisticated
non-destructive testing techniques,
such as dye penetrant, ultrasonics,
radiography, and things like chemical
etching, we have also developed techniques
to be able to repair propellers around the
world with the vessel in dry dock. For
example, we can replace pieces of the
propeller up to 120mm thick by around 2m
long and 1m deep with welding techniques
and post weld heat treatment (PWHT) that
werent available to us 20 years ago.
Nevertheless, there are parts of the
propeller to which damage makes repair

You can get erosion through cavitation,


but in my 40 years of experience, the
biggest single cause of damage to
propellers is people
Don Quilliam, managing director, Stone Marine Shipcare

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

41

PROPELLER MAINTENANCE

extremely difficult. Quilliam points out


that the blades of a moderately skewed
propeller are designated as having three
different severity zones. In severity zone
A which is from the root of the blade out to
0.4 of the radius of the blade the various
classification societies dont usually allow
any welding at all because this is where
the stresses and fatigue action on the blade
are greatest.
In severity zone B from 0.4 to 0.7 of
the blade radius welding is allowed but
then requires a mandatory PWHT to ensure
that the blade is fit for service. The vast
majority of propellers are made from a nickel
aluminum bronze alloy (although some
specialist icebreaking propellers can be
made from stainless steel) and, once welded,
the fatigue properties of the metal are
reduced by as much as 80%. It is essential,
therefore, that a proper PWHT process is
undertaken to restore most of the properties.

Despite this, multilayer welds carried out


in zone C from 0.7 of the radius to the
tip of the blade are not required by the
classification societies to be post weld heat
treated, something that Quilliam is frankly
critical of: We find most damage occurs
to the tips of the blades as theyre usually
the first thing to hit anything solid and the
reduction in fatigue properties of the welded
area can lead to premature failure if not
properly treated.
Quilliam also points out that another
characteristic of nickel aluminum bronze
is that the material is extremely fluid when
molten and it is therefore dangerous to
attempt to weld propellers overhead due to
incomplete fusion and lack of penetration.
It is essential that the propeller is removed
from the shaft and laid flat, and this is
usually a class requirement, he says.
Of course, it is possible to cold-straighten
a propeller underwater if one of the blades

ABOVE: Tankers operating in deep waters exhibit different types of damage than ferries or container
ships that are regularly in an out of port

We find most damage occurs


to the tips of the blades as
theyre usually the first
thing to hit anything solid
Don Quilliam, managing director,
Stone Marine Shipcare

42 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

ABOVE: Often the cost of


transhipping the cargo for
a dry-docking can be many
times that of an in-water
solution
BELOW: Each propeller is
specially designed for a
particular ship and engine
configuration

has been bent, he continues, However, one


needs to remember that this process can, in
itself, induce stresses and work hardening.
The other thing to remember is that a
propeller blade has been cast into a complex
three-dimensional shape and, once it has
been stretched by considerable bending,
you cant then unstretch it!
In these cases, Quilliam advocates
replacement of bent propeller blade tips
with new castings. To meet the IS0484
standard for balancing propellers, it is
sometimes necessary to remove the tip of
an opposing blade to use as a template or
pattern in order to cast a new tip, with both
the good opposing tip and the replacement
cast tip being subsequently welded onto
the propeller. Usually theres a tolerance of
around 15kg on a 20 metric ton propeller to
meet the standard, Quilliam says. Beyond
that, not only will your propeller be outside
the ISO standard, but you stand a very good
chance of it damaging the stern seal or even
the shaft bearings. \\

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Show report

Postcard
from Brussels
Never mind the food, wine and sightseeing
the first ever Marine Maintenance World Expo
had visitors flocking to Brussels in September
BunnyRichards,Marine Maintenance Technology International

44 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

MARINE MAINTENANCE WORLD EXPO

A fascinating range of new products and


innovations were on display from more
than 100 exhibitors at the first ever Marine
Maintenance World Expo this September
in Brussels. For example, CleanHull, which
hosted a free-to-attend drinks party on
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MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014 45

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MARINE MAINTENANCE WORLD EXPO


The expo welcomed
1,500 attendees from
almost 50 countries,
all looking to source
the latest solutions
and technologies, as
well as to network
and discuss their
individual needs with
specialized vendors
and suppliers

Hamburg-based Martechnic launched


a brand new range of viscosity and
particle concentration measurement
sensors (pictured left). The company also
displayed its newly designed drip sampler,
which was developed in cooperation with
Germanischer Lloyd, and will be part of
a new DIN standard for bunker sampling

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

47

MARINE MAINTENANCE WORLD EXPO

The free-to-attend Marine


Maintenance World Conference,
conveniently held in the exhibition hall,
proved extremely popular throughout
all three days of the event. Lloyds
Registers Danny Shorten (pictured
below), was one of a number of
speakers that chose to address the
challenges and opportunities of
condition-based maintenance for the
marine industry

With more than 30 speakers across


three days, conference attendees
were treated to a wide range of
subjects. Topics included CBM,
big data challenges, hull inspection,
the implications of slow steaming,
future ship propulsion technologies
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Royal Navys maintenance strategy

48 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

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COATING INSPECTION

Handheld instruments

up
Measuring

to expectations

Intelligent tools designed with all the critical


factors in mind for the inspection and
maintenance of marine structures can help
make a difficult job just that little bit easier
PaulLomax,Fischer Technology and SilkeTod, Helmut Fischer GmbH

52 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

COATING INSPECTION

here is a lot at stake in marine


infrastructure. And while the diverse
structures are made of different
materials, all are subject to the same
harsh conditions found at sea. In order to
protect them from the impact of temperature
fluctuations, corrosion and biofouling,
virtually everything is coated with some
combination of paints, lacquers, epoxies,
foils or thermoplastics. Inspecting offshore
structures requires testing the thickness
and integrity of a huge range of protective
coatings, applied to a wide range of
substrates. This is important not only during
the coating process but also as part of
preventive maintenance, since these layers
are the last defense against the aggressive
physical, chemical and biological forces at
work in this environment.
The German company Helmut Fischer
Institut fr Elektronik und Messtechnik is
known for manufacturing high-precision
instruments that can accurately measure
the finest nano-layers. But the companys
extensive R&D arm has also developed
a series of precise instruments and
probes rugged enough for use under the
challenging real-life conditions of the marine
industry. Here we highlight the handheld
instruments of the FMP family, ranging
from the versatile FMP10-40 models to the
premium Dualscope FMP100 offering
features such as dual measurement methods
to accommodate magnetic and non-magnetic
substrates, Windows CE and inspection plan
functions, as well as the powerful DataCenter
evaluation software. The compact,
lightweight devices can be connected
to a wide range of versatile probes with
innovative technology developed specifically
for typical inspection tasks.

MAIN: Tanker in
dry dock a good
opportunity to check
the ships coatings
RIGHT: Dualscope
FMP100 and FA100
probes measuring
thick coatings

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

53

COATING INSPECTION

Measuring thick coatings over


various substrates
The related costs of biofouling are so high
that even expensive prevention technologies
quickly pay for themselves: some sources
put the saving in fuel consumption alone
at 40%. Since the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) banned the use of
tributyltin (TBT) in bottom paints in 2003,
a number of alternatives have come on the
market, each employing a different approach
and requiring specific application and
maintenance regimens. But since there is
no one solution that addresses all potential
biofouling scenarios, marine service
providers and dry docks need to be able to
monitor a wide range of thick coating types
without having to change instruments.
One feature that the new multi-layer
anti-fouling coating systems all have in
common is that they tend to be rather thick
sometimes even a few millimeters and are

applied to all surfaces below the waterline.


To inspect a wide range of thick coatings on
variable substrates, Fischer offers the FA30
probe, which can measure non-conductive
coatings up to 20mm thick, whether over
magnetic or non-magnetic substrates. Used
with an FMP instrument, the FA30 enables
easy measurement of thick multi-layer
systems, irrespective of the coating material.

And for even thicker coatings


Undersea oil and gas pipelines must be
shielded not only from corrosion but also
from thermal losses. For this reason, they
are typically enclosed in one or more layers
of polypropylene. To verify the layers are
properly applied thick enough to ensure
performance but without wastage or risk of
delamination rigorous quality inspections
are carried out, requiring a highly accurate
instrument that can handle coatings of
such dimensions.

54 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

For just such tasks Fischer developed


the FA100 probe, which covers the full
range of coatings up to 100mm thick and,
when calibrated with the pipe diameter, can
compensate for curved surfaces. The FA100
can also be connected to the handheld
instruments of the FMP family for mobile
use. Compared with ultrasonic instruments,
which are unable to handle porous or
acoustic-attenuating coatings, such as
rubber or fiberglass, the FA100 plus FMP
combination provides more accurate results.
Taking a measurement is as simple as
sliding the probe over the sample surface,
regardless of what material it is made of.
When used with dual probes, the underlying
substrate is automatically detected by
the Dualscope FMP instrument and the
correct readings are taken. In automatic
measurement mode, the screen of the
FMP100 gauge can even show a graphical
representation of the coating thickness,

COATING INSPECTION

the mean value of the multiple readings.


However, when a dual-poled probe is used, the
influence of the peaks and valleys is greatly
reduced by the fact that the magnetic fields
go from pole to pole on the probe, reducing
the number of readings required to get an
accurate measurement. The V1FKB10 is also
ideal for measuring coatings on very rough
(sandblasted) substrates. Depending on the
degree of roughness, either probe used in
combination with one of the FMP instruments
creates a precise, robust and extremely handy
measurement system for checking anticorrosion coatings on rough surfaces.

Right to the edge

OPPOSITE: An oil rig


surrounded by ships
all need to be protected
against the harsh
environment at sea by
special coatings, which
can easily be supervised
and measured with
Fischer instruments
and probes
LEFT: Dualscope FMP100
and some examples for
the huge variety of
probes from Fischer
ABOVE: Measuring
coating thickness with
Dualscope FMP100
and F20H probes on
rough surfaces

which helps the user assess it for evenness.


Final results are written to PDF via the
powerful DataCenter software. Measurement
area pictures and thickness annotations can
be stored in application memories assigned
to job sections, shifts or operators.

Rough surfaces
Besides exerting an impact on the
measurement itself, the roughness of some
surface treatments can quickly wear down
high-precision equipment. For this purpose,
Fischer has developed a series of probes
with metal carbide tips that can withstand
even the abrasive finishes often found on
maritime buildings, steel structures and
facilities such as pipelines and refineries.
Two such durable Fischer probes are the
F20H (single-poled, low-cost entry model)
and the V1FKB10 (dual-poled). Both are
suitable for measuring protective layers up
to 2.5mm thick.

Why the difference? The roughness of


surface structures complicates the process
of measuring the thickness of overlying paint
layers by causing large fluctuations in the
measured values. This is just a by-product
of the intended effect, which is to increase
the adhesion of the thick coating to the
substrates surface. In general, the thicker
the coating, the rougher the substrate should
be. When measuring with a single-poled
probe, measurement positions over peaks
and valleys can lead to conflicting readings
despite uniform paint thickness, because
they change the way the magnetic field
lines are detected by the probe. This can be
compensated for by multiple measurements;
indeed, standards such as SSPC-PA2 address
the effect of surface roughness by specifying
a set frequency of readings. The hard-tipped,
single-poled F20H probe is ideal for measuring
smooth or non-smooth surfaces according to
this standard, and the FMP gauge will display

When 'paint' is the last barrier between critical


marine structures and the caustic effects of
sea water, it is important to verify that the
coating is thick enough to take a beating
everywhere. However, the places most
susceptible to wear and tear, and therefore to
damage of the anti-corrosion protection, are
corners and edges. Yet these sensitive areas
are difficult to measure either because the
probes diameter is too large for it to get close
to the edge, or because of the extent of the
magnetic field it produces. For this purpose,
many device companies offer optional
micro-probes specifically for measuring
edges, but the durability of these probes is
critical in this rough environment. They may
be fine in the laboratory, but do not work in
the real world: having to switch probes for
edge measurements is time consuming and
therefore not practical.
Due to their high precision, standard
Fischer probes, such as the robust dualmethod FD13H, can measure DFTs over steel
and/or aluminum substrates and meet the
edge requirements of 5mm benchmarked
in diverse marine guidelines and SSPC-PA2
without having to switch to an expensive,
specialty probe.

The bottom line


Helmut Fischers vast offering of probes for
crucial measurement activities is unrivalled
on the market. Combined with the versatile
devices of the FMP family of instruments and
the powerful DataCenter evaluation software,
these probes rise to the challenges of realworld industrial tasks and perform reliably to
high specifications even under the toughest
conditions. Whatever the application, Fischers
technical consultants will help you find the
best solution. \\

About the authors


Paul Lomax is director of sales and marketing
at Fischer Technology, USA and Silke Tod is
marketing communication manager at Helmut
Fischer GmbH, Germany
www.helmut-fischer.com

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

55

ENGINE MONITORING

Cylinder pressure measurement

Eco
drive
A cylinder pressure monitor can
provide vital information on
engine condition, but can it
minimize downtime and reduce
maintenance costs?
Jakob Seedorff, Littelfuse Selco

hipping companies are under


increasing pressure to operate
efficiently. Fuel costs have gone up
16% on average every year since
2005. The downturn in the global economy
has led to an oversupply of container
ships. The shipping industry is coming
under scrutiny as a source of greenhouse
gas emissions.
All these are good reasons for ship
operators to strive for greater efficiency. As
part of that effort, they are going to some
lengths to maintain their ships engines and
keep them tuned for optimum performance
but doing this well requires high-quality
and complete data on engine operating
conditions. Fortunately there are systems
available that provide a window into engine
operation in real time, and can aid greatly
both in providing early warning about
issues that might lead to expensive repairs

and long downtimes for the vessel if left


undetected and in tuning engines for most
economical operation.

The cylinder pressure monitor


Perhaps the most useful instrument for
analyzing engine operation is the handheld
cylinder pressure monitor. The Littelfuse
Selco EngineEye Cylinder Pressure Monitor
is a good example. In use, the instruments
pressure sensor is mounted to each
cylinders indicator valve in turn (Figure 1).
The instrument records the data for each
cylinder at high resolution, which eliminates
the need for data averaging and disruptive
filtering, and relates it to crankshaft angle,
time or TDC (top dead center).
Once data for all the cylinders is
gathered, it is downloaded to a user-friendly
PC application (supplied with the equipment)
for graphical analysis. Displays on the

56 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

handheld unit provide misfire analysis, pmax


bar graphs and p/time diagrams. The PC
software provides mean indicated pressure
(MIP), p/time diagrams, pressure/crank
angle diagrams, derivative of pressure
versus that of crank angle (dp/d) diagrams,
p/V diagrams, cylinder parade plots, pmax
bar graphs, results tables and cylinder
power calculations.
From the pressure versus crank angle
curve (Figure 2), the operator can determine
key values including power output,
compression, combustion and maximum
pressure for the cylinders being analyzed.
These values, together with the general
shape of the curve, aid in determining the
overall condition of the engine. Worn piston
rings or problems with fuel injection can be
found at an early stage, enabling the operator
to take preventive action and service the
engine at a time of his choice, before wear

ENGINE MONITORING

FROM BOTTOM LEFT:


FIGURE 2: From the pressure/angle curve, the
operator can determine key values including
compression, combustion and maximum
pressure for the cylinders being analyzed.
These values, together with the general shape
of the curve, aid in determining the overall
condition of the engine
FIGURE 3: This cylinder parade shows the
pressure reading of each cylinder placed in a
queue for comparison. Differences in maximum
pressure from cylinder to cylinder indicate an
out-of-balance condition that can result in
increased vibration, excessive wear and
reduced power output
FIGURE 1: The Littelfuse Selco EngineEye Cylinder Pressure Monitors pressure sensor is mounted to
each cylinders indicator valve in turn. The instrument records the data for each cylinder and relates
it to crankshaft angle, time or TDC

and tear causes the ship to be trapped in


dock while a cylinder is overhauled.
Figure 3 shows a cylinder parade
produced by the EngineEye PC software
basically the pressure reading of each
cylinder placed in a queue for comparison.
Such a plot provides information on
valve and injection timing. Differences in
maximum pressure from cylinder to cylinder
indicate an out-of-balance condition that can
result in increased vibration, excessive wear
and reduced power output.
The ability to store readings makes it
possible to detect any changes over time,
which can help keep track of engine wear.
For engine balancing, the engine is adjusted
according to the measurements. After that
the cylinder pressures are measured again
and compared with each other. Adjustment
and measurement are repeated until the
result is satisfactory.
While the system calculates the power
output per cylinder from pressure/crank
angle or pressure/time curves, the pressure/

volume curves also contain valuable


information. Figure 4 shows p/V curves for
four cylinders superimposed for comparison.
The system can display a visual diagram
(Figure 5) to show detected misfirings
and calculates the percentage outside the
specified range. This alerts the technician to
make the necessary adjustments for optimal
engine performance.

Pointers
Following are some tips to help guide choice
when selecting a cylinder pressure monitor:
Choose an instrument that is easy to use
The EngineEye system is plug-and-play;
any sensor (pressure or crank angle)
can be plugged into the port and the system
will automatically calibrate according to the
type of sensor that is connected.
Choose a long-lasting instrument
The pressure sensors used in cylinder
pressure monitors are not all the same. Some
models use less accurate and less rugged
strain-gauge based sensors that cannot be

FIGURE 4: The pressure/volume curve


duplicates a traditional indicator display; here
curves for four cylinders are superimposed
for comparison

left in place for more than a few minutes and


are susceptible to damage. In the EngineEye
this sensor is a piezoelectric unit that
can be left in place for extended readings
while adjusting engine tuning. The sensor
is extremely durable and maintains high
accuracy despite heat and vibration.
Measure crank angle accurately
Much of the cylinder pressure monitors
ability to perform detailed analysis such
as p/t and p/crank angle diagrams, MIP
and power delivered by each cylinder
depends on accurate measurement of crank
angle. In addition, the ability to accurately
correlate angle/pressure data provides
active compensation for the engine speed
variations and any crankshaft flexing that
occur as each cylinder fires. With just a TDC
sensor or a time-based measurement the
pressure/ angle curve can be distorted by
the speed variation within each revolution.
There are considerable differences in the
ways in which various cylinder pressure
sensing systems measure crank position.

ENGINE
BALANCING

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

57

ENGINE MONITORING

One method is with a TDC sensor that


gives one pulse per engine revolution. The
systems computer measures the time per
revolution and from that calculates the
crank angle. This is inexpensive and easy to
install, but sacrifices accuracy and limits the
amount of analysis that can be done.
Some systems use no TDC sensor at
all, attempting to derive the TDC position
mathematically from pressure readings. This
gives even less accuracy than is possible
with even a simple TDC sensor.
The most precise way is to use a sensor
that measures crank angle directly. Some
systems measure crank angle with a special
disc that works with an optical sensor. Each
disc is manufactured in two halves to be
fitted to the crankshaft. It must be customordered for the diameter of the crankshaft of
the particular engine, and proper installation
requires considerable skill.

FIGURE 5 (ABOVE): The handheld unit can


display the detected misfirings and calculate
the percentage outside the specified range
FIGURE 6 (BELOW): By using the first derivative
of cylinder pressure versus displayed crank
angle, it is possible to find the true value
for TDC, for a more accurate value of
cylinder power
FIGURE 7 (BOTTOM): Correcting TDC gives a
power output for the engine being checked of
5,090.1kW, while a reading with uncorrected TDC
gives a power output of 3,794.5kW

EngineEye uses a toothed band wrapped


around the crankshaft. Installation consists
of cutting it to length with a pair of snips,
wrapping it around the crankshaft and
fastening it with the clamps provided. No
highly trained personnel are required just
the ability to use a screwdriver.
The pressure sampling is asynchronous
(the sample rate increases automatically as
pressure increases, to increase accuracy in
the area of the curve used to determine pmax,
TDC, TDC correction, etc) and runs at high
speeds with data stored as a time series,
while the output of the crank angle sensor
is stored as a series of time stamps.
The PC software accurately correlates
the two, linearly interpolating the time
stamps from the crank angle sensor to
give a continuous angle measurement.
This results in an angular resolution of
better than 0.1, which makes it possible
to detect harmonic oscillations; other
units have 1 resolution and cannot detect
these oscillations.
Choose the correct instrument for you
While operators may or may not need the
maximum in precision every day, they may
need it eventually to analyze special issues
that are hard to diagnose and may have
serious consequences. The EngineEye can
provide that precision, giving accurate
measurements despite delay and resonance
effects in indicator valve tubes, crankshaft
twist and the instantaneous changes
in rotational speed that occur as each
cylinder fires. It can also correct powerper-cylinder readings for errors in TDC
measurement, even when a crank angle
sensor is not used.
Figure 6 shows that by using the first
derivative of cylinder pressure versus
displayed crank angle, it is possible to find
the true value for TDC and using that
corrected TDC gives a more accurate value
for cylinder power. Figure 7 shows that
correcting TDC gives a power output for the
engine being checked of 5,090.1kW, while
a reading with uncorrected TDC gives an
erroneous power output of 3,794.5kW.

Summary
A cylinder pressure monitoring system
can be of great help in maintaining marine
diesel engines and optimizing their
operation. But remember that there are many
choices of instruments available, and paying
close attention to their capabilities can yield
great dividends. \\

About the author


Jakob Seedorff is technical director at
Littelfuse Selco
www.littelfuse.com/industries/marine

58 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

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CONDITION MONITORING

Solutions for fuel, lube


and hydraulic oil

Whats the
diagnosis?
Modern engine rooms bear evermore complex
machinery, and centralized and efficient
maintenance is the prevailing challenge
FrankHerholdt,Martechnic

oday, most machinery carries its own


sensors to survey performance and
to report on status. But in concert,
an array of machinery may have
gaps in surveillance. These gaps may differ
in number and severity, as any engine part
could be considered an individual orchestra,
and the director may see different needs
for special focus, with regard to the critical
or problematic character of an application.
The idea of a modular monitoring system
is to provide instrumentation that can be
customized to individual requirements, yet
still collects all data in a central black box to
give a view of all parameters at a glance.
The parameters monitored by a modular
monitoring system are manifold in their
options. An example would be water in
oil, which could be monitored on the most
expensive machinery, the main engine, in its
system oil and perhaps also in the sensitive
hydraulic system of the common rail. Water
monitoring could also be valuable for other
points of application, such as the stern tube
or turbochargers. An intelligent bypass
management system can employ one sensor
for more than one application, so investment
could be cut down compared with individual
sensor installation per piece of machinery.
Viscosity has recently become a more
important issue regarding the aging of
generator lube oil or its dilution with light
fuel. Actually, it is a large decrease in the
flash point of a lube oil that is the real danger
of light fuel dilution, so this is another
example of detection through a correlating
parameter that is more economical and not
as complicated to measure. A dilution of
only 5% light fuel in lubricating oil results
in a 30% decrease of the lube oils viscosity.
The effect of this can show quite quickly but
go unnoticed between routine laboratory

analysis intervals, so monitoring of this


parameter could prove very valuable,
enabling action to be taken before an oil
change becomes unavoidable or something
worse happens.
In addition to common hydraulic
installations such as for the rudder and
bow thrusters, there are an increasing
number of hydraulic applications on board,
for instance with common rail systems on
diesel engines. Some of the latter share
their sump tanks with the regular system
oil, so it would be wise to consider closely
monitoring the hydraulic oil systems to
ensure efficient filtration. In general the
monitoring of hydraulic applications has

60 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

become a present-day issue, as due to the


growing offshore industry more installation
and service ships are at sea and thus more
hydraulic oil is afloat than has ever been.
This is just one example of a modular
monitoring system installed on a merchant
ship. More parameters for customized
condition monitoring could be mentioned,
such as temperature and vibration, or
even sound. The above examples were
chosen for a detailed view, as they are all
monitoring vital fluid systems. Following
a risk and critical application analysis, a
superintendent may identify corresponding
applications as meaningful to equip with
continuous monitoring equipment.

CONDITION MONITORING

In addition to the technical fleet manager


being the decision maker, there are at least
two more links in the chain. One is the
party that pays for the monitoring system.
So part of the risk and critical application
analysis has to evaluate the economic issue
considering two factors. One is the potential
cost of repair or premature oil change and
any eventual loss due to failure or downtime
of machinery. The other is the cost of the
monitoring system. It needs to be modern
technology, yet still cost-effective either by
design or through installation, for example
by sharing sensors on more than one piece
of machinery.

ABOVE: The MT
modular monitoring
system is an
assembly of various
sensors connected
with a datalogger.
It is possible to
monitor water
content, viscosity
and particles on the
same engine, or any
other combination
of applications

ABOVE RIGHT: The


Viscosity-Sensor
is a service tool
for determination
of viscosity and
temperature in
hydraulic and
lubricating oils,
while taking the
density into account
LEFT AND BELOW:
Impact of light fuel
oil dilution in system
lube oil
MGO [ml]
Temperature [C]
Viscosity [mm2/s]
Contamination [%]
0
39,5
146, 2
0
1,5
39,6
140,7
0,5
3
39,5
136,9
1
4,5
39,5
132,4
1,5
6
39,7
126,7
2
7, 5
40
119,9
2,5
9
39,9
116,7
3
10,5
10
112,6
3,5
12
40
108,8
4
13,5
40
105,1
4,5
15
39,9
101,8
5
By a contamination of 15ml (5%) MDO to the 300ml of lubricating oil Castrol TLX plus 404

The link at the other end of the chain is


the staff maintaining the machinery, who
are faced with installation and operation
of the sensor system. The task of installing
the sensors and getting them to measure
properly should not be too complicated
or challenging for any member of staff.
Ideally the whole system is prepared for the
customized application prior to delivery, so
the installation actually becomes just a plugand-play job for the staff.
In summary, it can be said that sensors
alone do not mean salvation from trouble,
nor do they have to be equipped in every
possible location. But focused monitoring
of critical applications identified on an
individual basis can make good sense, and
make all involved sleep peacefully while the
monitoring system is on watch. \\

About the author


Frank Herholdt is managing director of Martechnic
www.martechnic.com

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

61

STRUCTURAL CONVERSION

Case study

Agent for change


How a side-loading paper carrier was converted
into a logger (mini bulker for pulpwood) in a
project completed in just five weeks
SvenFromm,Clever Marine Services

lever Marine Services (CMS),


based on the Isle of Man, is an
ISO 9001:2008-certified marine
service company established
in 2009. Having carried out complete
superintendence/supervision of more than
30 class- and repair-related dry dockings for
its clients, it recently secured the contract to
carry out the complete superintendence for a
conversion from a side-loading paper carrier
to a logger (mini bulker for pulpwood).
This contract included superintendence,
cost control, liaising with designers,
naval architects and classification society
(Germanischer Lloyd), as well as a complete
main engine overhaul of the MaK 6M552C,
plus the usual tasks related to a class
renewal survey.
The structural conversion of the
vessel mainly consisted of cropping out
the tweendeck and fitting the necessary
brackets and reinforcements to ensure the
structural integrity of the vessels hull and to
maintain its E3 ice class.
The vessel was originally equipped with
a side ramp, loading lift and electric forklifts.
One of the most challenging tasks was to
prevent re-routing of the power supply
cables, which were running through ducts
and pipes within the cargo hold area, while
remaining in accordance to the requirements
advised by the vessel's classification
society. In the end, the team managed to
avoid any re-routing.
A second challenge was to optimize the
vessels intake by ensuring that the number
of brackets and reinforcements was kept
to a minimum in order to gain the maximum
cargo capacity by cropping out the
existing tweendeck.
CMS dispatched a team consisting
of one certified superintendent, one
supervising marine engineer with ultrasonic
thickness measurement (UTM) supervisor
qualifications, one marine electrician and
one fitter/mechanic with UTM supervisor
qualifications, in order to complete the tasks
at hand. The superintendent was in charge

62 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

STRUCTURAL CONVERSION

MAIN IMAGE: Class-approved welders supplied


by CMS weld hatch coaming cracks
INSET: Removal of tweendeck, carried out under
CMSs supervision in the summer of 2013 at
Morska Shipyard in Swinemuende, Poland
ABOVE: Automat welding of tank top under
CMS supervision
ABOVE CENTRE: Inspection of underwater area
of a 1100 TEU container vessel carried out by
CMS superintendents and the class surveyor for
the vessel
ABOVE RIGHT: CMS cleans TC protection grids
of a MaK 6M601C during trouble-shooting
attendance on board a 25-year-old 700 TEU
container vessel in Cape Town
RIGHT: Major overhaul of main engine MaK
6M552C was carried out by CMS within nine
days by one supervising engineer and one fitter/
mechanic, with crew assistance

of overall cost control, the class renewal


survey, and the structural conversion of
the vessel, as well as communications and
networking with the parties involved. The
supervising engineer led the team for the
main engine overhaul, repair/calibration of
all pressostats, class renewal engine, and
any necessary electrical repairs.
After dismantling the main engine
and commencing the overhaul, it became
clear that the entablature of three units
would have to be machined in situ as there
were three liners to hone. Therefore CMS
subcontracted its local partner to carry
out these works under CMS warranty
and responsibility.
Due to CMSs hands-on approach, it was
possible to keep the number of service
personnel involved to a minimum. Because
of their multiple qualifications, these
personnel were also able to perform the

ABOUT THE COMPANY

lever Marine Services employs a core


team of seven permanent employees
and also has the option of tapping into
a pool of qualified marine personnel,
from laborers and cleaners, to fitters and
mechanics, up to supervising engineers
and NDT supervisors.
Among its existing clients are Barthels
+ Lders, A&P, Schiffahrtskontor tom
Wrden and RINA Services.
CMS was founded to provide
shipowners, managers, shipyards and
other marine service companies with an
option to contract qualified personnel
and expertise for a reasonable price.
It achieves this by offering fixed hourly
and daily rates without overtime, holiday
and weekend charges.
The company provides its clients with
overhaul and maintenance services using
all kinds of machinery, including IACS
class-approved ultrasonic thickness
measurement, superintendence,
surveying and consultancy (ISM, ISPS
and MLC).

complete UTM survey for the class renewal


of a sister vessel of the client during the
same period.
The complete conversion project,
including the class renewal survey, was
completed within five weeks. During this
time, CMSs superintendent kept the client
informed with daily reports sent by email,
which gave the client a breakdown of the
progress made by the shipyard, services
and crew. Additionally, the client was kept
informed about any upcoming problems or
obstructions that could not be solved there
and then. The client was satisfied with the
work carried out and the overall cost, as
well as the reporting and documentation
of the project.
CMS is expanding its services and will
be able to offer the complete range of NDT
inspections from March 2014, including UTM,
magnetic particle inspection, dye-penetrant
testing, ultrasonic weld inspections and
vacuum testing of welds. \\

About the author


Sven Fromm is managing director at Clever
Marine Services
www.clevermarine.com

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

63

COATSCALE REMOVER

Grit blasting replacement

Healthy
alternative
A cost-effective and environmentally friendly
coatscale removing solution offers an
alternative to grit blasting of ballast tanks, and
can also protect vessels for up to 36 months
Per Schaanning, Trustper AS

rustpers latest coatscale removing


concept is a cost-efficient one
compared with traditional methods
involving grit blasters and ultrahigh-pressure water systems. The products
the company provides are easy to apply
(saving days in dry dock), inexpensive and
environmentally friendly. On top of this, they
do not contain any hydrocarbon solvents
or oils, and all ingredients are completely
biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
Compared with grit blasting, the cost
savings can be as high as 90%. During
exhaustive pre-launch trials conducted
by Det Norske Veritas in 2006, the results
achieved were as good as or better than
the standards required by ISO 8501-1.

Rust remover
Norway-based Trustper is launching two
coatscale removers: CSR I and CSR II. The
first is a blend of vegetable oils, driers,
wetting agents and corrosion inhibitors,
and its primary use is to act as a rust
remover and temporary corrosion inhibitor
in seawater ballast tanks. Applied either
by spraying or by flotation, it penetrates
the porous rust to reach the steel surface
underneath, where it spreads out to make
RIGHT: Trustper removed loose scale from the
stringer area on board the Bright Victory

64 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

COATSCALE REMOVER

ABOVE: Taken after treatment, CSR 1 can offer


protection for steel surfaces for up to 18 months
LEFT: The multi-nozzle spray is used to ensure
treatment is covered evenly

a thin, oily film that loosens the rust. During


the curing process, the film expands and
pushes off the rust in flakes. CSR I then dries
to a soft, non-sticky coating, which gives the
fresh metal temporary corrosion protection
from seawater and humidity. CSR I can be
used for other purposes, for example, as a
semi-hard coating for the protection of
steel and metal surfaces against
atmospheric corrosion.
CSR II, which contains linseed oil, dries
twice as quickly as CSR I, meaning tanks can
be ballasted by the following day, or even on
the same day, from the time of application.
CSR II has also been successfully
applied to the cargo spaces on merchant
vessels, proving highly resilient for the
transportation of cargos such as limestone.
Furthermore, its heat-resistance properties
make it suitable for the surface treatment of
steam pipes and similar applications.

ABOVE: Coatscale
Remover is safe both
to the environment
and to personnel
handling it

Once the treated surface


has reached ISO 8501-1 C/D
Sa 2 and coated with an
approved hard paint system,
it will be accepted by the
Class for a 5-year
Per Schaaning, Trustper AS
even further, to up to 60 months or more,
when a hard paint system has been applied.
This is made possible when a third additional
treatment stage is carried out using Aquatuff
High Foam to remove CSR I only, where it is
soaked and integrated into the existing iron
oxide surface. A steel surface treated with
CSR II is extremely resistant to removal,
either by physical or chemical means.
To date, Trustpers products have been
successfully used on a wide range of
vessels, notably handymax, panamax
and capsize bulk carriers, tankers, box
carriers, offshore supply vessels, FPSOs
and barges. The company believes
its concept is also suitable for non-maritime
applications anything from treating
car chassis to maintaining steel bridges. \\

Safely applied
Both products are ISO 14001 certified and
can be safely applied by a vessels crew
using common shipboard spray paint
equipment at low pressure. Coverage rates
of 600m2 per hour can be achieved. The
flotation method can be used in deep tanks
and similar confined spaces. Freshwater
washing prior to application is not required.
Tank surfaces can be treated once
moderately dry (but not soaking wet) after
de-ballasting, but mud and water residues
must first be removed from the tank.
Used by itself, CSR I can offer protection
for steel surfaces for up to 18 months before
touching up is needed; however, this period
is doubled to 36 months when used in
conjunction with CSR II as part of a
two-stage process. This can be extended

About the author


ABOVE: Step test panel for old rust and scale
removal by micron

Per Schaanning is the founder and owner of


Trustper AS
www.trustper.com

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014 65

ROTOR BALANCING

Portable measuring device

Smart move

Schenck RoTec has launched a portable tool, the


SmartBalancer, which will revolutionize field
balancing within the marine industry
NadineEgner,Schenck RoTec
ABOVE & RIGHT:Unbalances
onrotorsarethecauseofat
leasthalfofallfaultson
machinesandsystems.
WiththenewSmartBalancer
fromSchenckRoTec,
servicetechniciansand
maintainersidentifythese
unbalanceseasilyatthe
locationwheretheyoccur

nbalances on rotors are the


cause of at least half of all faults
on machines and systems. With
the new SmartBalancer from
Schenck RoTec, service and maintenance
technicians can identify these unbalances
easily and directly at the location where they
occur. The handy portable measuring device
offers great functionality and stands out with
its simple operation.
With the new SmartBalancer from Schenck
RoTec, service, maintenance and measuring
technicians gain a compact, complete system
for all field balancing tasks. Suitable for
preventive maintenance quality assurance
and repair, this device proves itself to be a
tool that is as reliable as it is diverse. With the
SmartBalancer, the unbalance of rotors in
assemblies can be accurately determined and
corrected. Without dismantling, all rotor types
of any weight class and dimension and speeds
of 100 to 120.0001/min can be checked.

66 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

ROTOR BALANCING

Schenck RoTec offers the new


SmartBalancer as a complete
solution. The device is therefore
ready to use for field balancing
in the context of maintenance,
servicing and commissioning

User-friendly
The new SmartBalancer is neither
a pure data collector nor a complex
vibration analysis device but rather a
handy diagnostic system tailored to the
requirements of field balancing in terms of
range of functions and ease of operation.
Even the inexperienced user can work with
it efficiently within a short period of time.
On the illuminated color display, the
pictograms, a clear file structure and the
Windows-based user interface quickly guide
the user to the target. All functions can be
accessed via a D-pad and seven keys.
The user is led through the balancing
process by intuitive operator guidance.
Preset measuring tasks can be used,
important values such as balance quality
or bearing loads can be calculated, it is
easy to select between various methods of
correction and set correction weights can
be summarized. The vibration levels of the

individual process stage are clearly shown


in vector diagrams.
For machine diagnostics, the
SmartBalancer offers several analysis tools
such as the broadband measurement of
mechanical vibrations. For the quantification
and correct evaluation of these overall
vibrations, the limits according to DIN
ISO 10816 are set. The user selects
the appropriate machine type and the
corresponding evaluation setup is obtained.
FFT frequency analysis is available to
determine the causes of harmful machinery
vibrations. It displays the vibrations as a
spectrum with frequency and amplitude.
As an additional tool, tracking analysis
can be used to identify resonance speeds.
All measurements can be executed
simultaneously with two channels.

Simply more options


In addition to the simplified operating

concept, the strengths of the new


SmartBalancer also include the extended
utility software. With the aid of this, the
measuring results can be transferred
directly to the PC and processed as a
CSV file and Excel report. Moreover, the
range of applications of the device can be
extended with the roller bearing evaluation
module to determine the bearing condition
in machines. Bearing damage can thus be
identified at an early stage and replacement
competed in timely manner.
Schenck RoTec offers the new
SmartBalancer as a complete solution. The
device is therefore ready to use for field
balancing in the context of maintenance,
servicing and commissioning. \\

About the author


Nadine Egner is product manager for the
SmartBalancer at Schenck RoTec
www.schenck-rotec.com/www.smartbalancer.com

MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

67

ASK THE EXPERT

Professor John Carlton

How will ship propulsion


change in the future?
Keeping machinery well maintained is key to
efficient marine propulsion but what new
propulsion technologies lie on the horizon?
Professor John Carlton, City University London

ithin the wider international


debate on climate change,
there are increasing calls for
shipping to reduce emissions
of greenhouse gases. This refers mostly
to carbon dioxide, but other exhaust gas
components that are perceived to be harmful
are included. Together with generally rising
fuel costs, the introduction of the EEDI in 2013
and the potential introduction of carbon taxes,
this pressure on emissions has led many in
the industry to question whether the present
methods of ship propulsion are sustainable.
To achieve the necessary impact with
improvements in efficiency and reductions in
emissions for ships, an integrated systemsengineering approach is needed. Such an
approach must embrace all elements of naval
architecture, plus marine, electrical and control
engineering, as well as including the stakeholder
requirements so as to achieve a sustainable and
optimal design solution.
However, the focus should not only be on
design, but must include the ships operational
profile and practices. For example, avoiding
adverse conditions through the use of weather
routing technologies offers important fuel
consumption benefits. Similarly, benefits are also
obtainable if a ships speed is optimized during
voyages and the crew trained to understand the
implications of the decisions and actions they
take. Indeed, real-time decision-support systems
with the goal of reducing energy use and
minimizing emissions has been shown to
be helpful in reducing operating costs.
Furthermore, the condition of a ships
machinery has a major influence on fuel
consumption and emissions performance.
There is, therefore, good reason to keep

machinery well maintained and operated by


well-motivated crews.
The use of smaller ships or lower speeds,
with consequent reductions in fuel consumed
and beneficial environmental consequences
might also be considered. The former option is,
however, inconsistent with studies that show
that larger ships are more carbon efficient than
smaller vessels. The latter option, in contrast,
implies de-rating existing engines installed
in ships or fitting smaller engines than are
conventionally adopted for a given size of
vessel. However, there are major operational
risks in under-powering ships in order to meet
environmental design constraints, particularly in
poor weather.
The adoption of alternatives for propulsion
machinery is dependent on the cost of the
option and its financing, the price of fuel, the
impact of present and future environmental
legislation, and the likelihood of the introduction
of a carbon tax. In the case of bunker prices,
experience over the past 20 years has
demonstrated a generally increasing trend
superimposed with strong fluctuations. Debate,
however, exists as to whether this increasing
trend will be attenuated in the future.
Against this background, a series of short-,
medium- and long-term propulsion options
become apparent. The time when they can be
introduced depends largely on the availability of
the technology, the amount of research required,
and the likely benefit to be gained or the sociopolitical issues raised by the technology. As
such, the following time dependent scenarios
might be considered:
For existing ships, reciprocating engines
with exhaust gas attenuation technologies
are the principal option with, if desired, fuels

having less CO2 emission potential. LNG is


one such fuel and, together with some other
alternatives, would require an adequate
bunkering infrastructure to be developed,
particularly for deep-sea voyages. Attention
could also be usefully paid to reducing the
demand for shipboard energy.
For presently contemplated new-buildings, the
scenario is broadly similar but with the option to
include hybrid propulsion systems depending
on the size and intended duty cycle of the vessel.
In the case of ships contemplated for the
medium to long term, future propulsion options
will present themselves, including additional
fuel options, fuel cells, batteries and perhaps
nuclear. The former methods await technological
development but nuclear, while well understood
technically, would require a major change to
ship owning, operational infrastructure and
practices, together with a suitable international
regulatory structure.
Renewable sources, such as wind and solar,
are supplementary, assuming a return to full sail
propulsion is not contemplated. If in the future a
hydrogen economy were adopted, then hydrogen
may become a realistic marine fuel option.
In a recent report entitled Future Ship
Powering Options: Exploring Alternative
Methods of Ship Propulsion, the Royal
Academy of Engineering addressed these issues
and the report may be found on the web
site: www.raeng.org.uk.

About the author


Professor John Carlton joined City University
London full-time in 2010 as Professor of Marine
Engineering. He is course director for City
Universitys very successful MSc Maritime
Operations and Management

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
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Aurand Manufacturing & Equipment Company ............................................ 31
Clever Marine Services Ltd .................................................................................. 9
DEN-JET Marine Pte Ltd ...................................................................................... 49
Electric & Hybrid Marine World Expo 2014 ............................................ 43, 59
Helmut Fischer Gmbh ......................................................... Outside Back Cover
Littlefuse Selco A/S ................................................................Inside Back Cover
Marine Diesel Finland Oy.................................................................................... 49
Marine Maintenance Technology International Reader Enquiry Service2
68 MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY 2014

Marine Maintenance Technology International Subscriptions ................ 37


Marine Maintenance World Expo 2014 ....................................... 15, 17, 18, 50
Martechnic GmbH ................................................................................................. 37
Schenck RoTec GmbH ......................................................................................... 46
SDT International sa-nv ....................................................................................... 46
SKF Marine................................................................................Inside Front Cover
Tecnimpianti Antwerp.......................................................................................... 25
Trustper AS............................................................................................................... 3

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