SKAUGEN PETROTRANS INC.

Lightering 101 - Introduction to

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Lightering
SKAUGEN PETROTRANS
 What is Lightering? III
III

What: Lightering is defined as the process involving ship-to-ship transfer of oil cargo.

Why: This process is used because economical shipment of crude oil from its source to the United
States requires the use of extremely large tankers called very large crude carriers (VLCCs)
and ultra large crude carriers (ULCCs). In turn, ports may not be deep enough, or have
narrow entrances, or have small berths such that these large tankers cannot be
accommodated. Thus, lightering allows offshore unloading of the crude oil cargoes of the
very largest tankers.

How: The lightering process consists of maneuvering a smaller tanker (service vessel) alongside
the larger tanker or STBL (ship to be lightered), typically with both vessels underway.
The two vessels are moored together with lines while using large rubber bumpers called
fenders between the two vessels to prevent damage. A portion of the crude oil cargo from
the larger ship is discharged through hoses connected between the two vessels to the
smaller ship. The two vessels may be anchored or may continue underway while the
transfer takes place depending upon sea conditions.

Where: Lightering locations are dictated primarily by water depth and traffic. In the Gulf of Mexico,
this process takes place twenty (20) to sixty (60) miles from land. Lightering any further
offshore would be both time consuming and less convenient

When: All the time!

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 Glossary of Terms III
III

Glossary:

STBL (Ship-to-be-Lightered) Very large or ultra large tanker carries crude into Gulf of
Mexico from foreign port; too large to enter ports.

SS (Service Ship) Smaller tanker which offloads a portion of the STBL’s

crude and takes it into port.

NOR (Notice of Readiness) Notice served by the Master to inform the

terminal/charterer that the vessel is ready in all respects
to load or discharge cargo.

DOP (Dropping Outward Pilot) Frequently used provision in a time charter to determine
the time and place of redelivery of a ship to the owner by
the charterer. The hire ceases at the moment the pilot
disembarks.

Laydays/Laycan A spread of dates – e.g.: “Laydays 1st

September/Canceling 15th September,” between which
dates a vessel is to present for loading. Too early and she
will probably have to wait. Too late and the risks being
canceled by the charterers.

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 Glossary of Terms III
III

Glossary: (continued…)

MM (Mooring Master) Specially trained master mariner who maneuvers

the SS alongside the STBL.

Mooring Master Assistant Person that assists the mooring master and works on
the STBL.

LSV (Lightering Support Vessel) Workboat (180’ long) which carries the fenders and
hoses, and assists in putting the fenders on the
STBL.

Fenders Specially designed air-inflated rubber “cushions”

placed on either the STBL or SS that float on the
water and will absorb the forces of bringing the two
vessels together.

Hoses Specially designed, 12” diameter, 1¼” reinforced

rubber hoses that the crude oil flows through from
the STBL to the SS.

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 Tankers III
III

As
As shown
shown in in the
the picture
picture to to the
the left,
left,
some
some tankers
tankers areare equipped
equipped with with
fenders
fenders and
and hoses.
hoses. TheseThese tankers
tankers
may
may also
also have
have Captains
Captains who who are are
Mooring
Mooring Masters.
Masters. If If this
this is
is the
the case,
case,
and
and the
the Captain
Captain is is in
in compliance
compliance
with
with the
the USCG
USCG work-
work- hour hour
regulations,
regulations, hehe may
may conduct
conduct the the
mooring
mooring between
between the the service
service shipship
and
and the
the STBL
STBL without
without assistance.
assistance. If If
the
the ship
ship is
is not
not so-equipped
so-equipped or or the
the
Captain
Captain isis not
not able
able toto dodo the
the mooring
mooring
operation,
operation, anan LSV
LSV withwith Mooring
Mooring
Master
Master isis needed.
needed.

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 Lightering Support Vessels (LSVs) III
III

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 LSVs and Their Role in Ship-To-Ship Transfers III
III

The
The job
job of
of the
the LSV
LSV isis to
to deliver
deliver the
the
Mooring
Mooring Master
Master andand Mooring
Mooring Master
Master
Assistant
Assistant toto the
the service
service ship
ship and
and
STBL;
STBL; andand deploy
deploy and
and recover
recover the
the
fenders
fenders and
and hoses
hoses needed
needed forfor the
the
lightering
lightering operation.
operation. They
They areare also
also
on
on standby
standby throughout
throughout the the operation
operation
in
in case
case of
of emergencies.
emergencies. LSVs LSVs carry
carry
the
the fenders,
fenders, hoses,
hoses, and
and personnel
personnel
needed
needed toto conduct
conduct the
the lightering
lightering
operation.
operation. In In addition,
addition, some
some LSV’s
LSV’s
are
are equipped
equipped with
with fire-fighting
fire-fighting andand
oil-spill
oil-spill response
response equipment.
equipment.

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 The Lightering Process III
III

Depending
Depending on on weather,
weather, cargocargo
transfers
transfers can
can be be made
made while
while
underway,
underway, drifting,
drifting, or or atat anchor.
anchor.
At
At the
the lightering
lightering position
position in in the
the
designated
designated lightering
lightering area,area, up
up to
to 70
70
nautical
nautical miles
miles offshore,
offshore, the the LSV
LSV
fenders
fenders oneone ofof the
the tankers
tankers involved
involved inin
the
the transfer
transfer andand delivers
delivers thethe Mooring
Mooring
Master.
Master. At At this
this time,
time, the
the cargo
cargo
transfer
transfer hoses
hoses maymay alsoalso bebe loaded
loaded
onto
onto one
one of
of the
the tankers.
tankers. In In the
the
picture
picture atat lower
lower left,
left, the
the service
service ship
ship
is
is approaching
approaching the the STBL
STBL with with
fenders
fenders already
already in in place.
place.

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 The Mooring Master III
III

The
The Mooring
Mooring Master
Master is is stationed
stationed on
on
the
the bridge
bridge ofof the
the service
service shipship during
during
approach
approach andand mooring.
mooring. Under Under
normal
normal conditions,
conditions, both both vessels
vessels will
will
be
be under
under wayway atat aa pre-agreed
pre-agreed speed
speed
until
until the
the vessels
vessels areare safely
safely moored
moored
together.
together. The
The speed
speed and and course
course of
of
the
the STBL,
STBL, as as well
well asas the
the relative
relative
movement
movement between
between the the two
two vessels
vessels
must
must periodically
periodically be be verified
verified through
through
the
the ARPA
ARPA or or radar.
radar.

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 The Approach III
III

As
As the
the mother
mother ship
ship maintains
maintains her
her set
set
course
course and
and slow
slow speed,
speed, the
the lightering
lightering
tanker
tanker maneuvers
maneuvers alongside.
alongside. ItIt
slowly
slowly edges
edges closer
closer to
to the
the mother
mother
ship
ship until
until itit matches
matches course
course and
and
speed.
speed. The
The approach
approach angle
angle between
between
the
the two
two vessels
vessels should
should be
be decreased
decreased
as
as the
the parallel
parallel distance
distance decreases,
decreases, and
and
when
when the
the distance
distance is
is approximately
approximately
500
500 feet,
feet, the
the approach
approach angle
angle should
should
not
not exceed
exceed 3-5
3-5 degrees.
degrees.

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 Edging Closer III
III

The
The preferred
preferred speed
speed during
during final
final
approach
approach and
and mooring
mooring is
is usually
usually
between
between 44 and
and 66 knots.
knots. However,
However, the
the
speed
speed must
must be
be adjusted
adjusted in
in each
each case
case
to
to optimize
optimize the
the maneuverability
maneuverability of
of
both
both vessels.
vessels. As
As the
the two
two vessels
vessels
come
come near
near together,
together, they
they should
should be
be as
as
close
close to
to parallel
parallel as
as possible,
possible, so
so that
that
all
all four
four fenders
fenders simultaneously
simultaneously share
share
the
the load
load of
of the
the impact.
impact.

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 The Fenders III
III

The
The OCIMF’s
OCIMF’s Ship-to-Ship
Ship-to-Ship

transfer
transfer Guide
Guide (Petroleum)
(Petroleum)

recommends
recommends the
the use
use of
of four
four 6.5m
6.5m

xx 3.3m
3.3m high
high pressure
pressure pneumatic
pneumatic

fenders
fenders for
for berthing
berthing of
of an
an

Aframax
Aframax and
and aa VLCC
VLCC type
type

tanker.
tanker.

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 Mooring Lines III
III

Mooring
Mooring is is to
to be
be done
done byby the
the crew
crew ofof
each
each vessel
vessel involved
involved in in the
the operation.
operation.
As
As aa minimum,
minimum, the the following
following lines
lines
will
will bebe passed
passed to to the
the STBL
STBL from from the
the
SS:
SS: 44 to to 66 headlines,
headlines, 22 forward
forward
spring
spring lines,
lines, 22 aft
aft spring
spring lines,
lines, and
and 44
to
to 66 stern
stern lines.The
lines.The STBLSTBL will will also
also
be
be required
required to to supply
supply 22 toto 44 mooring
mooring
lines
lines aft
aft and
and forward.
forward. UponUpon
completion
completion of of mooring
mooring operations,
operations,
both
both vessels
vessels must must ensure
ensure that
that
messenger
messenger lines lines and
and stoppers
stoppers are are
made
made ready
ready in in proper
proper position
position forfor fast
fast
cast
cast off
off of
of the
the mooring
mooring lines
lines should
should
that
that be
be necessary
necessary at at some
some point.
point.

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 All Fast Offshore III
III

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 Hose Connection III
III

Next
Next comes
comes connecting
connecting thethe 12-inch,
12-inch,
90-foot
90-foot cargo
cargo transfer
transfer hoses
hoses and
and the
the
gauging
gauging of of the
the tanks.
tanks. Crew
Crew members
members
of
of each
each vessel
vessel are
are responsible
responsible for
for
connecting
connecting the the reducers
reducers and
and cargo
cargo
hoses.
hoses. The
The hose
hose body
body must
must bebe
supported
supported between
between the the hose
hose and
and the
the
ship’s
ship’s rail
rail by
by aa nylon
nylon strap
strap with
with
rubber
rubber “chafe”
“chafe” fitting
fitting and
and suspended
suspended
from
from the
the ship’s
ship’s derrick/crane.
derrick/crane.
Continuous
Continuous attention
attention must
must bebe given
given
to
to the
the manifold
manifold area.
area. AA qualified
qualified
member
member fromfrom each
each vessel
vessel must
must be
be
stationed
stationed atat the
the manifold
manifold during
during the
the
entire
entire transfer.
transfer.

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 Cargo Transfer III
III

During
During the
the cargo
cargo transfer,
transfer, the
the STBL
STBL
must
must keep
keep aa proper
proper bridge
bridge watch
watch toto
ensure
ensure that
that aa safe
safe anchor
anchor position
position is
is
maintained;
maintained; or or ifif slow
slow steaming,
steaming, that
that
safe
safe navigation
navigation is is carried
carried out.
out. The
The
pumping
pumping of of cargo
cargo shall
shall commence
commence at at
aa slow
slow rate,
rate, but
but when
when flowflow has
has been
been
established,
established, and
and no no leaks
leaks found,
found, the
the
STBL
STBL may
may increase
increase pumping
pumping
pressure
pressure to
to optimum
optimum rate. rate. All
All hose
hose
connections
connections shall
shall be be continuously
continuously
monitored
monitored forfor leaks.
leaks. When When transfer
transfer
is
is completed,
completed, hoses
hoses are are drained
drained and
and
returned
returned to
to the
the service
service ship.
ship.

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 Unmooring Operation III
III

Under
Under normal
normal weather
weather conditions,
conditions, the
the
unberthing
unberthing will
will be
be carried
carried out
out with
with
the
the STBL
STBL at
at anchor.
anchor. ItIt may,
may,
however,
however, be
be necessary
necessary to to do
do the
the
operation
operation underway.
underway. In In that
that case,
case, the
the
STBL
STBL will
will be
be instructed
instructed by
by the
the MM
MM
to
to maintain
maintain aa speed
speed and
and course
course
previously
previously agreed
agreed upon.
upon. During
During
unmooring,
unmooring, plenty
plenty of
of slack
slack must
must be
be
given
given on
on the
the mooring
mooring lines
lines and
and good
good
quality
quality messenger
messenger lines
lines must
must be
be used
used
to
to avoid
avoid difficulties
difficulties in
in removing
removing the
the
eyes
eyes off
off bitts.
bitts.

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 Day 1
Clark loads
Day 42/0001
their cargo

Nominate to SPT
Bayoil loads AG Cargo loads VLCC
Day 43/0001

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their cargo

Valero takes Day 23

Day 44/0001
their cargo
VLCC loads W. Africa

Carbo transfer

Day 45/0200

Arrival at
Day 45/0600
Crude Oil Transportation Time Line

discharge port

Arrival at the dock Day 45/1200

Cargo discharge
Day 42
USG
VLCC
arrives

Sail from Day 45

Day 46/1500
Crude

at port
arrives

the dock

Drop pilot / Job Day 46/2200

complete
III
III

SKAUGEN PETROTRANS
 Lightering Coastline III
III

PASCAGOULA

BEAUMONT

Corpus
Corpus N27-46
N27-46 W96-25
W96-25
Freeport
Freeport N28-30
N28-30 W95-05
W95-05
Galveston
Galveston N28-35
N28-35 W94-15
W94-15
Sabine
Sabine N28-35
N28-35 W93-45
W93-45
S.
S. Sabine
Sabine Pt.
Pt. N28-37
N28-37 W93-22
W93-22
S.W.
S.W. Pass
Pass N28-18
N28-18 W90-32
W90-32

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