Presenter: Captain Charlie Tweedel Sabine Pilots Association Low Sulphur Diesel Fuel Oil Requirements The Pilot’s Perspective North American Marine Environment Protection Association “Focusing on Solutions” Houston Pilots Conference Facility 23 February 2017 www.sabinepilots.com Presenter: Captain Charlie Tweedel Sabine Pilots Association
Introduction Regulation Shipboard Operations and Engineering Navigational Issues in Pilotage Waters Notices, Alerts, Bulletins Pilot Anecdotal Input Mitigating risks
Regulation MARPOL Requirements for Emission Control Areas: 1 January 2015 Vessels entering ECA (within 200NM North American coast) must burn fuel with less than 0.1% SULPHUR content Fuel requirements mandate switching from residual Heavy Fuel Oils (HFO, aka “Bunker”) to Distillate fuels (Marine Gas Oil, Marine Diesel Oil) So many names and acronyms: HFO, MDO, LSDO, ULSDO, MGO, MFO, DMA, DMB…. Bottom line is delineating between Residual Fuel and Distillate Fuel For this presentation MDO refers to fuel in compliance with new sulphur regs HFO refers to fuel not in compliance with ECA regs or burned outside of ECA www.sabinepilots.com
Shipboard Operations and Engineering Challenges for Shipboard Personnel HFO to MDO change over Low Viscosity and Lubricity Filter issues and leaks Temperature and potential for thermal damage to components Storage of two separate fuel types Delivering power to the propeller… RPM control with throttle management hardware/software Less energy in the same volume of fuel…reduced BTUs with MDO Net result for the pilot: Potential change in maneuvering expectations www.sabinepilots.com
Navigational Issues in Pilotage Waters Slow response of engine through range of maneuvering bell orders Unavailability of certain bells…usually Full Maneuvering Inability to achieve posted RPM on Pilot Card No “kick” to the engine when increasing RPM Adds to the existing issues of UKC/Engine Load Delay (or no response) in starting or reversing engine Engine Failure: Loss of Propulsion www.sabinepilots.com
Notices, Alerts, Bulletins…. www.sabinepilots.com
Notices, Alerts, Bulletins…. Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme
Notices, Alerts, Bulletins…. www.sabinepilots.com
Pilot anecdotal examples of dealing with MDO issues… (Data from Houston Pilots)
Pilot Card showing difference in RPM burning MDO vs. HFO www.sabinepilots.com
Example of Computer Controlled Throttle Ordered RPM 83 Actual RPM 70 www.sabinepilots.com
Dealing with MDO going forward Enhanced exchange of information Master-Pilot Exchange Including amending the Pilot Card Pilot Association logging problem ships Mitigating risks Use of escort tugs Movement restrictions/limitations Final thoughts…. ww.sabinepilots.com
?’s Contributors: Aransas-Corpus Christi Pilots www.sabinepilots.com