Bunkering procedure is one such operation on a ship which has been the reason for several accidents in the past. Bunkering on a ship can be of fuel oil, sludge, diesel oil, cargo etc. Bunkering of fuel or diesel oil requires utmost care and alertness to prevent any kind of fire accident or oil spill.

In this article we will learn about the bunkering procedure on a ship and what are the important points that are to be taken into consideration while bunkering.

What Does The Word “Bunker” Mean?

The word “Bunker” is used extensively in defence forces and is used to define an area to store and safeguard personnel and supplies (such as fuel, ammunition, food etc.). It was derived from a Scottish word “Bunk” which means a reserved seat or bench.

In the shipping industry, the word bunker is used for fuel and lube oils, which are stored on a ship and used for machinery operation only. If a vessel is carrying marine fuel or lube oil to discharge it to another port, it will not be called “bunker”. If the vessel or truck is carrying it to transfer to another ship for using in its machinery, it will be termed as “bunker” and the operation performed to transport the oil is known as “bunkering”.

Types of Bunker Fuel:

When the ship receives any kind of oil for using it in its machinery it is called a bunker fuel or bunker oil. Following are different types of bunkers which are supplied to a commercial or passenger vessel:

– Heavy fuel oil bunker

– Diesel oil bunker

– Marine Gas oil bunker

– Lube oil bunker

– LNG fuel bunker

Ways to receive Marine fuel Bunker

The bunker fuel can be supplied to a cargo ship in different ways. The mode or method may vary depending upon the grade or type of fuel being delivered to the vessel. There can be different types of bunkering facilities which supply the required marine fuel or lube oil to the ship. A small barge or ship carrying bunker fuel can be used to transfer marine fuel oil (such as heavy fuel oil) to the vessel. If the quantity of oil is less (e.g. lube oil or MGO, LNG etc.), it can be supplied to the vessel using trucks.

Bunkering Operation Procedure

The bunkering procedure on a ship can be divided into three important stages:

1.      Preparation– Preparing for the bunkering operation which will involve the readiness of bunkering equipment, storage tanks and bunkering safety

2.      Perform– Performing the bunkering operation in real time as per the pre-decided procedure and receiving the marine fuel according to the bunker plan

3.      Wrap-up– Wrapping up the bunkering operation with utmost safety and ensuring the correct amount and quality of bunker fuel has been received onboard from the bunkering facilities (bunker ship or shore truck etc.)

Before Bunkering Operation

1. The chief engineer should calculate and check which bunker oil tanks are to be filled after he/she receives confirmation from the shore office about the amount of fuel to be accepted.

2. It might be required to empty some tanks and transfer the oil from one tank to other. This is required to prevent the mixing of two oils and prevent incompatibility between the previous oil and the new oil.

3. The sounding of other fuel storage tank (not be used in bunkering operation) should also be taken to keep a record of fuel already present onboard. This will help the ship’s officer in case any valve is leaking, and the bunker oil is being transferred to the unwanted tank.

4. A meeting should be held between the members that will take part in the bunkering process, and they should be explained about the following:-

·         Which tanks are to be filled

·         Sequence order of tanks to be filled

·         How much bunker oil is to be taken

·         Bunkering safety procedures

·         Emergency procedure in case oil spill occurs

·         Responsibilities of each officer are explained

5. Sounding is taken before bunkering and record is made

6. A checklist is to be filled so that nothing is missed

7. All deck scuppers and save all trays are plugged

8. An overflow tank is provided in the engine room which is connected to the bunker tank and bunker line. Ensure the overflow tank is kept empty to transfer excess fuel from the bunker tanks

9. Adequate lighting at the bunker and sounding position are to be provided

10. No smoking notice should be positioned near the bunkering station

11. Onboard communication, signs, and signals to stop the operation between the people involved in bunkering are to be understood by all the crew involved in the operation.

12. Red flag/light is presented on the masthead

13. Opposite side bunker manifold valves are closed and appropriately blanked

14. Vessel draught and trim is recorded before bunkering

15. All equipment in SOPEP(shipboard oil pollution emergency plan) locker are checked and kept near the bunkering station

16. When bunker ship or barge is secured to the ship side, the person in charge on the barge is also explained about the bunker plan

17. Bunker supplier’s paperwork is checked for the oil’s grade and the density if they are as per the specification

18. The pumping rate of the bunker fuel is agreed with the bunker barge/ bunker truck

19. The hose is then connected to the manifold. The condition of the hose must be checked properly by the ship staff and if it is not satisfactory, same to be notified to the chief engineer

20. Most of the bunker supplier send there crew to connect the bunker oil pipeline coming from bunker ship/ barge. The ship staff must recheck the flange connection to eliminate the doubt of any leakage

21. Once the connection is made, the chief engineer will ensure all the line valves which will lead the bunker fuel to the selected bunker tanks are open, keeping the main manifold valve shut

22. Proper communication between the barge and the ship is to be established

23. Sign and signals are to be followed as discussed in case of communication during an emergency

24. Most bunkering facilities (ship/ barge/ terminal/ truck etc.) provide an emergency stop switch which controls the bunkering supply pump. Ensure to check its working before commencing the operation

25. Once all the checks are done, the manifold valve is open for bunkering