Connect with us

Environment

North P&I Club: Follow these pointers to prevent bunker spills

‘Many bunker spills occur when a fuel tank overflows during the bunkering process,’ it finds.
Admin

Published

8 years ago

on

5b2b198b22554 1529551243

The following article is written by Alvin Foster, Loss Prevention Executive, at the North P&I Club:

Oil pollution incidents can lead to expensive claims, where clean-up costs, fines and damages to affected third parties can reach several million dollars. But most oil pollution claims do not involve tankers or oil cargoes – pollution caused by the release of bunker fuel is more common.

The environmental impact of spilled heavy fuel oil can be more severe than a crude oil cargo. Lighter fractions of crude can evaporate whereas residual fuels will not and are therefore said to be ‘persistent’.

The release of fuel oil into the seas can occur if a tank is breached. This may be as a result of a collision or impact with a fixed or floating object (FFO).

However, many bunker spills happen during bunkering operations and the vast majority of these spills could be avoided.

Many bunker spills occur when a fuel tank overflows during the bunkering process. A vessel’s storage tanks will be designed to overflow into the designated overflow tank and if the overflow tank fills completely, the fuel spills out of the tank vent head, onto the deck and into the water. Overflow tanks can also fill up when the bunker manifold is over-pressurised and the system’s safety valve relieves the pressure into the overflow tank.

Numerous common factors emerge when looking at the underlying causes of bunker spills. Some are outlined as follows:

• Not acting on overflow alarms
Overflow tanks are fitted with float alarms that activate when a set level is reached. These are usually positioned quite low in the tank to allow plenty of time for the engineers to act. On some vessels, a flow switch is fitted to the manifold safety valve drain line, which activates an alarm if flow is detected. In some incidents, overflow alarms have activated but the crew did not take immediate action to investigate.

• Overflow alarms not fitted or not working
There is no statutory requirement to fit alarms to the overflow system and in such cases crew vigilance and suitable monitoring of the overflow tank contents is vital. For those vessels fitted with such alarms, it is important that they are periodically tested to ensure that they will provide the all-important early warning when it really matters.

• Failure to monitor bunker tank levels
The crew must not rely on tank high level alarms and overflow alarms during bunkering. The tank levels must be monitored throughout, paying particular attention when tanks are almost full and changing over to new tanks. If the wrong valve is accidentally operated, a tank level could rise and overflow unless detected and corrected by a vigilant engineer.

• No effective watch at the bunker station
The bunker station should be manned during the bunkering operation. This not only provides visual monitoring and checking for pollution, but is also an important means of communicating with the supplying vessel or barge.

• Communication between bunker barge and receiving vessel
There must be a means of communication between the supplying and receiving vessels’ personnel at all times. If a problem occurs that requires an emergency stop of the transfer, the two vessels must be able to communicate immediately. It is good practice to test these communication channels prior to commencing operations.

• Not following procedures or the bunker checklist
A vessel’s bunker checklist can be lengthy and there may be a temptation to bypass some of the instructions to speed up the process. This can have costly consequences. Shipowners should ensure that the checklist and supporting policies and procedures are sensible and workable. The vessel’s crew must appreciate the importance of the procedures and understand their purpose.

• Supplier exceeding maximum pressure or flow rate
Before bunkering commences, the supplying and receiving vessel must agree a maximum transfer rate and a maximum pumping pressure. There have been instances where the supplier has attempted to exceed these limits to speed up the transfer and has resulted in overflow.
Less common are spills caused by defects to the bunker piping or tanks. Bunker system pipework, fittings and vents that are poorly maintained or neglected can fail in service. Implementing and following a sensible but robust planned maintenance program will prevent the bunker system failing into such a dangerous condition.

Published: 20 June, 2018
 

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Methanol

GENA Solutions: Total renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline increases from 61.8 to 62.2 Mt by 2032

Information shared by MI – the Global Methanol Alliance meant to assist the maritime industry in the adoption of methanol as a mainstream marine fuel heading into IMO 2030/2050.
Admin

Published

3 days ago

on

September 4, 2026

By

28 1

MI – the Global Methanol Alliance recently shared with Manifold Times the renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline August 2026 release produced by GENA Solutions Oy.

Information from the release is meant to provide the bunkering publication’s readers with insight on renewable methanol availability, and to assist the maritime industry in the adoption of methanol as a mainstream marine fuel heading into IMO 2030/2050.

Key takeaways from GENA’s August 2026 Methanol release are as follows:

  • As of the end of August 2026, GENA tracks 286 renewable and low carbon methanol projects, representing 62.2 Mt of capacity by 2032. This includes 25.1 Mt of e-methanol, 25.9 Mt of biomethanol, and 11.2 Mt of low carbon methanol capacity.
  • Two new projects were added to Project Navigator last month, while one frozen project was excluded. The project pipeline increased by 0.4 Mt month on month.
  • Four new offtake agreements were registered during August, including two biomethanol and two e-methanol agreements.
  • About 8% of the cumulative renewable methanol project pipeline capacity has reached FID so far, with another 11% at the FEED stage.
  • Considering the current uncertainty around regulatory developments and demand growth, GENA projects that renewable methanol capacity could reach 6 Mt to 12 Mt by 2031.

Note: The full article can be viewed here.

Renewable methanol project pipeline 4 Renewable methanol by feedstock 8 Renewable methanol by region 7 Project pipeline by status Methanol capacity scenarios

 

Photo credit: GENA Solutions
Published: 4 September, 2026

Continue Reading

Business

Singapore: MPA urges maritime firms to prepare for potential haze with plan

MPA encourages all maritime companies, especially those with workers performing outdoor work to maintain a business continuity plan for haze.

Admin

Published

7 days ago

on

August 31, 2026

By

RESIZED SG bunker tanker

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Monday (31 August) issued Port Marine Circular No. 9 of 2026 on steps for maritime companies to take for potential haze affecting Singapore:

BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN FOR HAZE

This circular supersedes Port Marine Circular No. 09 of 2023.

With reference to the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) joint media release issued on 9 August 2026, hotspots were observed in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan, with prevailing winds potentially bringing smoke haze towards Singapore. The dry conditions may further increase the likelihood of haze affecting Singapore. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) encourages all maritime companies, especially those with workers performing outdoor work to maintain a business continuity plan for haze.

MPA advises all maritime companies to monitor the PSI level through the media and the NEA’s website (www.haze.gov.sg), keep at least a one-week supply of N95 masks for workers especially those who work outdoors, and observe the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Haze guidelines and advisory for work which can be found on their website (www.mom.gov.sg/haze). The latter include guidelines to ensure that stocks of N95 masks are periodically inspected, remain serviceable, and not expired.

The visibility in the Singapore Strait and port waters could be significantly reduced in the event of haze. During periods of restricted visibility, shipmasters are advised to keep a proper lookout and navigate with caution. They are also advised to comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and in particular Rule No. 19, Rule No. 20 and Rule 35 concerning conduct of vessels in restricted visibility, exhibition of navigation lights and sound signals in restricted visibility, respectively.

In the interest of safety of navigation and life at sea, the Port Master may restrict the movement of harbour craft and pleasure craft in the port waters during reduced visibility conditions.

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 31 August, 2026

Continue Reading

Alternative Fuels

DNV report: Regulatory uncertainty demands fleet strategies built for multiple futures

Report examines four regulatory scenarios, ranging from adoption of IMO NZF in its current form to its outright rejection, energy efficiency uptake, and long-term bunker fuel and technology strategies.
Admin

Published

1 week ago

on

August 28, 2026

By

DNV report: Regulatory uncertainty demands fleet strategies built for multiple futures

Regulatory uncertainty is increasing pressure on shipowners to make investment decisions that remain viable across multiple future scenarios, said classification society DNV on Thursday (27 August). 

According to DNV’s 10th Maritime Forecast to 2050, stronger global regulatory signals could accelerate the uptake of energy-efficiency measures, enabling the global fleet to consume up to 25% less energy by 2050 compared to a scenario where regulation is driven by regions.

The report examines four regulatory scenarios, ranging from adoption of the IMO Net-Zero Framework (NZF) in its current form to its outright rejection, which could lead to a period of prolonged regulatory gridlock, and explores the implications of these outcomes for fuel demand, energy efficiency uptake, and long-term fleet fuel and technology strategies.

Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, CEO Maritime, DNV, said: “Ships ordered today will operate well beyond 2050, but many of the factors shaping their future performance remain uncertain. Regulatory requirements are advancing faster than the fuel, infrastructure, and technological systems needed to support them, making long-term investment decisions increasingly complex. The industry therefore needs greater clarity and alignment among all stakeholders to provide the confidence required for long-term investment. In the meantime, shipowners need strategies that deliver benefits today while remaining resilient across a range of regulatory and market outcomes.”

Energy efficiency is one of the most immediate and practical levers available to shipowners, delivering value across regulatory outcomes whether implemented at the newbuild stage or as a retrofit. A case study of a hydrodynamic measures retrofit on a 5,000 TEU container vessel showed potential annual fuel savings of 16%, with a payback time of around one to four years depending on future fuel prices. Retrofits can add similar value across many ship types and with sufficient planning can typically be completed during a standard class-renewal dry docking.

The development of the marine low-GHG fuel market remains a key challenge. While significant progress has been made in expanding alternative-fuel capabilities of vessels, scaling fuel production depends on confidence that demand will materialize. DNV projects shipping demand for low-GHG fuels to range from 4 to 22 Mtoe by 2030 and 33 to 185 Mtoe by 2050, depending on regulatory outcomes, with uptake also shaped by future uptake of shore power, plug-in hybridization, nuclear power, and onboard carbon capture systems.

Current project pipelines indicate a maximum global supply of 270 Mtoe by 2030, although actual volumes are likely to be lower due to project delays and other uncertainties, and shipping will need to compete with other industries for its share. However, the cost of reducing emissions varies significantly between fuel pathways, with abatement costs ranging from about 180 to 1,290 USD per tonne of CO₂ avoided, highlighting the importance of regulation and market incentives in enabling low-GHG fuel markets to develop.

Øyvind Sekkesæter, lead author of Maritime Forecast to 2050, said: “Scenarios explored in this year’s report show how different regulatory futures can lead to very different outcomes in energy efficiency uptake, fuel demand, and consequently, GHG emissions. By testing fuel and technology choices across multiple scenarios, shipowners can identify strategies that create value today while preserving flexibility as regulation, fuel availability, prices, and technologies evolve. Strategies that each owner chooses will also be dependent on their fleet type and operating context.”

Key findings from the report: 

  • Several regulatory futures remain possible as the IMO continues negotiations on the Net-Zero Framework, with these outcomes shaping investment decisions, low-GHG fuel uptake, and energy-efficiency deployment across the global fleet.
  • With global regulatory incentives in place, the world-fleet could consume 25% less energy by 2050 than under a scenario limited to regional regulations.
  • Energy efficiency can pay off regardless of regulatory outcome – 5,000 TEU container ship case study shows 16% annual fuel savings from hydrodynamic measures retrofit.
  • Shipping demand for low-GHG fuels could range from 4 to 22 Mtoe by 2030, and 33 to 185 Mtoe by 2050, depending on regulatory outcomes and the availability of these fuels in a competitive global market.
  • Current project pipelines indicate that a maximum of 270 Mtoe of supply could be available by 2030, though actual volumes are likely to be lower due to project delays and other uncertainties, and shipping will need to compete with other industries for its share.
  • Testing fuel and technology strategies across different scenarios can help shipowners identify robust choices for an uncertain transition. Testing, piloting, and verifying technologies can provide the trusted performance data needed to make investment decisions with greater confidence.

Note: DNV’s 10th Maritime Forecast to 2050 can be found here. 

 

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 28 August, 2026

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS



Trending