1. business and industrial
2. energy
3. oil

NS 059 ISSUE 2 REV 0
FUEL OIL BUNKERING PROCEDURE
General
• MASTER HAS OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THIS PROCEDURE & CHECKLIST (NS 061) BUT CHIEF
ENGINEER, CHIEF MATE & ALL OTHER CREW INVOLVED HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH BOTH.
• ANY DELEGATION OF DUTIES BY MASTER OR CHIEF ENGINEER SHALL NOT RELIEVE THEM OF THE OVERALL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEPARTMENTS’ ADHERENCE TO THIS PROCEDURE & CHECKLIST (NS 061).
AS SENIOR OFFICERS, BOTH SHALL REMAIN CONTACTABLE & AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES.
• FUEL SHALL NOT BE BUNKERED DIRECT TO FUEL OIL DAILY SERVICE TANKS.
• DISCHARGING OF WASTE OIL IS PROHIBITED DURING FUEL OIL BUNKERING.
• NO CREW CHANGE OR HANDOVERS SHALL BE UNDERTAKEN DURING FUEL OIL BUNKERING.
• Avoid heavy lists during bunkering to mitigate the possibility of air locks, especially in small tanks.
• Whilst fuel bunkering ongoing, ballasting or loading of freshwater / lub oils is prohibited on all ERRVs.
• Provided it is suitably risk assessed & managed, loading of freshwater / lub oils whilst bunkering fuel is permitted on PSVs.
• At all times, an appropriate crewmember shall be positioned at bunker station with visual contact of fuelling point & shore-side
bunker personnel. Comms between these parties must be maintained throughout.
• Master should familiarise himself with requirements of IMO International Code of Signals & relevant port authority by-laws.
•Where there are known issues with individual tank soundings, bunkering to those tanks should be avoided. If not possible,
problematic tanks should be stripped of fuel prior to bunkering so that a measured amount of fuel can be bunkered to them.
Prior to Bunkering
• ENGINEER IN CHARGE MUST TAKE SOUNDINGS / READINGS FOR INDIVIDUAL TANK & TOTAL QUANTITIES REQUIRED.
• IF INSUFFICIENT CAPACITY AVAILABLE IN TO RECEIVE VOLUME ORDERED, SUPPLIER & COMPANY MUST BE INFORMED.
• SUPPLIER’S NOTICE OF READINESS FORM & FIRST SECTION OF NS 061 TO BE COMPLETED BY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
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Checklist (NS 061), tank loading plan & supplier’s notice of readiness checklist to be discussed by officers involved.
Ensure all crew aware of intention to bunker & are familiar with their duties, including SOPEP / SMPEP Plan procedures.
Plug all deck scuppers, ensure safe traps are closed, save-alls & splashguards are in place & Rescue Zones blocked.
SOPEP/SMPEP Kit made ready and oil absorbent materials in place at key locations.
Ensure all fire precautions are in place and No Smoking Bunkering signs are posted & enforced (crew and bunker supplier).
Ensure hot work & open permits conflicting with bunkering operations are suspended / closed.
Establish communication link between vessel and supplier, agree suitable flow rate & max quantity to be supplied.
Discuss Checklist (NS 061) & Emergency procedures with supplier. Remind supplier to remain quayside at all times.
Prepare filling line, check valves correct, ensure hose connection tight, hose condition in good order and tank vents are clear.
Where relevant, ensure high level & overflow alarms are appropriately set, and dedicated sight glasses watches are in place.
Intention to commence bunkering to be communicated to all crew, port authority and shoreside bunker personnel by Deck Officer.
• MASTER’S CONSENTING SIGNATURE ON NS 061 REQUIRED FOR ALL FUEL OIL BUNKERING OPERATIONS.
During Bunkering
• NO INTERNAL LOAD SHIFTS WHICH COMPROMISE VESSEL’S TRIM SHALL BE UNDERTAKEN
(eg FUEL TRANSFERS, SHIP’S CRANE OPERATIONS, DAVIT OPERATIONS & BOAT LAUNCHES)
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Bridge must be manned with regular radio contact between bridge, deck & engine room maintained throughout.
• All personnel involved in bunkering operations shall remain in place at heightened state of readiness.
• Levels to be checked / tanks to be sounded regularly to check loading rate & to confirm fuel being expelled to correct tank.
• Regular visual checks to be made for leaks at manifold hose connection.
• Engineer in charge shall frequently compare quantity received onboard measurement with the supplier’s meter.
• For vessels without internal fuel overflow containment systems, pumping rate to be reduced and / or next tank to be opened before
‘topping off’ tank (at 85 % max capacity, unless otherwise authorised).
• Bunker sample in accordance with MARPOL Annex VI to be taken, sealed, witnessed, dated and jointly countersigned.
• Ensure sufficient ullage in final tank for hose draining and notify supplier when final tank is reached.
• When 10% of bunkers remain to be loaded, supplier to be given warning to reduce pumping rate and to stop pumping. Remainder of
bunkers to be loaded by gravity. If required, rate can be further reduced by throttling control valve onshore.
On Completion of Bunkering
• Drain hose, before closing all filling valves.
• Disconnect and blank off hose couplings before closing and blanking off manifold connection.
• Confirm all bunker lines and tank filling valves are secured.
• Confirm all fuel tank soundings / levels and verify bunker receipt quantities are correct.
• Obtain and retain bunker delivery note, completed by supplier in accordance with MARPOL Annex VI & where applicable, EU Directive
2005/33/EC, which states that sulphur content of marine gas oil supplied in EU member states territorial waters shall not exceed 0.1%.
• APPROPRIATE ENGINEER TO SIGN COMPLETION SECTION OF NS 061, COMPLETE ENTRY IN OIL RECORD BOOK & E/ROOM LOG.
• APPROPRIATE DECK OFFICER TO SIGN COMPLETION SECTION OF NS 061, COMPLETE ENTRY IN DECK ACTIVITIES LOG & INFORM PORT.