I feel old reading this, didn't there used to be something in the Rgs Requiring a definite positive action to activate Emergency stops? If a phone cord brushing over it activates it, what about a fly landing on the screen? Just because you can put a hundred different functions on one touch screen at...

If you are purifying HFO or Lube oil this can happen when the oil in the discharge line is cold and highly viscous causing excessive back pressure. If this may be the case make sure that you recirculate the oil through the heater until it is at the correct purifying temperature, 98 C for HFO, 95 C f...

In my experience the Eastern European yards do a good job on the steelwork at very competitive prices, so long as the final outfitting is done in one of Dammen's Western European shipyard's they should get a very good ship for the money.
BP

I thing that the people on board the vessel, including the Master, had every RIGHT to expect that a Subscription weather forecasting Service, that the owners/operators had presumably carried out a "Cost Benefit Analysis" on before paying for, would provide a better service than the "F...

There should be an oil content monitor fitted to the cascade tank on an UMS ship, this should be regularly tested and if it is not working the ship should not go UMS but be operated manned, with regular checks of the cascade tank and any other systems where the alarms and automation are not working ...

I very much fear you are suggesting connecting an air hose and air pressure regulator to the top of an oil drum to push the oil into the Engine. There have been several "M" Notices, (Notices to Mariners) over the years reporting explosions and people killed by putting air hoses on the top ...

Merlyn's gravity feed should do the job, plumb in a small bore bleed from the L.O. Rail ( the pressure regulating valve on the rail will automatically regulate the rail pressure by dumping excess oil back into the crankcase. Arrange a slightly larger bore overflow pipe from the top of the drum back ...

Hi Martin glad you enjoyed it. Your mention of blocked Sea suctions calls to mind a time on the Strathleven, at anchor up the Persian Gulf in the 1970's, when the A/C went off. The Second Engineer was very good and knew what the problem was straight away and told me there was a Sea Snake in the Sea ...

I have sailed on a couple of ships where it was a design requirement to keep the aft peak partially ballasted to provide Stern Tube Cooling, and this requirement was firmly stated in the stability Booklet for use by the Deck Officers in stability calculation. As a practical measure to ensure suffici...

I have just had an email from an ex Cadet of mine, (see below) asking for details of padlocking Bilge valves. As I am retired, I no longer have access to ship board copies of MARPOL and Solas and I was wondering if any of you who do have this access could provide up to date information on this topic...

If the prop was only partly immersed it would vibrate like hell, all that sideways thrust on the bearings would heat things up Nicely!!
If they caught it in time they may have been lucky and no further damage done, if not, it could be a big dry Dock job.
BP

If the oil temperatures goes up, either the cooling system isn't working properly or the the prop shaft is generating more heat. So first check the cooling system, simple things first, are all the valves fully open, clean any filters, check the current drawn by the pump motor, it will INCREASE as th...

But are you turning your Turbines on Steam or the Turning gear?
BP

If you look in Marpol you will see the regulations regarding sewage and Grey/Gray water discharges for all vessels sailing outside their own Coastal Waters.. Basically raw sewage can be discharged into the Sea but you have to calculate the volume discharged per hour and the ship's speed per hour and...

I agree they don't have a Religion or believe in God, that is my point, when people did they expected to be called to Judgement and have to justify all their actions in life to St Peter before being sentenced to Hell, or Purgatory to do penance for their failures. Unless they were perfect and went s...