On hire and Off hire Bunker Quantity Verification
Bunker survey is a vast growing business in Dubai and Fujairah, with the increasing amount of ships entering and exiting the Persian Gulf, which Constellation Marine Services have been operating over the last few years. Bunker surveys are carried out in order to ascertain the quantity and/or quality of the bunkers supplied.
Our senior & experienced Surveyors at Fujairah 7 Dubai conduct the gauging of tanks in the presence of the vessel's Chief Engineer or a Senior Engineer Officer. Normal practice onboard vessel is that a Junior Engineer will physically carry out the gauging but in the presence of the Senior Engineer and the Constellation Marine's experienced Surveyors. Prior to commencing the gauging, verify the height 1of sounding pipes, whether or not any fuel additives had been poured down sounding pipes just prior to commencing the survey and check the sounding tape that is being utilised (i.e. to ensure that it has not been altered or cut and repaired which would give an inaccurate reading above the plumb bob). During the physical gauging, check the sounding by taking the weight or check the reading carefully if ullages are being recorded. If a reading is in doubt, then Constellation Marine Surveyors re-check, taking at least three readings in order to verify which is correct.
In other words, such surveys are performed onboard ships and/or bunker barges in order to ensure that right amount of bunker are provided to the clients by the shipper and that the bunker is of the nominated specifications. Such surveys are carried out prior to delivery/redelivery of ships and/or barges and whenever there is any suspicion on the quality of bunker in question.
These bunker surveys are nominated to us prior to starting the bunkering operation so as to ensure all operations are carried out smoothly and to ensure loss control to the client. The surveyors detailed inspection report should include final Bunker Deliver Note figure & vessel received figure. With the prompt service our qualified surveyors provide and the unbiased reports made available we are the favorite in the industry.
The following are the requirements for a bunker survey dubai which we comply with as a basic:
- Initial gauging of all tanks including empty and/or slack tanks.
- Complete co-operation of vessel's staff for ensuring smooth operation onboard
- Complete access to all the areas of the vessel and/or barge.
- Full access to all vessel's records and particulars.
- Trim and stability data of the vessel including hydrostatic particulars, if applicable
- Final gauging of all tanks including empty and/or slack tanks.
- Preferably the survey is carried out in moderate weather conditions so as to ensure accurate information from the bunker survey is obtained. Survey should be cancelled should the movement of the vessel might cause inaccurate readings.
Bunker Survey Dubai: Duties performed by the surveyor at various stages as mentioned below:
Pre Delivery:-
- Visual Inspection of the ship's draft markings and clinometers to ascertain correct trim and list for opening calculation.
- Confirm with chief engineer as to the quantity, type and grade of bunker ordered.
- Request Chief Engineer to sign Pre-survey Acknowledgement.
- Get the onboard bunker plan from chief engineer and confirm nominated bunkering tanks.
- All the location of bunker storage tanks to be identified, sounding pipe position and reference height to be checked using tank calibration table and record it in Ship's Measurement Report.
- Gauging and temperature checking of all the ship's bunker fuel tanks including settling, service, overflow and drain along with Chief Engineer or representative as witness to be carried out. Record all findings in ullage report.
- Calculate pre-delivery volume in all tanks by applying trim and list correction and record it in opening readings of Ship's Measurement Report.
- Physical checking of bunker tanker's draft markings and clinometers to ascertain correct trim and list.
- Identify all cargo tanks location, sounding pipe position and reference height by inspecting tank calibration table and record it in Bunker Tanker's Measurement Report.
- Repeated gauging taken to prevent illegal transfer of oil between tanks during measurement. Record all findings in Gauging Ticket.
- Proper calculation of bunker quantities based on prevailing ASTM IP Petroleum Measurement Tables.
- Checking presence of water before bunker delivery.
- Record bunker tanker's pre-delivery cargo tank quantity in the opening readings of Bunker Tanker's Measurement Report
During Bunkering Operation:-
- During and throughout the pumping operation continuous surveillance to be maintained.
- Timing for bunker operation in the Survey Time Log to be recorded.
- Witnessing & collection of representative bunker samples ensuring that they are properly labeled sealed and distributed with acknowledgement by all parties.
- Retention of bunker sample and dispatch of bunker sample to appointed independent laboratory for testing when required.
- All relevant information to be recorded in the Sample Witnessing report.
- Submission of all reports, measurement documents, sampling and calculation method to be carried out.
Post-delivery:-
- Upon completion of bunkering the draft marks and clinometers for bunker barge to be noted to ascertain correct trim and list.
- With the chief engineer as a witness completely gauge all bunker tanks, cargo tanks, non cargo tanks bunker tanker's cargo tanks, non cargo tanks and line system witness by.
- Record all findings in Bunker Tanker's Measurement after gaugin Report
- Gauging of ship's nominated tanks and recording it in the Ship's Measurement Report to be carried out.
- Calculate the quantity delivered based on the supplier's provided density.
- Should there be any discrepancy with the bunker quantities inform the Chief Engineer and recalculate if required. Should there still be a difference then issue a letter of protest.
The above checks are all incorporated as a matter of routine by our trained surveyors who are either Diploma Holders of the one year training program through the international institute of marine surveying (IIMS) or equivalent.
