technical Notice-

Subject: GROUP 2 VESSELS: ME LOCAL CONTROL MALFUNCTION

Dear Masters and Chief Engineers Good Day!!!

Recently one of our vessels reported that vessel is not able to start & run Main Engine from local control.
Later it was checked with the vessel's C/E and found that vessel was facing the same problem for few months
and was not reported to office.

All Masters and Chief Engineers are hereby instructed to test ME from Local control as soon as possible
at convenient place (at anchorage or before/after pilot boarding or during drifting).
 Main Engine to be tried out with air and run with fuel.
Dead slow ahead/slow ahead/half ahead/full ahead as well as Dead slow astern/slow astern/half astern & full astern
 -- all movements to be tried out. Any trouble found to be reported to office immediately.

After trying out a photo report of the same to be sent to office.

Please acknowledge the receipt of the mail and act accordingly.

Subject: Technical Notice:  Chao Hu-Aft Mooring winch Hydraulic Pump stopped during un- berthing operati

Dear Masters and Chief Engineers Good Day!!!

Please note the below exigent incident, root cause and preventative measures for your immediate attention, training and implementation.
Please carry out below and reply with photographic evidence:

  1.  Include the incident in your next Monthly Shipboard Safety and Management Meeting.
  2.  Carry out training for mooring winch operation.
  3.  Post pictorial changing over procedure from running mooring winch hydraulic pump to standby mooring winch hydraulic pump.

THE INCIDENT:

Aft Mooring winch Hydraulic Pump stopped during un- berthing operation at Jebel Ali, UAE. Vessel staff changed over the hydraulic pump quickly but the change over was not effective due to wrong operation of valves.

On 23-April-2014, Vessel was in progress of un-berthing from the Seot Terminal Berth no.9 of Jebel Ali port, UAE.

The chronological sequence of the events as below:

  *   All stations stand by.
  *   Fwd and Aft Tug made fast.
  *   Pilot on board.
  *   Commenced un-berthing.
  *   Head Lines and stern lines cleared.
  *   FWD and AFT breast line cleared.
  *   Master ordered FWD and Aft spring lines clearing.
  *   2/Off reported aft mooring winch in operational.
  *   Chief Engineer is notified.
  *   No.2 hydraulic winch pump started. But winch turning slowly.
  *   While the engineers were setting the line correctly for No.2 Hydraulic Pump, deck crews were picking up the mooring lines by hand.
  *   Heaving up carried out by winch.
  *   All lines cleared from the Seot Terminal Berth no.9.
  *   FWD and AFT tug lines clear
  *   Pilot Away

EXTENT OF DAMAGE OR LOSS:

- Mooring winch hydraulic pump no.1 starter panel suffered damage in the following part:
*        Transformer for starter control circuit got damaged.
*        Control circuit breaker got damaged.
*        Ampere meter damaged.
*        Hour Meter damaged
*        Source light indicator damaged
*        Some length of cable (approximately 0.5 meter) damaged.

- Un-berthing operation got delayed by 15 minutes.

Causal Factors:

1) Investigation revealed the following causal factors in chronological sequence for Mooring Winch Pump stoppage:
*        Due to the searing ambient temperature of Jebel Ali, UAE the steering gear room was quite hot. Moreover the steering gear room ventilation fan was not started inadvertently while starting Mooring Winch Hydraulic Pump, Steering Gear pump.
*        This resulted in high temperature in the transformer while in use on high load during mooring operation.
*        As a result the Transformer got damaged and become a source of heat.
*        This in turn damaged the ampere meter, Running hour meter, source indication light and some cables, which were in proximity of the transformer. (Please find the attached photo and the electrical drawing)
*        The circuit breaker also was damaged due to the generated heat from the transformer and was unable to trip the circuit.
*        The damage continued till the circuit was tripped by the main circuit breaker of the starter panel.
*        As a result a power failure occurred for the motor.
*        The mooring winch pump stopped.

2) Investigation revealed the following causal factors for slow Mooring Winch operation for 5 minutes:
*        In a hurry the vessel staff changed over the Mooring winch pump from No.1 to No.2 but the three way valve was selected still for No.1 pump use.
*        As a result the winch was effective.

ROOT CAUSE:

  *   For Mooring Winch No.1 pump stoppage: One time individual human error of not starting the ventilation fan of steering gear.
  *   For slow running of winch: Human error resulted due to hasty operation and lack of training.

 CORRECTIVE ACTIONS:

  *   Damage parts replaced with spares. System restarted found satisfactory.
  *   Change over valves operated correctly and the winch found operating optimally.

 RECOMMENDATIONS TO PREVENT RECURRENCE:

  *   Engine room Departure check list has been amended to introduce to check the ventilation fan running condition.

  *   Training to be conducted for the persons involved operating winch and confirmed all personnel is familiar with changing over procedure.

  *   A local notice with pictorial change over procedure is posted on the hydraulic pump both in Forward and Aft mooring winch.



Thanks & best regards,