Keyless Propeller Underwater Repair

During Vessel’s hull cleaning, damage in one propeller’s blade (A) was detected and identified as a crack of 60 cm length and located between 0.8 R and 0.7 R. As a temporary measure crack arresting hold were drilled to avoid crack growth while repairs were done.

The defect was stated to have been caused by material fatigue after straightening the four blades after grounding, may be caused as a result of non proper pre-hating for straightening or post heating for stress relief.

The propeller was identified as a Ni-Al-Bronze (Alloy Grade Cu 3), keyless, four (4) blade, 5800 mm Diameter and 14804 Kg.

Severity zones in a Propeller’s Blade are identified as A, B & C, where zone A is the area in the pressure side that goes from the roots to 0.4R, zone B goes up to 0.7R on both side and exclude zone A in pressure side and zone C includes the areas out side 0.7R on both sides. Welding repairs in zone “A“ are not permitted and in zone B and C till certain extend.

In view of the delivery time involved for a new propeller, a temporary repair was achieved which consisted of the following steps:

• Removal of crack, by cutting and shipping off.
• Clean/Polish and visual inspection for other damages.
• Cutting to be minimized.
• Straightening if necessary (It wouldn’t necessary).
• Grind and smooth the edges.
• Final dimension check of blades.
• Opposite blade to be crop out in a similar proportion, grind and smoothening as necessary with the purpose to keep the propeller balanced and therefore to avoid vibrations.

After Polishing of the propeller blades and propeller boss no others defects were observed and on completion of the repairs, the two removed sections were weighing and each resulted with a weight of 54 Kg and 58.5 Kg for blade “A” and blade “C” respectively. Before represents less than 1 % of the total propeller weight and both pieces resulted with a very close weight which is the aims when doing this type of repairs.

 

Sea trials were carried out at M/E Manoeuvring Speed and M/E Full Ahead. In both cases not abnormal vibrations detected, good vessel’s manoeuvring reported, M/E parameter within range, not overload alarm activated in the M/E electronic governor, not Surge in the Turbocharger observed and Vessel Speed 14.5 Kn.

Once the vessel come back under operations it is important to keep monitoring its performance and after certain running hours under service a re-inspection of the propeller to verify remains free of damages and therefore fit for its purpose may imply that the repair can be considered permanent.

The Paris MoU Launched the New Inspection Regime (NIR)

The Paris MoU at its 44th Committee Meeting in Naples-Italy (2-6 of May), have confirmed the successfully implementation of the NIR, introduced last 01-01-2011.

The NIR is a risk based targeting mechanism, which will reward quality shipping with a reduced inspection burden and concentrate efforts on high risk ships.

The NIR makes use of company performance and the Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme (VIMSAS) for identifying the risk profile of ships together with the performance of the flag State and the recognized organization. The inspection history of the ship as well as the ship’s age and ship type will influence the targeting. All these parameters under a Risk Assessment Matrix to define the ship risk profile and there fore the inspection and reporting regime.Thus the matrix looks like:



Ship’s Profile: Three different categories can be assigned, High Risk Ship (HRS), Standard Risk Ship (SRS) and Low Risk Ship (LRS) risk and the criteria followed can be seen in the Pa(Ship Risk Profile Calculator).  Based on the Matrix HRS are ships which meet criteria to a total value of 5 or more weighting points in the HRS column. LRS are ships which meet the criteria for LRS and have had at least one inspection in the previous 36 month. SRS are ships which doesn’t meet all criteria for LRS and have less than 5 weighting points of the HRS column.

Type of Ship (1): Ship type denomination is as per a list adopted by the Paris MoU.Thus, the deficiency index is the ratio of the total number of deficiencies of all ships in a company’s fleet to the number of inspections of all ships in a company’s fleet within the last 36 month and defined as Points per Inspection. Once calculated is compared with the average for all ships inspected in the Paris MoU over the 3 calendar years to determine whether the index is within average (+/- 2 of 3.43 %PpI), above average (>= 5.43 PpI) or bellow average (<=1.43 PpI).

Age of the Ship (2): The age of the ship is determined by the keel-laying date.


Black/Grey/White List (3a): The Black Grey and White list for Flag State performance is established annually taking account of the inspection and detention history over the preceding three calendar years and is adopted by the Paris MoU Committee.

Imo Audit (3b): The Ship’s Flag is under a Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme ((IMO Resolution A.974(24)).


Recognized Organization Performance (4a): Is established annually taking account of the inspection and detention history over the preceding three calendar years.


RO, recognized by the Paris MoU (4b): The RO must be recognized by one ore more Paris MoU Member States.


Company Performance (5): Within the ship profile matrix, the company performance plays an important role in view that the Company performance takes account of the detention and deficiency history of all ships in a company’s fleet while that company was the ISM Company for the ship.


Companies are ranked as having a “very low”, “low”, “medium” or “high” performance. The calculation is made daily on the basis of a running 36-month period.


There is no lower limit for the number of inspections needed to qualify except a company with no inspections in the last 36 months will be given a “medium performance”, each ISM deficiency will be penalized by 5, if a Refusal of Access Order (banning) is issued within the last 36 months to any ship in the fleet the Detention Index of the company is automatically “above average” irrespective of all other inspection results.


There fore the company performance will be affected by two indexes, deficiency index and detention index, the calculator is available at the Paris MoU Web Site (Company Performance Calculator).

The Detention Index is the ratio of the number of detentions all ships in a company’s fleet to the number of inspections of all the ships in the company’s fleet within the last 36 months and defined as % of detention per Inspection. This ratio is compared with the average for all ships inspected in the Paris MoU over the last 3 calendar years to determine whether the index is average (+/- 2 of 5.32 %DpI), above average (>= 7.32 %DpI) or below average (<=3.32 %DpI).

Historic Parameters (6 & 7): The Ship’s inspection history will be monitored by two different concepts. The first, Number of def. recorded in each insp. within previous 36 months (6) and the second Number of Detention within previous 36 months (7)

How to calculate the company performance (eg…) : a company own four ships and they were inspected as follow:
36 Month from today:
Two of them were visited. 1st ship with two non ISM and one ISM Def. and the 2nd with 1 non ISM Def.
24 month from today:
None of the ships were visited
12 month from today:
Two of them visited. 1st three non ISM and one ISM Def., Vessel detained and the 2nd with one non ISM and one ISM Def.
Today:
One of then was visited and neither ISM nor non ISM were detected.


As per above: 5 different company vessels were visited in 36 moth with a total of 7 non ISM deficiencies, 3 ISM deficiencies and 1 Detention.


                                1 Detention
Detention Ratio = -----------------   = 20 % Det/Inp        (Above Average)
                               5 Inspections


                        7 non ISM + (3 ISM def. x 5)
Def. Ratio =   --------------------------------------  = 4.4 pts/insp. (Within Average)
                                   5 Inspections


With these two indexes the company performance calculator will give a Low performance company. There fore, to be a low risk performer both indexes shall be maintained bellow average at all the times.

Once the ship risk profile is assigned the inspection interval is as follow:
- High risk ships to be inspected every 6 months and eligible after 5 months
- Standard risk ships to be inspected every 12 months and eligible after 10 months
- Low risk ships to be inspected every 36 months and eligible after 24 months


Other factors taken in to account are the suspension or withdrawn of class since last inspection, ship involved in accidents and ship not identified in the data base, compulsory PSC inspection will be require before leaving the Paris MoU zone. Unexpectedly ships may be subject to an additional inspection if reporting by pilots, ship detained more than 3 month ago.


The new regime requires from Masters:


Announcement of arrival:
24 hours prior arrival, including but not limited to, ATA/ETD, Ship ID, data and number of persons on board. If vessel is within window for inspection and the ship is a HRS or passenger or tanker or bulkcarriers and are more than 12 year age, mandatory PSC inspection shall be achieved.
76 hours prior arrival, following to be provided:
• Ship Data
• Port Identification (Code)
• ETA/ETD
• Planned port operations
• Planned surveys and substantial repairs to be done
• Date of last expanded inspection within Paris MoU
• For Tankers: Hull Configuration (Single/Double); Tanks Condition (Full/Empty); Volume and nature of cargo.


Un-compliance may result in a fine.


Refusal of Access rules “Banning” were revised and amended as follow:
Applicable for all ship types
• flying a Black List flag and detained more than twice within 36 months
• flying a Grey List flag and detained more than twice within 24 months (banning order at third detention‘s release)
Minimum duration of banning:
• 1st time: 3 months
• 2nd time: 12 months
• 3rd time: 24 months plus certain requirements in view of flag, RO and company
performance.


Refusal of access covers ports and anchorages

Investment German-style

German Branch chairman Marc Buchholz delivers his layman’s guide of the country’s world-revered ship financing system.

http://www.ourwordourbond.net/ShippingNetwork/no-1-issue10/index.htm

The Panama Maritime Authority have revoke Resolution Nº 106-26 DGMM

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) have issued Resolution No. 106-26-DGMM dated 2 July 2008 which requires additional inspections to be carried out on board Panamanian flagged ships over 20 years of age trading into or within the Paris MOU region. 

Before, in view that the annual reports from the Paris Memorandum of Understanding, which group PSC inspections, was showing repeated detentions to determined vessels registered under the Panamanian administration. Placing the Panamanian Registry in an unfavorable ranking within the Paris MOU, which at the same time increase the factor that determines when the vessels flying the national flag are surveyed.

As a consequence of it, the PMA decided to initiate a program involving vessels of 20 years and more trading in the region of the Paris MOU or calling Ports within the region to be subject , by a recognized organization, to a technical inspection. Such inspection, known as ocassional, must cover all aspects relative to security, pollution prevention, safety and compliance with all national and international regulations applicable to the vessel, in such a way that the recognized organization that carries the inspection, guarantee the the vessel is in compliance with those international regulations. The inspection will have a validity of six month and is the Owner's/Manager's  obligation to request and maintain this ocassional survey valid.   

The scope as follow:

Load Line (Annual Survey)

Cargo Ship Safety Equipment (Annual Survey)

Cargo Ship Safety Radio (Periodical/Renewal survey)

Chemical Code (Annual Survey)

Gas Code (Annual Survey)

IMSB Cargoes (Annual Survey)

Dangerous Goods (Annual Survey)

Marpol I, II & VI (Annual Survey)

MARPOL IV (Renewal Survey)

Crew Accommodation (Initial Survey)

ISM & ISPS Additional Audit

Before surveys can be made concurrent with Annual, Intermediate or renewal and on completion a report shall be issued and forwarded to the PMA and any deficiency to dealt with under the close advise/instruction of the PMA. 

At the end of March 2011, the PMA issued circular MMC-221 which revoke PMA resolution Nº 106-26 DGMM, which mean that the Ocassional Inspection to vessels of 20 years or more due to enter Paris MOU port will not longer be required.

The PMA also have announced that new registration of such vessels will be subject to a technical analysis that will include revision of ship's history of detentions as well as of the ship's performance in other registries.

ITF SEAFERERS

JM,

de tu interes.

http://www.itfseafarers.org/