Gas Tanker (LPG) inspection report
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INSPECTION REPORT SUMMARY:
Introduction: The vessel “LGP Fully refrigerated Gas Tanker” was inspected at “Sample port”, during bunker operations. The cargo discharge operations were scheduled to start immediately after completion of the bunkering and all preparations were taken, the cargo arm from the terminal was connected. The cargo transfer operations were reported planned by only transferring liquid without using booster pumps. The vessel was loaded with 49391.7 mt liquid propane.
The vessel is a 58600 DWT, “Example” flagged, LPG/NH3 type 2G carrier for liquified gas with independent type A tanks capable to carry cargo with maximum specific gravity 0.69, maximum vapour pressure of 0.25 barg and minimum temperature of -50˚ C. The ship is built by “Sample Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.”, under the supervision of a classification society member of IACS and was delivered in 2006. The cargo system includes four cargo tanks provided with separation bulkhead and equalizing valves, four reliquefaction oil-free reciprocating compressors, two deep well electric driven cargo pumps for each cargo tank, two booster pumps and one booster heater, IGG plant with freon cooler and absorption dryer. The cargo operations are capable to be carried out completely from the cargo control room. The vessel is equipped with two stroke slow speed main engine directly coupled to a fixed pitch propeller, four auxiliary engines and there is no bow thruster fitted. Ballast Water Treatment plant was retrofitted and in operation.
The vessel was found in overall good condition with all major equipment reported and where practical witnessed in operational state. There were no limitations to the cargo discharge operations reported and there was no reason to believe that there were such, although the cargo discharge operations were scheduled to begin after the inspection, due to ongoing bunker receiving.
The Fire Safety was seen at overall good level with regular and in date services carried out by shore companies. The Engine Room and the cargo compressor room are protected with a CO2 fixed fire extinguishing system, last serviced Dec 2020. The fixed dry powder system was last inspected November 2021. The fire alarm system had no disabled loops, but was not able to be tested. The emergency generator and the emergency fire pump were visually inspected and found in order with no leakages or defects. They were not tested in operation, but reported periodically weekly tested. The Life Saving Equipment was found in overall good condition. A few corrosion spots on fittings were sighted around the lifeboats and the embarkation ladders, namely emergency light holders, release levers, one instance of the safety railing on one of the lifeboats, the propeller nozzles of the lifeboats, underside of the davit winches and the embarkation ladder lashing eyes. All equipment inside the Lifeboats were in place and the liferafts were annually serviced in date. The Pollution Control was assessed overall at a good level. The garbage was noted correctly segregated. The sewage plant was operational with no corrosion on the casing. The Oily water separator was well maintained including the area around and the 15-ppm device was sealed. The Ballast water treatment plant was in operation.
The Hull was assessed in overall good condition with only a few spots of coating breakdown on the lower part of the boot top area above the anti-fouling. However, rust staining was seen on the hull coming from drain outlets and mooring fittings on the sides. One indentation was seen in the area of the portside aft Engine Room and the bulkhead with the Afterpeak tank. All markings on the hull were clearly visible.
The Forward and Aft Mooring Stations were found in overall good condition with minor level of coating breakdown on the deck. Coating breakdown and corrosion were seen on the edges of some of the fittings in the area like the vent goosenecks on the forward, steering gear vent mushroom el box and light fixtures and holding pipes, however not advanced corrosion. The mooring winches on the forward were found requiring coating maintenance, especially on the foundations and the brake bands. All fairlead rollers were able to free rotate. The windlasses and winches brake linings were with substantial thickness of the brake linings and reported in operation, well-greased and with the brake holding tests stamped. The mooring wires appeared in good condition. The anchor chains were sighted with no hard scale and one was reported orally replaced during the last dry-docking by the Master. The steering gear natural ventilation mushroom was found with worn out thread of the flap stem and thus not possible to be lifted open.
The Main Deck was assessed overall in good condition with coating breakdown level on minor level and moderate corrosion and rust staining level on the fittings mostly on the edges of pipes holders, catwalk structures, valve edges and valve handles and some fuel tanks vent head flame screen covers. The mooring winches on the main deck were in similar condition like the winches on the forecastle and poop deck. The pipelines on the deck were stripe colour coded and stamped. The tank domes and the ballast vent heads were in good condition. The fire flaps of the vent mushroom on the top of the compressor and motor rooms were not corroded and appeared providing sufficient sealing.
The Superstructure and Galley were found in overall good condition with the public spaces and common sanitary compartments sufficiently clean. The standard of the accommodation outfitting and bathroom appliances was judged high. The floor and wall covering of the accommodation were with no damages or excessive wear. The Galley and the provision rooms were oil free and hygienic. The provision chambers temperatures were seen within the required limits with no excessive ice formation inside, the door rubbers sealing sufficiently. The Air Handling unit was working with no excessive noise or vibration and the temperature inside the accommodation was pleasant. The messrooms and the recreation rooms were creating enough comfort. The external accommodation was seen with only minor corrosion instances mostly on the fittings, such as light fixture holding pipes – one even found holed, ventilation gratings, the around-the-pool shelter structure and on a few places seen corrosion on welding seams on the superstructure block, edges of stairs steps and backside of pipes around the accommodation.
The Navigating Bridge equipment was found in good to very good condition with all equipment reported and where practical tested in good working condition. The echosounder and speed log data displayed was credible. The VDR had no alarm on the panel. The radars and gyros were serviced regularly with service stickers posted on the equipment. The autopilot and steering gear were not able to be tested. The records keeping was up-to-date. The magnetic compass was in order with no defects, all gyro repeaters were synchronised. The vessel was retrofitted with dual ECDIS system.
The Cargo Equipment was assessed in good condition with the parameters on the loading and monitoring instruments in the Cargo Control Room within the normal ranges and operational. The Cargo tanks were loaded at around 98%, the cargo temperature -43 and the cargo tanks pressure 0.1 barg. The reliquefaction compressors were not sighted in operation. The Emergency Shut Down devices were reported tested prior arrival. There were no leakages noticed in the Cargo Compressor and motor rooms. The Cargo tank Safety Relieve valves settings were seen posted nearby the valves – 0.45 barg. The cargo tanks level gauges are of float type and operational. All local gauges around the cargo pumps were operational and legible. The fixed gas detectors were indicating no alarm level in the hold spaces and overall. The hold spaces were inerted.
The cargo compressors were reported (and data printed from the PMS) with running hours since last overhaul for portside one, portside centre, starboard centre and starboard respectively 6519, 7646, 11123 and 6996. The planned major overhaul is at 24 000 running hours. The Cargo pumps were reported overhauled by the maker during the dry-docking Dec 2020, as well as the cargo tanks safety relieve valves and hold spaces PV valves. The IGG system, located in the ER was reported operational, although not used recently.
The Machinery Spaces were assessed in good overall condition. No equipment was reported or sighted malfunctioning. The engine room was found clean, oil free and with no significant leakages including the ER tank top and bilge wells. No temporary repaired of pipes were seen. The pipe insulation was on place. The major spare parts and tools appeared to be all present and well secured, including one ME cylinder liner, piston and rod, cylinder cover and two exhaust valves. The auxiliary engine major spares sighted during the round were: one connecting rod and two cylinder covers. During the inspection auxiliary engine 3 and 4 were running in parallel. One minor leakage from a pipe around the boiler condenser, reported under repair was seen and corrosion on the casing of one of the ER vent fans was noticed. The main engine condition was assessed good with no maintenance overdue as per the provided maintenance table. The ME cylinder liners were reported all renewed and less than 10 000 running hours so far. A few pictures from the last ME piston rings inspection by the Crew were shown by the Chief Engineer and the piston rings were with no abnormal deterioration and the cylinder liners were with visible honing marks. The performance reports of the main and auxiliary engines were found satisfactory with no major deviations from the parameter limits. The auxiliary engines were tested at around 71% of the maximum load. All LO analyses provided were with normal status. It was noted post factum that the stern tube LO analysis was not provided. The auxiliary engines TC hot surfaces were noted very good insulated and protected.
