Features: Features: - Tanker Operator

TECHNOLOGY - EMISSIONS
checking fuel samples from ships
tanks to verify BDNs.
Purchases of distillate fuels, in
particular, should be made with
great caution and simultaneous
analysis, according to the
internationally approved standard
of ISO 8217/2005. The analysis
must include indications of
quality, sulphur content and,
especially, of abrasive elements
which cause engine wear.
These abrasive elements must
be meticulously monitored, as
they become more destructive in
2-stroke engines when using low
sulphur fuels and high basic
number (BN) lubricants at a
reduced feeding rate, even if this
occurs for short periods.
The majority of sensible
shipping companies, refineries
and bunker supply companies
have rejected the proposed
general use of distillate fuels. And
this is not only due to the huge
increase in CO 2 emissions
accumulation from the refining
processes for producing the
quantities of distillate fuels
required, which is the main cause
of the catastrophic 'greenhouse
effect' referred to so often by the
news media. They also reject it
because of the very high cost and
extremely long time needed for
achieving the production of
almost 360 mill tonnes of
distillate fuels that would be
required worldwide by 2018.
This could not be achievable
before at least 40 years of
intensive work to install and test
very expensive (estimated at over
$200 bill) new refinery and
storage equipment for this
purpose.
WHY NOT SCRUBBERS?
EcoSilencer®, with its
continuous monitoring, can
ensure that ships' emissions are
95-98% clean of sulphur, 50% of
PM by mass (90% visible), and 3-
5% of NOx throughout the
vessels' life.
Depending on the size of the
vessel, the cost of an
EcoSilencer® is around 10% of
the engine's cost, without need for
any maintenance thereafter, apart
from the seawater supply pump.
Their one-off installation cost
is minimal in comparison with a
lifelong double or higher cost of
distillate fuels, the extra costs
for diesel engines repairs and
delays in port. This would
happen as a result of poor
lubrication, due to the absence
of sufficient sulphur in the
distillate fuels. And then there is
the environmental CO 2 tax.
As most experienced engineers
know, diesel engines need sulphur
for their proper lubrication. With
various chemical combinations,
sulphur in the fuels has an
important lubrication effect on
diesels. This has been analysed in
our two previous articles,
available also in Greek:
"Beneficial environmental and
lubricating protection of marine
diesels by Scrubbers"
(TANKEROperator,
August/September, page 48) and
"Scrubber technology beneficient
for environment and lubrication
of diesels'' (TANKEROperator,
TO
October, page 43).
Footnote -This article is
dedicated to the sea - our
livelihood - and the
environment in which we live,
with the aim of helping to
effect the right changes
without losing precious time
and without sacrificing
efficiency and economy in the
sea transportation of goods.
*This the fifth in the series
written by George S. Kaminis
George S Kaminis.
March 2008 TANKEROperator 35