Page 376 - Introduction to Marine Engineering

346 Watchkeeping and equipment operation

to take. Examples might be, if any machinery suffers severe damage, or
a malfunction occurs which may lead to serious damage. However where
immediate action is necessary to ensure safety of the ship, its machinery
and crew, it must be taken by the engineer in charge.
At the completion of the watch each member should hand over to his
relief, ensuring that he is competent to take over and carry out his duties
effectively.

UMS operation
The machinery spaces will usually be manned at least eight hours per
day. During this time the engineers will be undertaking various
maintenance tasks, the duty engineer having particular responsibility for
the watchkeeping duties and dealing with any alarms which may occur.
When operating unmanned anyone entering the machinery space
must inform the deck officer on watch. When working, or making a tour
of inspection alone, the deck officer on watch should be telephoned at
agreed intervals of perhaps 15 or 30 minutes.
Where the machinery space is unattended, a duty engineer will be
responsible for supervision. He will normally be one of three senior
watchkeeping engineers and will work on a 24 hour on, 48 hours off
rota. During his rota period he will make tours of inspection about every
four hours beginning at 7 or 8 o'clock in the morning.
The tour of inspection will be similar to that for a conventional watch
with due consideration being given to the unattended mode of
machinery operation. Trends in parameter readings must be observed,
and any instability in operating conditions must be rectified, etc. A set
list or mini-log of readings may have to be taken during the various
tours. Between tours of inspection the Duty Engineer will be on call and
should be ready to investigate any alarms relayed to his cabin or the
various public rooms. The Duty Engineer should not be out of range of
these alarms without appointing a relief and informing the bridge.
The main log book readings will be taken as required while on a tour
of inspection. The various regular duties, such as fuel transfer, pumping
of bilges, and so on, should be carried out during the daywork period,
but it remains the responsibility of the Duty Engineer to ensure that they
are done.

Bunkering

The loading of fuel oil into a ship's tanks from a shoreside installation or
bunker barge takes place about once a trip. The penalties for oil spills
are large, the damage to the environment is considerable, and the ship