Marine Maintenance Technology International - April 2016

ENGINES & TURBOCHARGERS (^) ⠿
MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | APRIL 2016 ⠿ 29
I
n the world of marine insurance claims,
where payouts frequently run into eye-
watering totals of millions of dollars,
one cause has predominated for many
years – machinery failure. Engine failure
consistently tops the casualty lists, followed
by grounding, fire and collision. Such
findings are regularly presented in annual
statistics from the International Union of
Marine Insurance (IUMI), based on Lloyd’s
List Intelligence data, as well as in monthly
reports from Braemar, formerly the Salvage
Association. When one considers that
groundings and collisions are often a direct
result of machinery problems, and that
fires frequently start in engine rooms, the
statistics look even more damning for those
responsible for designing, operating and
maintaining ships’ main engines.
P&I club The Swedish Club has recently
produced a report on main engine damage
claims for the period 2012-2014. It draws
some interesting conclusions, among them
that container and dry cargo vessels have
a disproportionately large claims cost in
relation to numbers; Chinese-built ships
represent 30% of vessels entered with the
club, but 36% of main engine claim costs;
and whereas ships built in Korean yards
make up 31% of the Club’s insured fleet, they
account for only 12% of main engine damage
claim costs.
The most expensive main engine
claim category is bearing failure, with an
average cost of almost US$1.6m per claim.
Four-stroke main engines experience
2.5 times more claims than two-strokes,
while V-configuration four-strokes have an
average claim cost 42% higher than in-line
four-strokes.
The slightly better news is that the
average cost of main engine claims has
actually decreased by 14% over the past few
years, and only 2% of ships entered with The
Swedish Club actually experienced main
engine damage in the period covered by the
recent report.
Incorrect maintenance
The Club identifies incorrect maintenance
and/or repair as the most frequent cause
of damage. The survey has an important
warning: “Numerous cases have been noted
where damage occurs shortly after the
engines have been overhauled by ship or
shore staff. This emphasizes the importance
of correct maintenance.”
Recurring issues noted include
insufficient planning; insufficient
experience/training; non-compliance with
company procedures, which may be unclear,
not sufficiently comprehensive or have not
been implemented; no experts in attendance
at major overhauls; and not having adequate
M
AN PrimeServ, the machinery
service arm of MAN Diesel & Turbo,
offers maintenance/repair and retrofit/
replacement of the company’s range of
engine turbochargers.
PrimerServ’s premium maintenance
contract involves handling all maintenance
planning, beginning six to seven months
ahead of scheduled turbocharger
services. According to MAN, the service
enables flexibility in cost control, by timely
ordering of spare parts and optional
fixed pricing for servicing and parts. It
ensures that the operational data for
the turbocharger is constantly updated,
including all maintenance history, and
provides customers with online access to
maintenance documentation, electronic-
parts catalogs and service reports.
Hong Kong-based ship management
company AMCL has recently concluded a
premium maintenance contract agreement
with MAN PrimeServ, covering some 36

turbochargers on board various ships in
the AMCL-managed fleet. The contract
encompasses TCA axial turbochargers
installed on main engines, and NR radial
types for auxiliary engines.
MAN PrimeServ Turbocharger has begun
a program to replace the turbochargers
on board four Royal Caribbean-owned
cruise ships. Grandeur of the Seas and
Enchantment of the Seas, both operated
by Royal Caribbean International, are each
powered by four MAN 12V48/60 engines
and are receiving 16 TCA55 turbochargers,
while Horizon and Zenith, operated by
RCCL subsidiary Pullmantur, will receive
a total of four NA40/S and 10 NA34/S
turbochargers for their L40/54B engines –
two 9-cylinder and five 6-cylinder engines
per ship. The work is being carried out
as routine maintenance within the regular
sailing schedules, with each installation
taking around 10 days per engine in total.
PrimeServ is providing installation kits and
technical support as part of the contract.
Head of MAN PrimeServ Diesel, Wayne
Jones, says, “This turbocharger upgrade
will not only boost engine performance but
will also extend engine life. In the end it’s
an investment in sustainability.”
TURBO MAINTENANCE FOR FLEXIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Turbochargers can
be swapped or
upgraded for better
performance when
maintenance is due