Marine Maintenance Technology International - April 2016

    MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | APRIL 2016 ⠿ 33

The result of 40 years of

experience in ultrasound

maintenance

Our policy:

Versatility, Simplicity & Profitability

• Hatch cover tightness testing


• Leak detection


• Bearing & gear condition monitoring


• Vibration velocity & acceleration monitoring


• Lubrication optimization


• Valves & steam trap testing


• Pump cavitation detection


• Localization of electrical faults

Contact us

for more information on

the SDT270 and its many

applications.

We will get you in touch

with our nearest distributor.

SDT International s.a.

Boulevard de l’Humanité, 415 - 1190 Brussels

[email protected] - http://www.sdt.eu

+32 (0) 2 332 32 25

C

ounterfeit, or ‘pirated’, spare parts may be less of a

problem now than they were a few years ago, but

cash-strapped shipowners can still be tempted by offers

of quicker, lower cost repairs than are available through

manufacturers’ official agents.

To some extent this is a by-product of the system where

engines are built under license. It can be easy to get hold of

official drawings and produce seemingly identical parts. But

pirated items can be made from inferior materials and will

not be subject to the same rigorous inspection and quality

control of original spares. Often they are sold over the

internet, via genuine-looking websites.

The problem came to a head when all shipyard effort, and

supplies of parts, were being directed toward meeting new-

build orders. Now, with a glut of tonnage and new orders

hard to come by, spares supply is not a problem but the

cost remains high.

Today’s ship machinery is subject to high stresses due to

the elevated temperatures and pressures imposed through

having to meet emissions and efficiency standards. So a

substandard part is quite likely to fail prematurely, potentially

with disastrous consequences. Even if the failure does not

result in an accident, there is unplanned downtime and loss

of revenue to consider. Saving a few dollars could prove

extremely costly.

pumps. Changing fuels and oils is a complex
business: it can be automated, but most
ships rely on manual processes that require
knowledge and expertise from the crew.
Additionally, used oil analysis is strongly
recommended by lubricant suppliers and
P&I clubs to ensure the correct match.
Although no firm information is yet
available about engine failures due to poor
fuel changeover procedures, this has been
identified by the International Union of
Marine Insurance (IUMI) and others as a
known hazard that can only increase as
more ECAs come on stream.
Another aspect of fuel management is
catalytic fines, small particles introduced
into the fuel as part of the refining process
are generally removed by the engine room
purifiers. However, not all crews are aware
of cat fines’ presence or quantity in the
bunkers taken on board. So main engines
can be subjected to excessive, rapid, wear
due to these particles entering the cylinders.
The IUMI has identified this as a potential
area of risk, particularly as bunkers often
contain considerably more than the specified
amount of cat fines. Again, crew knowledge
and good practice is called for. \

ABOVE:

Crankshaft

counterweight

studs and nuts

• one example
  where skimping
  on original
  manufacturer
  parts could be
  costly

PIRATE PARTS PROBLEMS

(may illustrate with Wärtsilä spare

distribution center pic)