THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD ENGINE MAINTENANCE

摘要

The importance of good maintenance practices was highlighted following an investigation of a fire which started in a 8800kW Mitsui B&W 8L55GCFA slow speed diesel engine turbocharger and resulted in the vessel having to be towed into port. Some crew members received serious burns and extensive damage was caused to the ship's machinery space as a result of the fire, according to the report summary in IMO's GISIS database. The incident occurred in 2008 on the 29800gt Panamanian vehicle carrier Sea Venus. Two important recommendations were made by the Panama Maritime Authority's investigators — firstly, that shipowners, managers and engineers should ensure that maintenance of slow speed diesel engines and their scavenge spaces is thorough and takes into account the engine, its history and conditions of service and, secondly, that any overhaul of the turbocharger is undertaken under the supervision of an experienced engineer or service engineer.