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Old 20th August 2020, 14:26
Makko Mexico Makko is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Posts: 948
Hey Phil,

I was involved in the reactivation of the LNG carrier, Nestor, in Loch Striven. Amongst other works, they were relining the "plastic" in the boilers. I was "in charge" of the contractors but I needed a translator (Wee Ronnie Curley) to understand what the Glasgow fitters were saying/asking! Nestor was the vessel with the twin Allen V18's.

Anyway, I worked with the 2/E over a few days tracing and understanding the burner controls. Loaded, at sea, the fuel mix would be 10%HFO and 90% LNG boil off. The 2/E was concerned about the system for refiring the boiler in the case of a "flame out".

The system called for CO2 flooding of the furnace and boiler top plate to purge any remaining LNG and then switch over to 100% HFO or MDO to light the fires and, when the burners were fully on, ease back on FO and ease up on LNG.

The 2/E's concerns were founded. There was a fault in the control logic which could permit the boilers to refire on LNG which would have been catastrophic! We jointly wrote a tech report detailing our findings, the system failings and our concerns to be taken care of in the guarantee dry docking that we were preparing the vessel for. I was pleased as punch when Daggy called me in to discuss the report and give him the down and dirty! The vessel, and her sister Gastor (both PoR Bermuda), never carried a paying cargo while under Blue Funnel and were, eventually, sold to the Nigerian national oil company at a massive loss (one of the reasons BF went under so quickly).

While surveying the control system, the 2/E said to me that he dearly hoped not to be named to the vessel when sailing because he reckoned that it would take about 1000 tons of MDO to warm the ship through and he did not want to have the responsibility and have to explain the massive fuel chit at India Buildings for a "dead" ship!

It was the only steam ship (albeit, laid up) that I worked on.

Rgds.
Dave
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