Memorandum

Rownd 660

September 2013

Chief Eng thru CoC

PO 010.02.001 FUELLING OPERATIONS

References: A. Halifax Class Safety and Environmental Management System

B. C-39-006-001 JP-5 Shipboard Handling and Stowage
C. C-25-510-000 Fuel Oil Filling and Transfer System
D. C-03-005-033 Naval Engineering Manual
E. MARCORD 66-05 Hazardous Material Management Program
F. Ship Standing Orders Chp.3 Section 11 Response to Hazardous Material/ Fuel Spill
G. Engineering Officers Technical Instructions Chp.2-5 Fuelling Operations

AIM

1. The aim of this memorandum is to describe fuelling operations and satisfy EO

010.02.001.

GENERAL

2. Fuelling is one of the greatest environmental risks faced by the ship on a routine basis.
All reasonable action must be taken to ensure that a fuel spill does not occur. Fuelling in port or
at sea requires significant personnel resources and attention to detail in order to ensure timely
completion of the evolution in an environmentally responsible way.

3. Essential requirements of a safe and efficient fuelling evolution are:

a. good communication;

b. thorough checks of systems and equipment prior to fuelling; and

c. personnel knowledgeable in all aspects of the fuelling operation.

4. When potential problems are noticed due diligence must be demonstrated by responding
immediately in order to minimize damage to the environment. Furthermore, superiors and
outside agencies must be notified immediately.
5. Fuelling evolutions are comprised of three phases:

a. pre-fuelling;

b. fuelling; and

c. reporting.

PRE-FUELLING

6. Fuelling evolutions must conform to SEMS SOP E1. Annex’s A through E provides the
necessary fuelling orders, forms and charts. These documents describe the procedures necessary to
ensure that fuelling evolutions comply with all regulatory policy requirements. They also ensure
that fuellings are conducted in a manner that will minimize the potential for fuel spills. Upon
completion of fuelling, these fuelling orders and completed forms are held as environmental
records.

CAPACITY

7. Authorized full storage capacity of a fuel tank is 95% of its total capacity. Unless otherwise
ordered by MARCOM HQ, tanks shall not be filled beyond their authorized full storage capacity.
When fuelling, tanks shall be filled to 95% alongside and 90% at sea. DFO tanks 10 and 11 are not
authorized to be filled beyond 80% when alongside or when at sea due to their design. Although no
confirmation from MARCOM HQ has been delivered on the situation regarding DFO tanks 12 and
13, they are of the same design as DFO tanks 10 and 11 and HMCS Calgary has implemented the
same regulation of 80% respectively.

FUEL TYPE

8. Distillate fuel to CGSB Standard 3-GP-11M (NATO code F-76) and JP5 to CGSB standard
3-GP-24M (NATO code F-44) is to be used and any substitute must meet these specifications. If
fuel is obtained through a non-approved source as many specifications as possible should be
gathered. As a minimum, the flash point, S.G., and viscosity are to be used. As soon as possible
water and sediment checks shall be carried out. Fuel that differs significantly from approved specs
shall not be taken onboard without prior approval from MARCOM HQ.

PERSONNEL REQUIRED

9. The following personnel are required for fuelling HFX Class vessels:

a. MSEO;

b. Fuelling I/C – Cert 3 or above;

c. UDER – LS/AB Cert 1;

 d. Station Supervisor (RAS) – PO2/MS Bos’n 6a Qualified;

e. Dump Position – LS/AB Cert 1;

f. Upper Deck Communication – LS/AB Cert1;

g. Fire Sentries – two 651 FFs;

h. Upper Deck Sentries – two LS/AB (alongside only);

i. Tank Sentries – at a minimum posted at every tank sensors are suspect or defective –
LS/AB Cert 1;

j. Valve Sentries – for every valve that is suspect or cannot operate remotely from the
IPMS DFO Filling and Transfer page – LS/AB Cert 1;

k. Event Recorder – any qualified person of the MSE department;

l. FDER – LS/MAR ENG Cert 2 (if embarking JP-5); and

m. Dump I/C – no less than LS Cert 2.

FUELLING I/C

10. The fuelling I/C is to have a complete understanding of the Fuel Oil F-76 and F-44 filling
systems and its cross connects, and shall ensure that the systems are properly configured to embark
fuel and that all environmental and safety concerns are met. The fuelling I/C is responsible to:

a. Conduct a pre-fuelling brief which shall contain the following information:

i. the start time of the fuelling;

ii. the end time of the fuelling;

iii. total capacity of fuelling;

iv. members of the fuelling party;

v. fuelling locations;

vi. safety equipment required (exposed skin minimized, safety footwear, wet
weather gear as required, helmets and eye protection); and

vii. actions to take in the event of a fuel spill.

 b. personally inspect the fuel systems, upper deck equipment and fittings prior to the
fuelling;
c. confirm that all system deficiencies are noted and reported to the MSEO prior to
fuelling;

d. confirm communications function normally and a back-up is in place. Primary

communications shall be via sound powered headsets and radios. Back-up
communications shall be the shin-comm system (meet-me-net 50). Clear
communication must be available with the tanker/dock personnel (Note: in the event
that communication is lost, the order "STOP PUMPING" shall be given
immediately);

e. ensure that the appropriate pre-fuelling checklist is completed and signed;

f. ensure flag “bravo” is raised;

g. verify that access to locked compartments containing valves and sounding tubes is
made available during fuelling operations;

h. ensure drip pans, rags and absorbent pads are available at the fuelling point and at
any suspect valves or flanges.

i. ensure only non ferrous tools to be used when hooking up;

j. grounding wire rigged between the ship and the vessel/facility supplying the fuel
(unless hoses with integral grounding wires are used);

k. burning and welding are to be prohibited throughout the ship;

l. spark producing equipment, including internal combustion engines, are not to be

operated on the weather decks (vehicle traffic must be prohibited on adjacent
jetties); and

m. hoses must be rigged and charged such that sufficient reach of stream is available to
provide foam coverage for any area subject to spillage.

ALONGSIDE FUELLING

11. The fuelling order is issued a minimum of 24 hours prior to fuelling. Fuelling and transfer
operations in homeport require that the ship and fuelling barge be boomed. QHM is responsible for
the placement of boom around vessels for fuelling operations. When away from homeport, the ship
is boomed during fuelling operations if possible. A request for a boom is included in the fuelling
message.
12. In addition, the following precautions shall be taken prior to fuelling:

a. ensure that the ship is in condition “Y” (and "Code Romeo Yankee" if a fuel lighter
is alongside);

b. Queen’s Harbour Master (QHM), Dockyard Fire hall and adjacent ships advised;
and

c. ensure the pipe “No Smoking through-out the ship, Fuelling Ship” shall be made
every 15 minutes.

13. Additional personnel may be required in the event of fuelling by truck to provide jetty
sentries, and line handlers when fuelling by barge or lighter. In addition, a grounding strap must be
in place.

REPLENISHMENT AT SEA (RAS)

14. RAS fuelling operations will not normally be conducted within 12nm of a coast. All
reasonable preventive measures shall be taken to minimize the potential for spills during the entire
RAS evolution.

15. A standing RAS/TACRAS fuelling order is prepared and the ship shall be ready in all
respects to receive fuel 30 minutes after the executive pipe close up RAS/TACRAS is made.

16. Part Ship Hands, lookouts and Lifebuoy Sentry (when available) are relied upon as fuel
sentries. The Fuelling I/C shall brief the Lifebuoy Sentry, lookouts and, Part Ship Officers which in
turn brief Part Ship Hands.

FUELLING

17. Tanks are monitored at the HQ1 POU display screen from the Tanks Overview page.
Primary valve operation is done through the UDER at the HQ1 IPMS display screen on the DFO
Filling and Transfer page, with valve sentries standing by to operate the valve manually if required.

18. On commencement of fuelling, halfway through, and at the 5 min. warning a fuel sample
shall be drawn off at the fuelling position and checked by the MSEO, CEng, and the fuelling I/C. If
at any time the quality of the fuel is suspect, fuel pumping shall be stopped immediately, retain a
sample pending further instructions, and message MARPAC and NDHQ DGMEPM with full
details.

19. Fuelling should commence at a low pumping rate. After flow has been confirmed and no
leaks detected, the fuelling rate should be increased to the max safe level.
20. The fuelling time warnings for completion are as follows:

a. 10 minute warning;

b. 5 minute warning;

c. 3 minute warning;

d. 1 minute warning;

e. standby; and

f. stop pumping.

REPORTING

21. The Fuelling I/C shall provide the EO with a Fuel Status Report within 10 minutes of the
stop pumping order, including the total amount received. The amount received shall be compared
against the suppliers invoice and any discrepancy greater than five percent brought to the EO's
attention immediately. Copies of all invoices shall be filed in the MSE Office and the originals
passed to the SYO. The UDER shall ensure the fuel log is updated and the OOD informed for his
entry for the Ship's Log.

SPILL RESPONSE

22. The ship’s Fuel Spill Control Organization, under the MSEO, is responsible for response
and cleanup of the spill if it is beyond the capability of the owner/user. An attached document
includes the composition of the below teams. The organization includes:

a. the rapid response team;

b. the fuel spill response team;

c. the casualty clearance team;

d. the logistic dept; and

e. the marine system engineering dept.

23. Ship’s crew must be prepared to respond to fuel spill at all times. However, when
responding to spills, the safety of personnel overrides environmental concerns.
ALONGSIDE INCIDENT

24. The contaminant and clean-up of spills in harbour falls under the direction of the Maritime
Pollution Control Office (Atlantic or Pacific). These duties have been assigned to QHM of the
respective coast. The response capacity of this organization is up to 20 barrels, after which aid must
be requested to Transport Canada through the Canadian Coast Guard who will assume the
responsibility of On Scene Commander. On the west coast, additional spill response can be
dispatched by Burrard Clean and the Pacific Volunteer spill response network.

SEA INCIDENT

25. Urgent or essential operating missions shall take priority over the following outlined
procedures. Ships responsible for generating external spills in waters other than their home port
shall:

a. take immediate action to stop and control the flow,

b. stop the ship and investigate;

c. advise appropriate agencies via message,

d. mitigate the extent of the incident; and

e. await further instruction.

CONCLUSION

26. The supervision of fuelling operations has been described in this memorandum to satisfy EO
001.03.7.

Rownd, S.H.
MS
HMCS Calgary
Fuel Spill Organization Teams

IAW SEMS

Rapid Response Team

Alongside
- OOD
- Duty Coxn
- Duty Tech
- Discoverer

At Sea
- XO
- POOW
- Discoverer
- HQ1 and Engineering Roundsman

Spill Response Team

- MSEO
- Chief Eng
- SNR HT
- SNR FF
- Two Firefighters
- UDER
- FDER
- SNR ET