Union

Marine Management Services Pte Ltd Technical Circular

Title Circular Number: Date : 08/08/2018

Machinery Incident : AE Valves TECHNICAL - 34 Prepared By – Tech Dept

Burn Out Approved By : QA Page 1 of 2


This circular is to share Aux Engine V/Vs burn out damage on one of our vessel which if
handled properly with due diligence could have been averted or minimized.
Sequence of Events
• The CE after a week of joining (around 3rd week May) reported that the viscosity of
the AE lub oil was around -2 at the flow stick for AE 1 and 2 and informed about
8000 hrs of running of the oil.
• Office asked him to wait for the analysis report to take further action.
• Samples were landed on the 27th May 2018.
• AE performance was taken and showed deviations in the peak pressure of units .
• The analysis reports were received on the 05th June 2018 where the oil of AE 1 was
critical and AE 2 was in caution condition.
• CE was asked to check the root cause and change the oil. He was also asked to take
compression pressures of the units as the vessel had bad fuel use earlier.
• The compression pressure showed blow past confirming that a few units need to
be overhauled. After opening the cylinders, valves were found burnt out and in
poor condition.

What Went Wrong

• Actual Condition was known to previous CE but same was not reported to office.
• Exhaust temperatures were balanced by adjusting fuel racks and readings were
manipulated in daily reports.
• Daily rounds were not taken properly.
• Viscosity test results were not reported correctly.

Consequences

All 5 Cylinder heads of both AE had to be overhauled and sump oil completely renewed
and a lot of time/energy/spares were used.

Lesson to be Learnt

Timely detection of any fault can avoid major breakdowns and same could be achieved by
following routines religiously:
• Daily rounds should be taken religiously and correct parameters to be recorded
without any influence.
• Correct procedures to be followed for carrying out onboard analysis.
• Slight deviation in parameters or test results should be investigated and reported
to office immediately.
Union Marine Management Services Pte Ltd Technical Circular

Title Circular Number: Date : 08/08/2018

Machinery Incident : AE Valves TECHNICAL - 34 Prepared By – Tech Dept

Burn Out Approved By : QA Page 2 of 2


• Transparency should be maintained while reporting as then only office could
arrange timely assistance as required.

HARISH JOSHI
GM(QUALITY ASSURANCE)