Claimed to be this first of its kind, this comprehensive report provides vessel owners and operators with information needed to understand aspects of fuel, lubes and hydraulic oil from first principles to testing, monitoring, characteristics and specifications. In addition, it gives an insight into interpreting test results and understanding the potential impact these can have on operational performance and efficiency.
Effective management of fuels and oils is essential to ensure vital assets are adequately provided for from both a performance and protection aspect. Often the practical information is hidden in marketing information and an in-depth practical understanding of the varying factors that impact operational performance is generally only obtained after many years spent at sea, the company said.
Based upon actionable information on purchasing, sampling, testing and interpretation of test results, the Gold Guide provides a single written reference point to help operators understand how to implement good housekeeping policies for fuel, hydraulic, and lubricating oil. From density and dispersants to polymer thickeners and particulate analysis, each topic is covered in detail throughout the manual with salient points continually highlighted throughout.
Larry Rumbol, Parker Kittiwake’s marine condition monitoring manager, commented, “Care in the selection, purchase, use, testing and monitoring of fuels and oils pays direct dividends in terms of minimising maintenance burdens, reducing the risk of unplanned downtime through machinery failure and reducing accelerated wear. It’s vital for all operating personnel to understand the physical characteristics of fuel, hydraulic and lubricating oil, coupled with an awareness of sampling and testing systems and processes and the significance of test results. After all, it can and will impact life on board and is most definitely ‘best practice’.
“The need for this sort of objective, fit for purpose resource is greater than ever given the complexity of the regulations governing vessel operation, the thirst for crew knowledge enrichment and the ever-present need to drive vessel efficiency, maximise uptime and protect what can be volatile profits,” he explained.
Printed in full colour on oil-proof paper, the Gold Guide is wire bound enabling it to lie flat for ease of use on board. It includes input from Wärtsilä, NSD Corp, ExxonMobil, IBIA, John H Whitaker Tankers, the Institute of Marine Engineers, and the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).
Ian Hynde, senior lecturer in marine engineering at Warsash Maritime Academy, said, “Parker Kittiwake’s Gold Guide is a comprehensive guide to modern technology and methodology applied to the analysis of fuels and lubricants. It is an essential reference publication for marine engineer cadets, starting their education and experienced marine engineers who are studying for their Class1 and Class2 Certificate of Competency.”
The Gold Guide’s price is available on request from Parker Kittiwake. A hard copy can be accessed by contacting Brennie McTaggart on +44 (0)1903 738544, or at [email protected].
Demand for The Nautical Institute’s latest book, ‘Guidelines for Collecting Maritime Evidence’, was so strong that it had to be reprinted before its official launch on Thursday.
This practical guide is intended for everyone at sea and ashore – Master, crew and managers – who might need to handle material after a maritime incident that could be used as evidence for later legal proceedings, insurance claims, etc.
The book is a completely revised edition of NI’s ‘The Mariner’s Role in Collecting Evidence’. The scope has been broadened and the content updated to reflect the growing importance of electronic evidence.
A state safety inspector, Master, insurer, surveyor, lawyer and an arbitrator each describe evidence collection from their own point of view, explaining what material needs to be gathered and how it will be used. The book is accompanied by a separate handbook that should be kept on board as a quick reference guide.
NI president, Capt Duke Snider, FNI said at the launch, “We all hope that we are not faced with a casualty, but I doubt if there is a shipping professional who has managed to go through their entire service without being involved in some form of accident.”
Duke added: “This book should be required reading for all officers.”
The new book was launched at the Institute’s Command Seminar at Trinity House, London. The programme focused on the theme of navigation accidents and their causes, with presentations covering a wide range of subjects from mentoring, navigation assessments and bridge teamwork to ice navigators and new mindsets.
At the second day of the seminar, HRH The Princess Royal, in her keynote address, highlighted the importance of training and seafarer welfare. The NI has a key role to play in both these areas, she said. “We are looking not just to learn from the examples of the past, but also to see how technology, knowledge and the skills base will be able to prevent those accidents in the future.”
One of key issues is how you get the information gathered on to the next generation, she added. This is something that the NI is tackling through its promotion of mentoring, the institute said.