WATCH KEEPING - Taking Over Watch At Sea (Engine)

12:45:00 PM At Sea , Trainings 0 Comments

Taking Over a Watch

The relieving watch keeper should come 15 minutes before the start of watch.
He should enter the engine room via the staircase, entering at the highest point, taking a brief ‘round’ or ‘walk – through’ of the engine room before the start of the watch.
This walk-through the engine room is important, as one can see and check all important parameters and conditions.

Funnel 

Always start from near the funnel, so that the colour of the exhaust can be seen from outside the engine room.
• A transparent , slightly Grey smoke means good combustion
• Whitish smoke  - excess air
• Blackish smoke – poor combustion due to fuel problems
• Slightly bluish smoke indicates lube oil carry over
• Identify the source – check which exhaust pipe it is coming from – Main Engine, Generator, Boiler or Incinerator.
• Some black smoke may emerge initially while starting the generator or boiler or during manoeuvring
• Emission of black Smoke is not permitted in ports.

Funnel  sparking

• Check to see if there are any sparks emerging from the funnel.
• This is dangerous if the wind is blowing the sparks towards an area where dangerous cargo is loaded.
• Sparks are caused by minute hydro – carbon deposits which self ignite.
• Reasons for funnel sparking –
• Economiser soot blowing
• Water in the fuel
• Dirty economiser
• Poor combustion
• Running the engine on very low load for a long time.
• It also happens for a short time after the economiser is cleaned

Engine Room Top Platform

• Check exhaust gas economiser for steam, water or exhaust leakages.
• Check the condition of “lagging” on the pipes and any signs of leakage.
• See the position of the skylight.
• Check the engine room ventilators.
• Check the access doors to the engine room.
• Check Main Engine Jacket Water expansion tank level
• Check Generator Water Expansion tank water level
• Check Cylinder Oil daily tank level

Main Engine

• Check cylinder heads and landing spaces for any leakages.
• Feel the fuel injectors high-pressure pipes.
• Check each unit exhaust gas temperature.
• Check each unit Jacket Water outlet temperature.
• Feel the air starting pipelines to see if they are hot.
• Check thermometers on Turbocharger.
• Check oil level and flow in the turbocharger bearing casing – turbine side and blower side.
• Check the pressure drop manometers on turbocharger.
• Check air cooler air inlet & outlet temperatures.
• Check air cooler cooling water temperatures.
• Check air cooler pressure drop.
• Check each unit lubricators.
• Check camshaft and cam cases for leaks.
• Feel each scavenge door for any rise in temperature.
• Check oil level in governor and servomotor.
• Check the fuel inlet temperature and pressure.
• Check crankcase oil mist detector.
• Feel each crankcase door for any rise in temperature.
• Check flow in the piston cooling return line sight glass
• Check air cooler air side drain.
• Check scavenge drains.
• Check crankcase relief doors.
• Check lube oil pressure and temperature.
• Check lube oil auto filter
• Check Thrust bearing temperature.
• Check sump sounding.
• Check oil level in shaft bearings.
• Check stern tube temperature.
• Check oil level in stern tube tanks.

Generators

• Check and note how many generators are running.
• Check each unit exhaust and cooling water temperatures
• Check sump sounding.
• Check lube oil pressure and temperatures.
• Feel each crankcase door for temperature rise.
• Check fuel pumps and high-pressure pipes.
• Check rocker arm lube oil.
• Check lube oil filter pressure difference.
• Check fuel oil filter pressure.
• Check turbocharger oil level and flow.
• Check pedestal bearing temperature, oil level and flow.
• Check oil level in the governor.

Air Compressors

• Check crankcase oil level.
• Check suction, discharge and oil pressures.
• Check cooling water temperature.
• Check unloader and drains.
• Check for any abnormal noise from the valves.
• Check lubricator and oil level.
• Check the pressure in main and standby air bottles.
• Drain condensate from the air bottles.
• Check control air bottle, drain condensate.
• Check dryer.

Fuel Oil Purifiers

• Check running current.
• Check gear case oil level.
• Check fuel inlet temperature and throughput.
• Check water outlet side for any overflow.
• Check for any vibrations, unusual noise.
• Check heater settings.
• Check for any leaks in the purifier space.
• Check sludge tank sounding.
• Check operating water tank level.
• Drain water from settling and service tanks.
• Check fuel oil heaters temperatures.

Lube Oil Purifiers

• Check running current.
• Check gear case oil level.
• Check Oil inlet temperature and throughput.
• Check discharge pressure.
• Check water outlet side for any overflow.
• Check for any vibration or unusual noise.
• Check heater settings.
• Check for any leaks in the purifier space.
• Check sludge tank sounding.
• Check operating water tank level.

Pumps and Motors

• Check running current.
• Feel the motor for any temperature rise.
• Check bearing temperatures.
• Check pump pressure gauges.
• Check for any leakages from the gland.
• Check for any vibration or unusual noise.
• Check that the standby pump is ready for use.
• Check oil levels in pumps gear boxes and bearing cases.

Boiler 

• Check Boiler forced draft fan running current.
• Feel the motor for any temperature rise, any unusual vibration, noise, bearing temperature.
• Check Burner.
• Check flame condition, colour.
• Check the water level in the gauge glass.
• Blow through gauge glass.
• Check steam pressure and any leaks.
• Check feed check valves, any leaks.
• Check hot well level, any oil on the water.

Control Room 

• Check generator load.
• Check main switchboard insulation.
• Check the alarms on the control panel.
• Check temperatures, pressures on the panel.
• Check any operations going on, like ballasting, fuel transfers etc.
• Read the night order book, special instructions if any.
• Check the log book.
• Find out from the out-going watch keeper about any observations during the watch.
• Check the nature of work being carried out in the engine room.

Engine Room - General

• Check that the portable fire fighting appliances are properly stored at their designated locations.
• Check  that all the objects in the engine room are properly secured, especially during bad weather.
• Check the nature and location of all the maintenance work going on in the engine room.
• Check if any system has been isolated.
• Check the bilge wells levels.
• Check the sounding of bilge holding tank.
• Check the fresh water generator – vacuum, ejector pressure, distillate pressure, water level, salinity, shell temperature.
• Check the fresh water and sanitary water hydrophores.

I hope you learned something :)