Evaluation of Accidental Oil Spills from Bunker Tanks

1. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Ad Hoc Panel on the "Evaluation of Accidental Oil Spills from Bunker Tanks" are to:

1. establish the relative risk of bunker spills from freighters, tankers, and small vessels through analysis of historical spill data, and compare to total oil inputs into the oceans in order to provide an overall perspective of risk;
2. develop a methodology for calculating expected oil outflow from bunker tanks in large commercial vessel accidents;
3. evaluate the influence of alternative tank configurations on projected oil spillage;
4. assess the capital costs associated with each configuration, and the impact on safety and vessel operations; and;
5. present findings and recommendations for mitigating accidental oil spillage from bunker tanks.

2. SCOPE OF WORK

The intended scope of work is as follows:

Analyze historical data for bunker spills from ships in both U.S. and international waters. Break down spill data by vessel type and by type of accident, and assess the relative spill frequency and spill sizes associated with each vessel type. Evaluate trends in the spill rates and spill volumes from bunker tanks, and compare to overall spillage related to marine transportation, and then to overall oil inputs into the oceans.

Develop a probabilistic-based methodology for calculating expected oil outflow from bunker tanks of large commercial vessels, when the vessel is involved in a collision, allision, or grounding.

Review existing ships built since 1990 to determine the current practices for locating tanks (i.e. the percentage of ships with all tanks double-hulled, the percentage of ships with at least 50% of bunker tanks double-hulled, the percentage of ships with double bottom bunker tanks, the percentage of ships with bunker tanks located in the forward ¼ length, etc.). Analyze the outflow performance for a number of existing crude oil carriers, product tankers, containerships, bulk carriers, and passenger ships.

Develop a parametric series of designs with varying bunker tank arrangements, incorporating both existing configurations as well as other arrangements deemed promising by the committee. Evaluate each design utilizing the oil outflow calculation methodology.

Investigate technical and operational considerations related to alternative bunker tank arrangements. Consideration should be given to safety issues, available space for allocating bunkers, stability and strength implications, etc.

Evaluate the incremental costs related to the various alternative arrangements, in order to provide a sense of the cost-benefit of each alternative.

3. COMMITTEE COMPOSITION

4. DELIVERABLES

5. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Back to Top

SNAME Home / Bunker Tanks Home