Bunkering Process

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Every bunkering procedure must be carefully planned and executed in accordance with rules and regulations. Pollution is caused by heavy fuel oil split and extremely harmful and difficult to clean up. Personnel who anticipate in the bunkering process must focus on the process and remain at their workstations during topping-off. This is especially crucial when the bunkers are being loaded concurrent with cargo operations, in order to avoid conflicts of interest for operational personnel. Commonly, spillages happen when the stafts are not concentrating on the task. Spillages and leakages during bunkering process are the main source of oil pollution from ships. Experiences have shown that most of the bunker overflows and spillages that happen may …show more content…

These may comprise of plankton, plants, invertebrates, fish, birds, as well as mammals where they are living in habitats such as sediments, the water column, beaches, wetlands, and forests. For instance, due to the oil spills, the daylight are not able to penetrate through the thick oil into the ocean and this will eventually bring impact to the producer and thus, bottom dewlling organisms will be affected. The effect of oil on these organisms and their habitat are depending on the type of the oil spilled, its chronic impacts, the life stage of the organism such as egg, larvae, juvenile or adult, the season of the year which either wet or dry season, as well as other disturbances such as the presence of invasive species. For instance, on 20th April 2010, the oil spill happened in the Gulf of Mexico is the largest accidental marine oil spills in the world and the explosion had killed 11 people, 16 people had serious injured whereas the other 99 people had minor injured. After 87 days of the accident, it was estimated that 3.19 million barrels of oil had leaked into the Gulf. In addition, according to Reuters (2015), the explosion as well causes the increasing death of dophins and sea turtles from the year 2010 to 2011, averaging greater than 200 after the …show more content…

This oil is very long lasting, which up to 5 years, in the nature. Whereas, Marine Diesel Oils (MDO) and Marine Gas Oils (MGO) contain volatile compounds, which are extremely poisonous to organisms and can last from a month to a year in the environment. Oil’s volatile elements will hurt the eyes, skin and bring irritaton to sensitive membranes in the eyes, nose as well as mouth. Besides that, oil that is not sticky can endanger wildlife as well. Both sticky oils (crude oil and bunker fuels) and non-sticky oils (refined petroleum products) may bring impact to wildlife. Refined petroleum products are one of the oils that have shorter lasting in the nature than crude oil or bunker oil. Although, non-sticky oills will not stick to a bird or animal, yet these oils have more toxic than sticky oils. There are a few category effects of oil spills, including: i. Acute

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