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Attention to Acceptance or Rejection of Fuel Oil - Cargo ships Bunkering procedure
Due to its low cost, most large cargo vessels are powered by bunker fuel, also known as Heavy Fuel Oil, which contains higher sulfur levels than diesel. The fuel oil releases energy to rotate the ship propeller or the alternator by burning fuel inside the engine's combustion chamber. It also helps to generate steam inside the boiler.
Accepting fuel oil for ship use needs some careful consideration since poor quality fuel can cause ships main engine fuel
system operational problems, such as purifier or filter clogging, fuel pump
scoring or failure, severe cylinder liner wear, fuel injector seizure, exhaust
valve seat corrosion or blow-past and turbocharger turbine wheel is fouling.
Above is just a shortlist of potential problems.
Ships chief engineer should apply his best judgment before deciding to accept or reject bunker fuel oil. The following guideline might be useful in this respect.