Increasing amounts of machinery damage are occurring following repair or maintenance procedures carried out by specialist companies without the assistance of a manufacturer’s representative. Some of these companies are not licensed by any manufacturer, while others do not have a license from the manufacturer in question. Ships’ staff should carefully monitor all work carried out by all shore contractors, not least because they will have to bear the initial consequences of a job poorly done.

Examples of the causes and consequences of loss

Main or Auxiliary 4 stroke engines:Incorrect torque settings on bottom end bearings / Use of incorrect, damaged or used bolts: • Loose bottom end bearing resulting in crankshaft

damage. The cost of crankshaft replacement for a generator engine may be in excess of 200,000 Euros. In case of main engine damage, salvage costs may be incurred in addition to repair expenses.

Supervision of Contractors

Dirt, rags etc left in crankcase and / or sump tank:• Seizure of main, bottom end bearings causing

crankshaft damage (see above)• Piston seizure resulting in connecting rod detached

from piston and damage to the cylinder block

Turbo chargersIncorrect mounting clearances :• Damage to compressor wheel which has to be

replaced• Damage to bearings necessitating their replacement

Fitting of parts, such as bearings or pumps, not purchased from the manufacturer :• Damage to moving parts : compressor and turbine

wheels, resulting in complete rotor replacement

Jean-Pierre Ryckaert

+33.1.58.85.87.75

jean-pierre.ryckaert@allianz.com

Risk Bulletin

Number 30January 2011

Damaged wheel following the fitting of used parts

Damaged cylinder block due to piston seizure (picture not related to the subject of this letter)

Report published byAllianz Risk Consulting

One the ship’s side:Preparation of works:• Review the manufacturer’s job procedure. • Review the manufacturer’s service letters.• Collect the spare parts necessary for the work if they

are to be supplied by the vessel• Collect and prepare the tools needed for the job

Execution of works:• An engineer officer must be in attendance at all times• All readings and clearances should be checked before

boxing up any part• No part, such as the crankcase, should be closed

without having been checked for cleanliness by the officer in attendance

Acceptance of works:Only by the chief engineer after having checked that the works were carried out in compliance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

CommentsThe measures described above will only be successful if they are actually carried out rather than treated as a box-ticking exercise.

Proper training is essential if ship’s staff is to carry out proper supervision.

The training may be in the form of courses organized by the makers or by onboard training by superintendents dedicated to this task. This is only possible if the company has a comprehensive training policy.When outside contractors are used, the active involvement of the ship’s crew is essential.

The result of a passive crew attitude is shown below.

CausesIn most of the losses suffered, the contracting company was neither licensed nor approved by the manufacturer of the machinery concerned. They were contracted by the technical management on price or long time relationship basis.

Often, contracts do not specify the contractor’s obligations, only those of the client, and this can make recourse against the contractor very difficult.

In all cases the works were planned and executed under the control of the contracted company with no involvement from the ship’s engineers, the involvement of ship’s staff being at most limited to assisting the contractors with tools or the provision of non-technical labour.

Although the Chief Engineers concerned signed for acceptance of the work carried out, it seems that they did not properly check that it had been done in compliance with the manufacturer’s instructions or that the workmanship was of an acceptable standard.

Preventive measuresThe following measures may be implemented by the ship manager to supervise the shore labor:

On the technical department side:Only contractors licensed or approved by the manufacturers of the machinery in question should be used. In parts of the world where no such company exists, the manufacturer’s specialist should attend to supervise the work. Original spare parts only should be used;

The contract should clearly define the obligations and responsibilities of the contractor.

This contract should also specify that a full report, including work carried out, spares used, readings, and clearances must be submitted to the chief engineer for approval.

Copyright © 2012 Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty AG. All rights reserved.

The material contained in this publication is designed to provide general information only. Please be aware that information relating to policy coverage, terms and conditions is provided for guidance purposes only and is not exhaustive and does not form an offer of coverage. Terms and conditions of policies vary between insurers and jurisdictions.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is accurate, this information is provided without any representation or warranty of any kind about its accuracy and Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions.

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