Bunker Monitoring

It is vital in today’s environment to protect fuel assets, particularly where fuel is being transferred in multiple steps. Accurate real time monitoring at every point of transfer is important to prevent fuel loss. A typical series of transfers may include:

• Transfer of fuel between a vessel and an oil platform
• Transfer of fuel from the vessel to dockside storage tanks
• Transfer from dockside storage tanks to a truck or train distribution network

There are many combinations in this fuel transfer chain, all of which need to be closely monitored if fuel assets are to be protected. The Krill DBPM software, with its ability to monitor up to eight simultaneous transfers, offers an excellent solution to this problem.

Krill Bunker DBPM software incorporates OIML/MID approved (Coriolis) mass-measuring meters to minimize inherent inaccuracies found in two and three phase Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) transfers. In both lines, flow rate, temperature and density are displayed in real time both digitally and graphically and a ‘Bunkers in Progress’ display area shows the total volume of bunkers delivered, ticket numbers, start and stop times and an area where additional notes can be entered.

Tickets can be printed as soon as bunkering is completed. Bunker history, showing all relevant information, including aeration percentage, is always stored and displayed for all bunkering events. Back-flow oil is measured as a negative and therefore reflected as bunkers being discharged.

Design flexibility inherent in all Krill solutions allows for a high degree of customization of the basic system to meet specific client requirements. Using Microsoft SQL server database technology, Krill records all Bunker loading data, with 2-second resolution, for onboard display. This data can be transmitted to any number of remote operators for monitoring, analysis and compliance reporting as required.

Simple Operation

To begin bunkering, simply start the fuel transfer pump. Krill’s Marine Bunkering System will automatically detect the start of fuel flow and begin incrementing the total amount of fuel transferred in real time.  The transfer may be paused or even reversed if necessary.  When the transfer is complete,  simply click on the Print button, which will print out the Bunker Delivery Note that can be signed by the cargo officers directly.  The transaction is recorded in a SQL Database, and the counters are then reset to zero, ready for the next bunkering operation.

Alarms

During bunkering, fuel densities are continuously monitored to protect the client from taking on impure bunker fuel.  Audible and visual alarms are provided.

Transaction Recording

All bunkering transactions are recorded permanently in the Marine Bunkering System’s SQL database.  The amount of historical transactions is essentially unlimited.  With the Vessel Operations Center option, bunkering transactions can be instantaneously uploaded to your corporate office over the Internet.

Bunker Tickets

At the completion of every transfer, a Bunker Delivery Note can be printed in a variety of languages.  Past bunkering transactions can also be reprinted by simply selecting the desired transaction and clicking on the print command.