Bunkering Vessels: Technicalities, Advantages, and Uses
Bunkering vessels are an important component of the working maritime industry. They are used to fulfill the fuel supply for other types of ships. Although all ships and vessels have fuel to perform the tasks, unavoidable situations are always risky. The process of transferring the fuels to buoyant vessels is called bunkering.
Refueling can be either in the middle of the sea or on shores where fuel facilities are unavailable. The bunkering vessels or barges allow other vessels to complete long journeys. It leads to continuous and uninterrupted running of the supply chain. Approximately 60% of a shipping firm's costs are on bunkering. A vessel carrying oil as cargo will not be called a bunker.
Technical Details of Bunkering Vessels
Operation Mechanisms
- Ship-To-Ship Bunkering (STSB)
It involves the transfer of fuel from a bunkering vessel to the receiving vessel. The fuel is transferred to the storage tanks of the receiving vessel. A bunker barge or another ship is moored alongside each other to transfer fuel to a receiving vessel. This type of bunkering can happen at a port or a midsea anchor.
- Stern Line Bunkering (SLB)
Fuel is taken from a ship by connecting hoses. The bunkering vessel approaches the ship from the stern or rear side, hence the operation's name. This bunkering happens only at ports when the ship is at a dock or berth.
Dimensions and Capacity
Length: 50 to 100 meters
Beam: 10 to 20 meters
Deadweight tonnage (DWT): 1200 to 3000 DWT
Engine Power and Performance
The main things when considering bunker vessel performance include the speed of the bunkering process and safety. The speed of bunker vessels varies due to weather conditions and operational mechanisms.
Uses of Bunkering Vessels
- Bunkering barges
They are mostly not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats. Bunker barges are smaller types of bunkering vessels that refuel ships at ports, nearshore areas, or rivers. Only a limited range of fuels can be transported via bunker barges, which release fewer environmental emissions.
- Bunkering tankers
They are larger than barges and used to carry high fuel volumes over long distances. They also have a double hull system to store large tanks. Different systems and equipment for transferring fuel to other ships are present. A wide range of fuels can be transported via bunker tankers. They are self-propelled with their engines. They lead to larger emissions in the environment.
Advantages of Bunkering Vessels
- The bunker vessels refuel other ships at the lowest possible costs. Refueling with land-based methods may take time and incur extra costs before continuing a voyage.
- They make fuel accessible to remote areas or where the port facilities are limited.
- A single bunker vessel can refuel different ships, easing the need for refueling in congested traffic regions.
FAQs
Q: What type of vessels are bunker vessels?
A: Bunker vessels are ships that transport and supply fuel (bunker) to other vessels in the sea or at a port.
Q: What are the different fuel types bunkering vessels transport?
A: Bunker vessels transport marine gas oil (MGO), marine diesel oil (MGO), low-sulfur fuel oil (LSFO), lube oils, heavy fuel oil (HFO), and liquified natural gas (LNG).
Q: What is the difference between bunkering barges and bunkering tankers?
A: Bunkering barges are small, non-self-propelled vessels used for local operations. Bunkering tankers are larger, self-propelled vessels used for long-distance transport of fuel.