NYK Establishes Manual concerning Hard-to-Combust Fuel Oil
September 1, 2008
NYK, together with its subsidiary Nippon Yuka Kogyo Co. Ltd. (head office: Yokohama; president: Shigeru Kaketani), has completed a manual that addresses diesel-engine trouble on ships caused by hard-to-combust fuel oil. The manual provides guidance and suggestions to prevent engine trouble that can result from such fuel oil.
Serious engine problems caused by hard-to-combust fuel oil can lead to vessel delays and result in great repair costs. Tests conducted in 2007 on fuel oil samples indicated that 64 of the 200 samples taken consisted of hard-to-combust fuel oil. Such fuel oil caused engine problems that cost an estimated 170 million yen to fix in 2007. No global standard exists about how to deal with hard-to-combust fuel oil, so NYK and Nippon Yuka created their own original standard.
- How the manual was made
Tests were conducted between 2005 and 2007 on 500 fuel oil samples, which were checked with a device to determine their level of combustibility. - How to prevent trouble
After sample checks are conducted, possible trouble can be avoided by adjusting the engine drive or the firing timing, mixing the oil with good fuel, or another solution recommended in the manual. - Effect
Engine trouble will become less frequent, and an estimated future cost of over 200 million yen can be greatly reduced.