Solutions that meet your needs
For heavy duty deck equipment, the shipping industry need EALs that offer the appropriate performance characteristics for the harsh environment – water resistance, good spray-off resistance, good shear stability and the ability protect ferrous and yellow metals – while also meeting the stringent global regulations that are in effect. Utilizing solutions that offer optimal performance while offering a safer choice for employees to handle with less impact on the environment is the right choice.
In
addition to regulations requiring EAL usage, cleaners that are VGP compliant are also required. These are often an overlooked component of the VGP.
The Paradox of Deck Equipment Runoff
All deck surfaces and equipment will periodically impact water quality — either through precipitation, green water or sea spray — resulting in vessel runoff. Green water carries residue like oil, grease, paint chips and debris from deck or equipment surfaces. It can also include runoff from deck washdowns performed by the crew, which includes soaps, detergents and cleaning solvents. Discharge rates from deck runoff vary from vessel to vessel depending on a wide variety of factors including weather, frequency of deck washdowns, and the type, size and maintenance state of deck machinery.
What has been an interesting paradox is that the focus for oil entrance into the oceans has focused on below surface propulsion systems. Granted, those systems contribute the most to polluting the environment with petroleum oils but the oils on the surface of the ship that end up in the water are largely ignored by both the controlling agencies and the ship owners themselves.
It’s
only a matter of time before the scrutiny of multiple environmental agencies focus on the oil coming from the surface equipment. Why aren’t ship owners “early adopters” for using EAL fluids in all equipment on the ship where the chance of it ending up in the water is great? It’s a mindset! There are those ship owners that have started using EALs in their surface equipment because they believe in environmental protection and doing their part. However, most will wait until they are forced by legislation or liability concerns to adopt EALs.
Choosing the Most Suitable VGP Compliant Cleaner
Little attention has been paid to an important, but often overlooked component of the VGP regulations: routine deck and cargo hold washdowns. Cleaners aren’t typically top of mind when discussing VGP compliance. They are 100% loss products and little thought is given to the safety of those using them or the impact of the cleaner when it ends up in the ocean. However, just like the oils, they can impact the aquatic life in the ocean if proper attention isn’t paid to the type of cleaner used.
hamper growth and thus, pressure to harmonize regulations is likely to continue alongside the regional and global integration of markets. Currently, EPA and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are working together to develop and implement legal standards that address vessel source pollution and ocean dumping. EPA also works with the United Nations Caribbean Environment Program based in Jamaica, focused on reducing land- based sources of marine pollution, including in the Gulf of Mexico and the wider Caribbean region. With the VGP, the pending Small Vessel General Permit (sVGP), and other global sustainability initiatives firmly in place to regulate discharges, you can select the right EAL or cleaner that will meet or exceed your equipment needs. Keep in mind that while EALs are mandated by legislation to be used in oil-to-water interfacing equipment, they are not required but recommended by the EPA to use in all deck machinery/ equipment.
Conclusion In
addition to being phosphate free and biodegradable, the cleaner should be effective in cleaning but also pose no risk to the people using them or the aquatic life in the water. Safety Data Sheets clearly outline the hazards to both the workers and the environment, but in many cases, the hazards are overlooked or the buyers selecting the products are unaware of the safer alternatives.
What’s Next?
According to environmental consultants and advisors, there are currently thousands of new environmental regulations awaiting attention from regulators around the globe. Different standards
In marine operations, oil and lubricant spills and discharges are unavoidable. The industry has worked diligently to meet and exceed what is required of operators in these situations and to proactively minimize their adverse impact on the environment. Broad use of EALs is one way to help address the issue, whether it’s the requirement to use an EAL with oil-to-sea interfacing applications or a recommendation to use EALs with deck machinery. Using EALs in all equipment where there is a risk of the oil getting into the water is not only complying with current regulations but is the right thing to do for the aquatic environment. Legislation and Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EALs) The marine industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries and was amongst the first to adopt widely implemented international safety and environmental
The Report • December 2017 • Issue 82 | 35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80
