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2.16 TANK INSPECTIONS

Inspections in cargo tanks are part of the ship's preventive maintenance program. The
structure and all of the equipment each tank contains are vital to the work of the
tanker. Information on condition of the tanks and cargo equipment is essential to
preparation of requirements for shipyard or underway repairs. For tank inspection
information to be useful to the crew and owners, the vessel must have a program for
keeping tank inspection records and for filing tank inspection reports.
2.16.1 Tank structural inspection

Port wing tank looking forward.

Because of the flexing and stresses imposed on the hull structure during every
voyage, the structure must be routinely inspected for early detection of defects.
Defects can be impact damage, corrosion, cracks, buckling or distortion. Reporting
defects requires a clear description of the size and type of defect and its exact location
in the tank. Figure 2.16.1 is a diagram of a typical wing tank. Owners should provide a
book of such diagrams (laminated), including one diagram of each tank, to provide the
officer responsible for tank inspections with a convenient way of accurately indicating
defects. Examples of recorded defects might be:
1 'No.3 port cargo oil tank, frame 67, inboard, aft side, bracket stiffener weld to
longitudinal is cracked for 9 cm, 7th longitudinal from bottom.'
2 'No.5 port cargo oil tank, frame 60 to 61, bottom, in way of main longitudinal,
bottom set in about 6 cm, for length of 2 meters and breadth of 1.3 meters;
longitudinal buckled and weld cracked at connection to frame 60.'
3 'No.5 port ballast tank, Frame 60, deckhead, coating deteriorated and severe
corrosion to longitudinal and transverse framing from main longitudinal inboard to
longitudinal bulkhead.'
Each of these defects is described with enough detail to enable the owner's repair
engineer or a shipyard foreman to locate the defect. Each defect could be recorded
more quickly by use of a copy of the diagrams suggested above. Using the diagram it
is only necessary to circle the defective area or location and make a note such as '9

cm crack in weld'. The defect can be marked with erasable pen on the laminated copy
(which constitutes the ship's running record of tank defects) and a photo copy of the
diagram sent to the owner's office as the defect report.
Observation No.3 above is an example of a defect which must be reported so that
owners are fully informed regarding the condition of their ship. Steel wastage,
combined with structural fatigue is an increasing concern, particularly in larger
vessels. Unless close attention is given to corrosion throughout a ship's life, the risk of
structural failure will steadily increase.
2.16.2 Tank inspection checklist

Other equipment in the cargo tank which requires inspection at each opportunity
includes:

Drain plugs.
Ladders.
Valve operation reach rods, hydraulic/pneumatic actuator lines.
Tank coating.
Sacrificial anodes in ballast tanks.
Pipelines, including welds, flanges, supports, clamps and coatings.
Valves, including actuators, position indicators and glands.
Valve suction bell-mouths (for foreign objects/rags).
Accumulation of sediment, scale, or sludge.
Fixed tank gauging equipment including standpipes, wires, floats and tapes.
Fixed tank washing machines.
Temperature probes.
High level alarms.
Deepwell pumps.
Heating coils.
Bulkheads; examine bulkheads adjoining ballast tanks for any signs of leakage.
Rivets; examine all rivetted seams for leaks.

Cargo tanks are not frequently gas free, and the chief officer should make the best of
every opportunity to verify that a cargo tank and its equipment are in good order. A
chief officer who returns frequently to the same vessel can take the opportunity of a
shipyard period to photograph the critical equipment in each cargo tank. An album of
these photographs is an invaluable reference when problems with in-tank equipment
occur.
2.16.3 Testing heating coils

Heating coils are prone to leakage and can cause significant contamination of cargo in
heated tanks if such leaks are not immediately detected.
Heating coils should be blown through with air and tested prior to:

Loading heated cargo.

Changing from low flash to high flash cargo.
Changing from dirty to clean product.
Carrying out tank repairs.
Gas freeing for repairs or dry docking.

Whenever the heating coils are placed in service, the vent should be opened and the
water which is ejected for the coils (as the steam begins to fill them) tested for oil
content. The test can be as simple as the feel and odour of the water. Or a sample can
be captured in a glass container, allowed to settle and examined for oil contamination

on the surface. If a coiled cargo tank is entered for inspection, the heating coils should
be filled with water and enough pressure placed on the coil to provide an effective leak
test. Every decimetre of the heating coils should be visually examined. Any leaks
detected should be repaired by clamping or isolated until permanently repaired at the
earliest opportunity. A tank defect report must be prepared and submitted to the
owner's port engineer.
Heating coil piping above the main deck must also be carefully inspected for condition.
Give particular attention to the securing of supply and return lines on deck. Lines must
be tightly anchored at each fastening to prevent damage by boarding seas. Steam line
deck penetrations must be carefully checked for signs of leaks. Inspections of deck
penetrations should include soap testing while the tank is under moderate IGS
pressure.
2.16.4 Cargo and ballast piping tests

On ships where ballast piping runs through a cargo tank, the ballast piping should be
filled with water and placed under pressure during the in-tank inspection. While under
pressure, the ballast piping should be carefully inspected for any leaks, especially at
couplings.
If a ballast tank is being inspected and the tank contains cargo pipelines, the cargo
lines should be placed under a similar pressure test and closely examined during the
in-tank inspection.
Deck and pumproom cargo lines must be thoroughly washed and isolated before
repair work to them is begun. The lines and/or pumps to be repaired must be opened,
ventilated, and checked for hydrocarbon and H2S vapours before repairs. Regular
checks for hydrocarbons and H2S must be made during the progress of the repairs.
2.16.5 Tank gauge repairs

Automatic tank gauge housings may be opened for maintenance/repair and cold repair
work carried out without gas freeing the cargo tank. The tank must be isolated from
the IGS main and vented to reduce the tank pressure to atmospheric pressure before
the housing is opened. Check for H2S before beginning work and regularly until work
is complete.

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