TSCF – Officer of the Watch

Cargo Tank Corrugated Bulkhead Damages of Double Hull Tankers

Corrugated bulkheads are generally utilised as the boundary between cargo tanks of small and medium sized product or chemical tankers. The corrugation provides benefits such as simplified cleaning which is highly desirable due to the operational profile of these vessel types. Properly designed, constructed and maintained corrugated bulkhead structures can give many years of safe and satisfactory service. On the other hand the complexity of structural configuration and difficulties of manufacture can lead to significant defects occurring which may be costly to repair. The following information is an extract from a Tanker Structure Co-operative Forum (TSCF) paper which reviews corrugated bulkhead design practice and provides details of damage experience from TSCF members.

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Outfitting Related Structural Defects

This post is a summary of a Tanker Structure Co-operative Forum (TSCF) paper which reviews the outfitting defects of tankers and provides an analysis on potential causes and repair proposals. Service history of double hull oil tankers has revealed the fact that outfitting details are not to be neglected since about 5 in 6 defects found in the upper deck plate and stiffeners were cracks due to outfitting. Outfitting reinforcements should be considered as part of the ship structure because a failure of this kind of local reinforcement may affect even the primary structure and cause a critical failure.