Auxiliary engine damage most common after maintenance

According to the insurance company, 55% of casualties occur within the first 1,000 hours or so of operation after maintenance, representing around 10% of the time between overhaul. In most cases the damage occurs only a few hours after start-up.

The report also finds that container vessels have a significantly higher claims frequency due to the larger number of installed engines on these vessels. Engines on these ships have considerable output, leading to higher repair costs compared with other vessels.

The report, Auxiliary Engine Damage, highlights a significant segment of machinery claims, both in number and in cost.

Peter Stålberg, senior technical adviser at The Swedish Club, said: “Auxiliary engines run at high revolutions and have a common lubrication system for both cylinder and crank case lubrication. They are not under the same strict regime from the classification society as the main engine, and maintenance is often carried out by the vessel crew.”

Stålberg said that the club noted incorrect maintenance and wrongful repair in many cases. Poor lubrication management is also a major contributing factor to auxiliary engine break downs. The average repair cost of auxiliary engine damage is more than US$345,000, the club said.