A SYSTEM AND A PROCESS FOR MONITORING AND VERIFYING BUNKER FUEL EXCHANGE BETWEEN MARINE VESSELS

• Main Authors: CROSS, Alistair, BARON, Tyler
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 03.01.2024
• Subjects: BLASTING; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING; HEATING; LIGHTING; MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING; MEASURING; MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUIDLEVEL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METERING BY VOLUME; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PIPE-LINE SYSTEMS; PIPE-LINES; RELATED EQUIPMENT; SELECTING; SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; STORING OF DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TOCARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

A system for monitoring and verifying a delivery process during which a fluid is delivered, via a bunker line, from a supplying marine vessel to a receiving marine vessel in accordance with a set of preestablished contractual terms is disclosed. The system comprises a data capture device. In one embodiment, the data capture device is a measurement apparatus configured to measure one or more parameters related to the delivery process, such as a mass flow rate of the fluid through the bunker line or a density or a temperature of the fluid. The system further comprises a monitoring unit operably connected to the measurement apparatus to receive the measured parameters. The monitoring unit comprises a processor and a memory, the processor being configured to generate an electronic record comprising the parameter and to store the electronic record and/or the parameter in the memory. Advantageously, the system further comprises a private communications network comprising a wireless router connected to the monitoring unit, a wireless access point connected to the router and configured to provide a point-to-point wireless link between the supplying marine vessel and the receiving marine vessel, and a wireless client device of the wireless access point, the client device being located on the receiving marine vessel. The client device is configured to provide wireless access to the access point by one or more wireless communication devices of one or more authorised second users on the receiving marine vessel via the point-to-point wireless link. The processor is further configured to generate a dashboard, accessible to the first and second users having access to the private communications network, the dashboard being configured to present the electronic record to the first and second users and to accept an electronic signature of each of the first and second users to indicate, respectively, whether the first and second users have each positively verified the electronic record with respect to said preestablished contractual terms. The delivery process is verified when both the first and second users have provided their electronic signatures.