THE NAIVE SAILOR-- MAIN AIR COMPRESSORS - CAPT AJIT VADAKAYIL

On a brand new SS chemical tankers, delivered from a Japanese yard, the water drains of MACs were connected together to drain into the Engine room bilge water tank--  a closed system.

No amount of explanations to Ship Yard, Japanese Tech owners Engr superintendents-- could make them understand what I mean. 

Air is compressible, water is NOT.  MAC explosions are most severe.

Sometimes ego makes you blind-- or they could be just plain stupid.

I was constrained to make a  SMS report.

Non Conformance-System

Sunday, February 15, XXXX 10:58:18 AM

Case type	Non Conformance-System
Date (dd.MM.yyyy) *	15:02:XXX
Time (HH:mm)	10:30
Vessels name *	Chemical Carriers - XXXXX
Area *	Engine room
Company *	XXXX
Identified by	Master
Title *	02S of XXXX/ XXX/ MAIN AIR COMPRESSOR FLUID HAMMER EXPLOSION DANGER
Description *	02S of XXX/ NCO/ MAIN AIR COMPRESSOR FLUID HAMMER EXPLOSION DANGER on XXX, the MAC drain dischg pipes are NOT open to ER atmosphere-- Both P&S MAC drains are connected in series to a narrow dia pipe on ford port side of ship. If the ship is on even keel or has a slight port list, the air bottles ( 2 nos ) blow down--fills up this pipe. Water is blown into idle MAC open drain at 6 kg pressure by cutting in MAC.  In the past accumulated water in MAC has been physically removed by ER staff, after noting saponified LO in sight glass . This dangerous situation must be rectified on XXX and investigated on other ships in fleet.
Work process	Other
Work process	0 - 14 days

Substandard acts/practices	01 - Failure to follow rules and regulations
Substandard condition	37 - Other substandard condition(s)
Personal factors	05 - Lack of knowledge
Job factors	09 - Inadequate design
Control action failure	01 - Leadership and administration - A: Inadequate requirements/guidelines
Action
Suggested preventive/corrective actions	PREVENT DEATH INJURY TO ER STAFF BY TAKING PROMPT ACTION WITHOUT RED TAPE AND TIME DELAY.   AS A TEMPORARY MEASURE THE DRAIN PIPE CAN BE CUT OFF INTO ER BILGES.   OUR ER ODMCS HAS A EMULSION BREAKER 100 MICRON CHAMBER NO 2 (WITH 15 KG OF GREEN ADSORBSION STONES.)

CAPT AJIT VADAKAYIL
29 YEARS IN COMMAND
..