PSC deficiency code 13106: Insulation wetted through (oil)

Code 13106 is written when insulation on hot surfaces in the engine room has soaked up oil: lagging on exhaust pipes, turbochargers, boilers, steam lines and fuel oil heaters. Lagging saturated with fuel or lube oil can catch fire on its own once the surface under it is hot enough, and it keeps feeding a fire that starts elsewhere. The inspector writing this code has found oil where it can ignite, and usually a leak that put it there.

What the inspector looks at

Expect a close look at the top of the main engine and the generators.

• Exhaust insulation on main and auxiliary engines, especially under fuel pumps, injectors and indicator cocks
• Lagging on boilers, steam pipes and fuel oil and purifier heaters
• Cladding intact over the insulation, without torn foil or gaps where oil can get in
• Insulation removed for maintenance and not refitted, leaving hot surfaces bare
• Spray shields on fuel and lube oil pipe joints near hot surfaces
• The source of the oil: leaking flanges, pumps, filters or overflowing drip trays

Common findings

• Main engine exhaust manifold insulation soaked with oil
• Auxiliary engine No. 2 exhaust pipe lagging oil contaminated
• Fuel oil leaking from fuel pump onto exhaust insulation below
• Insulation cladding damaged, lagging exposed and oily
• Exhaust insulation removed, hot surface exposed
• Spray shield missing on fuel oil filter flange

The rule behind it

SOLAS chapter II-2, regulation 4 (probability of ignition) requires surfaces above 220 °C that could be hit by oil after a fuel system failure to be properly insulated, and oil under pressure to be kept from reaching heated surfaces. IMO has issued guidelines on preventing fires in engine rooms that cover hot surface insulation and leak prevention. Keeping the machinery free of leaks also belongs to the ship's maintenance under the ISM Code.

Action codes you are likely to see

Contaminated insulation generally has to be renewed, so it is usually 17. The IMO list of detainable deficiencies includes insulation of piping, exhaust pipes included, in the engine room contaminated by oil, together with insufficient engine room cleanliness. An officer may therefore treat oil-soaked insulation as a ground for detention (30), especially with an active leak, an oily engine room or bare hot surfaces, and may add an ISM deficiency (15150). See action taken codes.

How to close it

Stop the leak first, or the new lagging will soon be soaked again. Then the engine crew removes the contaminated insulation, cleans the surface and fits new insulation with intact cladding or purpose-made removable pads. Bag the old lagging and land it or dispose of it as the garbage management plan allows, with the record. Refit spray shields and check drip trays drain freely. Keep before and after photos, the leak repair work order and the planned maintenance entry with the Form B. Related: engine room cleanliness (also written as 18420), main engine and bilge pumping.