Tokyo MoU Safety Bulletin 04-2024

The Tokyo MoU issued the Safety Bulletin 04/24 on the Emergency Power Supply Testing.

 

This update is issued to raise awareness of the potential risk of testing of automatic start of emergency source of electrical power and connection to the emergency switchboard (SOLAS Ch. II-1, Regulation 42 / 43) using simulated blackout method.

 

There have been numerous observations by PSCOs where the “simulated blackout” testing of the Emergency Generator is demonstrated as fully functional, but during an actual power blackout, the system does not meet the requirements of SOLAS Ch. II-1, Reg. 42 / 43.

 

PSCOs have observed an alarming number of ships that were able to demonstrate a satisfactory test of the emergency generator utilizing a Sequence Test or RTS, in particular when tested by opening the Main Switch Board (MSB) Bus Tie (controlled blackout), the emergency generator was unable to:

 

1. Automatically start; or
2. Provide transitional power; or
3. Automatically connect to the emergency switchboard.

 

As such, these simulated blackout tests of the emergency generator may not meet the requirements of SOLAS Ch. II-1, Reg. 43.7, and more importantly, give ships’ engineers a false sense of readiness of the ship’s emergency systems in the case an emergency. This may endanger life, ship, and the environment.

 

Recommendations to ISM Management companies, Flag State Authorities, Classification Societies, and ISM Recognizes Organizations were included in the bulletin.

 

Refer to the attached report for additional information.

 

Source Tokyo MoU