Engr. Torogi

28/03/2026

Sea Lion Onboard 🐳

27/03/2026

Sunset 📍 Walvis Bay Anchorage, South Africa

24/03/2026

06/03/2026

PREPARING A SPARE ME (MAIN ENGINE) CYLINDER COVER (HEAD) ASSEMBLY

Why is it neccessary to always have a ready spare onboard?

1.Critical Operational Safety
_A cylinder cover if have severe crack, seizure can immediately render the main engine inoperable. A spare unit ensures the vessel is not left without propulsion, which is essential for safe navigation.

2.Preventing Massive Downtime and Costs
_A major engine failure requiring a part that is not onboard can lead to days or weeks of waiting for spare parts to arrive, costing vast amounts in charter party fines and vessel downtime.

3.Component Wear and Failure
_Cylinder covers are subjected to high thermal and mechanical stress, leading to inevitable wear, cracks, or leaky O-rings that cannot always be repaired at sea.

4.Maintenance Flexibility
_Having a spare allows for a "rotable" maintenance system, where a worn cylinder cover can be swapped with a refurbished one, allowing the overhaul to take place without forcing the ship to stop at a repair port.

5.Class/Company Requirement
_Many ship-owners consider these "critical spares" for ensuring the safety of the ship, particularly for long voyages where shore-based support is unavailable.

It is better to have it onboard and not needing it than needing it but it's not ready onboard.

02/03/2026

IRAN STRIKES MIDDLE EAST🛢🛢🔥

27/02/2026

Just finished SIRE 2.0 Inspection here in Visag, India

Common questions asked to Junior Engineers (4th and 3rd Engineer)

* ENCLOSED SPACED ENTRY
1.What is the validity of enclosed space entry permit? Answer: 8 hours

2.What happen if the permit is no longer valid?
Answer: Issue another permit

3.What are the preparations before entering enclosed space?
Some answers: Make a permit, Job Hazard Analysis, Monitor the atmosphere for gases and O2 content, Prepare SCBA near the entry point, Rescue equipment in case something happens, Gas detectors for crew entering the space, Put safety signs if opening manhole, Must have a stby lookout outside the space and constant monitoring for gases. Etc..

4.What if Chief Engineer called you to do another job and you are the assigned stby outside, will you leave and do the Job?
Answer: No, you will not leave because your priority job is to be the lookout for the crew inside and you need to constantly monitor the space for gases.

*UNMANNED PROCEDURE
1.What do you do when you go to ER for Routine Inspection during UMS condition?
Answer: Before entering ER, inform bridge OOW and be sure to activate the Dead Man Alarm.

2.What is the duration of Dead Man Alarm?
Answer: DMA duration is 15 minutes. When DMA is on, after 12 minutes, an audible sound indicating DMA will start, after 3 minutes of audible sound, it will then activate Engineers call.

*FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU NEED TO OVERHAUL DG FUEL PUMPS
1.What do you usually do before beginning the job? Some answers: First, to make a Toolbax meeting about the job. Job Hazard Analysis, Lock out Tag out. Isolate the machinery to be overhauled, isolate fuel supply and relieved for pressure. Isolate all that need to be isolated, be sure to relieve pressures before opening/dismantling anything.

*HOT WORK OUTSIDE E/R WORKSHOP
1What are the preparations before doing hot work oustide E/R workshop?
Some answers: Make permits for hot work, isolate the area where the hot work is to be done, check surrounding area, must have a lookout while doing the hot work(welding), must have stby fire extinguisher.

*FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
1. What will you use to extinguish scavenging fire? Answer: Steam is use to extinguish scavenging fire.

2. For what are CO2 used for?
Answer: It's used for Electrical Fires.

21/02/2026

INCINERATOR SLUICE DOOR REPAIR 🛠

Incinerator uses:
_It's a machine used to burn solid waste, sludge oil, and oily rags onboard a ship
reducing waste volume by up to 90% while adhering to MARPOL Annex VI regulations (GARBAGE)

Nagwelding ng stud, nagbutas ng bricks, naglagay ng lock bago nagsemento, MALAGLAG KA PA NIAN? 😀🤔

Engr. Torogi

19/02/2026

ME SPARE FUEL VALVES TESTING PRIOR SCHEDULED OVERHAULING

☑VENTING CARRIED OUT
☑OPENING PRESSURE TEST
☑LEAK TEST (10-20bar below the opening pressure)
☑O-RING SEAL TEST

14/02/2026

LEAKING ME CYLINDER COVER ❗❗❗

ME (Main Engine) cylinder cover cracks are primarily caused by excessive thermal and mechanical stresses, often stemming from high combustion pressures, improper cooling, or over-tensioning during maintenance. Key factors include localized overheating, poor cooling water treatment, and operational issues like overloading, which lead to material fatigue and failure.

Primary Causes of ME Cylinder Cover Cracks
1.Thermal Stress from Overheating:
The most common cause is high temperature fluctuations, creating excessive thermal gradients across the cover. This is often due to poor, insufficient, or interrupted cooling water flow.

2.Excessive Combustion Pressures: Overloading the engine or poor fuel injection (e.g., uneven spray patterns) causes high mechanical stresses, exceeding the material's strength.

3.Incorrect Assembly (Over-tensioning): Excessive tightening of cylinder cover studs during maintenance adds unnecessary pre-tension, making the component susceptible to cracking under operational pressure.

4.Poor Cooling Water Treatment:
Inadequate treatment leads to scale formation on cooling surfaces, restricting heat transfer and causing localized overheating.
Operational Mismanagement: Rapid load changes, improper warmup, or running with faulty injectors causes thermal fatigue.

5.Material Fatigue/Defects:
Long-term operation under high pressure, or rarely, initial casting defects, can lead to crack initiation.

Commonly Affected Areas
Cracks typically appear in areas with the highest thermal load, such as the flame plate (bottom surface), between valve pockets (exhaust/fuel), and near the fuel injector housing.

Actions done:
Removed and replaced with a newly reconditioned spare onboard. Overhauled afterwards which leads to the discovery of some cracks around the cover.

14/02/2026

EXHAUST GAS ECONOMIZER CLEANING
Cleaning an Exhaust Gas Economizer (EGE)
is essential to remove soot deposits, preventing, reducing, and eliminating the risk of soot fires. Regular cleaning, often via water washing or soot blowing, maintains high heat transfer efficiency, prevents corrosion from sulfuric acid formation, and reduces exhaust back pressure on the turbocharger.

Key Purposes of Cleaning the Exhaust Gas Economizer:
1.Preventing Fires:
The primary purpose is to remove accumulated carbon and soot from the tubes, which can ignite and cause a severe economizer fire.
Maintaining
2.Thermal Efficiency:
Accumulated soot acts as an insulating layer, reducing the heat transfer from exhaust gases to the water, which lowers the boiler's ability to generate steam.
3.Preventing Corrosion:
As engine exhaust temperature falls, sulfur in the exhaust can create sulphuric acid, which corrodes the tubes. Cleaning removes the deposits that harbor this acid.
4.Reducing Back Pressure:
Clogged tubes increase exhaust gas pressure, which hurts engine performance and increases back pressure on the turbocharger.
5.Optimizing Fuel Consumption:
A clean, efficient economizer maximizes waste heat recovery, meaning less fuel is needed for the auxiliary boiler.

Common Cleaning Methods:
1.Soot Blowing:
Periodic, often daily, cleaning using steam or air to blow away loose soot.
2.Water Washing:
Carried out during port stays when the engine is not running to remove hard, stubborn, or excessive soot deposits.
3.Chemical Cleaning:
Injecting specialized chemicals during operation to break down deposits and neutralize acids.

It is important to perform these procedures safely, often involving cooling down the unit to avoid thermal shock, and ensuring proper fire precautions are taken.

13/02/2026

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.