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To: EngineManufacturersandFuelOilFilterManufacturersSubject: DieselEngineFuelOilFiltersFittedWithAluminumComponentsSubsequenttoABSletterdated22October2010onfueloilfiltersfittedwithplasticbowls,ABS

isintheprocessofissuingapolicyletteronthesubjectforallABSclassedvessels,MODUs,and

facilities. WewouldliketosharethetechnicalbackgroundandproposedABSpolicyand

provideyoutheopportunitytoprovideABSwithfeedbackbythe15thofDecember2010,atwhichtimewewilldecideontheimplementationdateforreplacementorsubmissiondateof

evidencetocomplywithprovisions7a7eforexistingaluminumfueloilfilters.Theuseofaluminummaterialinflammable/combustibleinliquidpipingsystemsmaynolonger

beincompliancewithapplicablefiretestrequirementsestablishedbyIMOResolutionA.753

(18)andtheInternationalAssociationofClassificationSocietiesrequirements. Basedonour

investigation,wehaveconcludedthatdata/testresultssubmittedforfueloilfiltersof

aluminummaterialdonotsupporttheircompliancewithIMORes.A753(18)orISO

19921/19922.Wenotethespecificrequirementsfortheuseofaluminummaterialinflammable/combustible

liquidpipingsystemareasfollows:1. 463/Table1ofSteelVesselRules(sameasotherABSClassedFacilityRules),IMO

ResolutionA.753(18)&IACSURP4:Tobeofmetallicmaterialhavingameltingpointgreater

than 925oC(1700

oF)forflammableliquids(flashpoint>60

oC/140

oF)whereinstalledin

MachinerySpaces.2. Reg.II2/4.2.2.5.1,II2/4.2.3&II2/4.2.4ofSOLASasAmended:Oilfuelpipesandtheir

valvesandfittingsshallbeofsteelorotherapprovedmaterial.3. USCG46CFR56.6020(a):Thelowmeltingpointsofmanynonferrousmaterialsand

alloys,suchasaluminumandaluminumalloys,mustberecognized.Thesetypesofheat

sensitive materialsmustnotbeusedtoconductflammable,combustible,or

dangerousfluid,orforvitalsystemsunlessapprovedbytheMarineSafetyCenter.4. USCGMarineSafetyCenterTechnicalNoteMTN0210publishedApril19,2010:Prohibits

theuseofheatsensitivemetallicpipingmaterialsinsystemsthatareflammableanduse

combustiblefluidsforavitalsystem.However,aluminumfuelpipinghavingathicknessnot

lessthanSchedule80ispermittedforvitalsystemsofaluminumhulledvesselsforsmall

passenger vessels>150personsand

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pipingandcomponents,alowmeltingpointmaterial(suchasaluminum)componentinanoil

systemmaybeconsideredprovideditcomplieswitheither:

a)Alowriskoffailureduetolimitedfireor,b)Thereareonlylimitedconsequencesoffailureduetofire.Notwithstandingtherequirementslistedabove,althoughthemeltingpointofaluminum

material(533580oC/991

oF 1076

oF)islowerthantherequiredfiretesttemperatureof

ISO19921/19922(800oC/1472

oF)orIMORes.A.753(18)[925

oC/1700

oF],thealuminumpipe

andpipefittingsaswellasthesubjectaluminumbowlfueloilfilters(hereunderreferredtoas

aluminumcomponentinthisinterpretation)maybeconsideredinthefueloiland/orother

combustibleoilsystemsinamachineryspaceasexplainedinthepolicybelow.Asaresult,theexistingABSpolicyofacceptingaluminumfueloilfilters,pipe,andfittings

locatedinamachineryspacebasedonarecognizedstandardisbeingrevised. UL1105and

ASTMF120188arenolongerconsideredasrecognizedfiretestingstandardsforaluminumfuel

oilfiltersalongwithaluminumbowlsandtheexistingABSTypeApproval/PDAwillberevised

effectiveof1stofJanuary2011.

Accordingly,thefollowingpolicyonaluminumfueloilfiltersistobefollowed:1. Aluminumfueloilfiltersandaluminumbowlsarenottobeinstalledinmachineryspaces

onanABSclassedvessel,MODU,orfacilityafter1January2011,unlessitcomplieswiththe

provisionsof7a7e.

2. Aluminumfueloilfiltersandaluminumbowlsaretobereplacedwithsteelfiltersbythe

nextAnnualMachinerySurveyscheduledafter1June2011,unlessitcomplieswiththe

provisionsof 7a7e.

3. Installationofnewfiltersandreviewofmanufacturersdocumentationwillbeconfirmed

bytheattendingSurveyorattheAnnualMachinerySurvey.4. Allexistingtypeapprovalsforaluminumfueloilfilters inmachineryspaceswillnolonger

bevalidafter1January2011.5. Aluminumfueloilfiltersandaluminumbowlswillonlybeapprovedforusein locations

otherthanmachineryspaceswhereplasticpipingispermittedbytheSteelVesselRules.6. Onceamanufacturerhassubmittedtestresultsbyarecognizedindependenttest

laboratoryorwitnessedbyanABSSurveyorsupportingthatthefiltersmeetABSRulesincluding

theIMO orISOfiretest,ABSispreparedtoapprovealuminumfuelfiltersandaluminum

bowlsforlocationspermittedbytheRulesandIMOrequirements.7. Notwithstandingtheapplicabletechnicalrequirements,aluminumpipeandpipefittings

aswellasthesubjectaluminumbowlfueloilfiltersmaybeconsideredinthefueloiland/or

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other combustibleoilsystemsinamachineryspaceonanABSclassedvessel,MODU,

orfacilityifitcomplieswiththefollowingfiveitemsbelow:a. Componentsthatareconsideredtobe"inherentlyresistanttoalimitedfire"wouldnot

requiretobe"firetested". Examplesofcomponentsthatareconsideredtobe"inherently

resistanttoalimitedfire"wouldbelargecomponents,generallyinexcessof25kg(without

consideringtheliquidweight)andbemachinedfromasolidcastingorforgingorofsubstantial

andthickwalledconstruction(suchasavalveblock),plainpiecesofpipe(forsystemswhere

thepipesareliquidfull).Allothercomponentswhicharenotconsideredtobe"inherently

resistanttoalimitedfire"wouldberequiredtobe"firetested"toISO19921/19922orIMORes.

A753. Analuminumoilfilterwouldberequiredtopassthefiretest.Insulationmaybe

provided,suchthatthefilterwouldbeabletopassthefiretest.b. Volumeofoilthatcouldbereleasedfromthealuminumcomponentasaconsequenceto

failureduetofireislimitedto20litersandthesystempressureislimitedto7bar.

c. Aluminumcomponentsarelocatedin/ontheenginesormachineryintheareaprotected

bythefixedlocalapplicationfireextinguishingsystemrequiredbyReg.II2/10.5.6ofSOLASas

Amended.Thefixedlocalapplicationfireextinguishingsystemrequirementmaynotbeapplied

tothecomponentlocatedin/onthegearboxwhichisintheseparatedlocationfromengines.d. Aluminumcomponentistobeinsulatedtomeetthefiretest,ifrequired,bynonoil

absorbentmaterials.Theinsulationistobepermanentlyattachedandcannotbeeasily

separatedfromthecomponent.

e. DriptraywithdrainsystemisprovidedunderneaththealuminumcomponentIfthereareanyquestionsorfeedbackregardingthistopicortheapplicableIMOResolution,

pleasecontacttheundersignedatpsantos@eagle.org.BestRegards,PedroN.SantosAmericanBureauofShippingPrincipalSurveyorCorporateClassificationTel:12818776423Email:psantos@eagle.org

CC:ChiefSurveyor,ChiefEngineer,AssistantChiefSurveyors,

AssistantChiefEngineers,ABSProgramsDirector,TCD