Brief description
This indicator is no longer maintained, and is considered OBSOLETE.INDICATOR DEFINITION
The quantity of fuel used by ships travelling to Australian Antarctic stations and on Marine Science voyages as measured on a monthly basis and reported in the monthly reports from the Voyage Leaders to the Kingston (Head Office) Logistics Section.
TYPE OF INDICATOR
There are three types of indicators used in this report:
1.Describes the CONDITION of important elements of a system;
2.Show the extent of the major PRESSURES exerted on a system;
3.Determine RESPONSES to either condition or changes in the condition of a system.
This indicator is one of: PRESSURE
RATIONALE FOR INDICATOR SELECTION
The amount of fuel used on ships travelling to Antarctica and on Marine Science voyages, for propulsion and power generation, is proportional to environmental impact due to the emissions released.
Marine Gas Oil (MGO), is a marine version of normal diesel and is used on the vessels to power the main engines and generator sets, to provide propulsion and general services to the vessels such as power and heating.
IFO 40 (RMC 10) is a light grade fuel oil used by some of the vessels by the Antarctic Division. This fuel is used for the main engines, and in some cases the generators.
DESIGN AND STRATEGY FOR INDICATOR MONITORING PROGRAM
Spatial scale: Southern Ocean.
Frequency: Monthly reports
Measurement technique: The figures are obtained by sounding the fuel tanks on the ship and/or a reading from the fuel usage meter.
RESEARCH ISSUES
Depending on the vessels used by the Antarctic division, future collection of this data may be automated.
LINKS TO OTHER INDICATORS
SOE Indicator 1 - Monthly mean air temperatures at Australian Antarctic stations.
SOE Indicator 2 - Highest monthly air temperatures at Australian Antarctic Stations
SOE Indicator 3 - Lowest monthly air temperatures at Australian Antarctic Stations
SOE Indicator 4 - Monthly mean lower stratospheric temperatures above Australian Antarctic Stations
SOE Indicator 7 - Monthly mean of three-hourly wind speeds (m/s)
SOE Indicator 48 - Station and ship person days
SOE Indicator 57 - Monthly total of fuel used by station incinerators
SOE Indicator 58 - Monthly total of fuel used by station vehicles
SOE Indicator 59 - Monthly electricity usage
SOE Indicator 60 - Total helicopter hours
SOE Indicator 61 - Total potable water consumption
SOE Indicator 65 - Station footprint for Australian Antarctic stations
Lineage
Progress Code: completed
Statement: This indicator is now OBSOLETE. These data are no longer archived in this location, and are therefore not up-to-date.
Changes in the quantity of fuel used provide an indication of efficiencies in the plant, energy saving strategies and/or an indication of sea ice the vessel is encountering.
The fuel usage by the vessels main engines and generators provides an indication of the energy requirements of the vessel. This is proportional to the sea and ice conditions encountered, but also provides an indication of the ongoing efficiency of the vessels over a given time.
Accuracy of figures
Figures used should not be relied on for accuracy of more than +/- 2 tonne due to the method used for testing usage.
Fuel
The accuracy of recording ships fuel figures each day has traditionally been quite poor.
Total fuel consumption is based on the number of running hours multiplied by the nominal fuel consumption of the engine. Dips of the tanks are conducted when conditions allow. A correction is then applied to the figure for fuel remaining on the vessel.
This process means that a correction may be applied to one month's consumption, but be indicative of three months usage, one month may be out by the error accumulated over three months. The value of this correction can normally be expected to be in the vicinity of 10,000 litres.
For the last three years the Aurora has had a fuel flow meter fitted to the main engines. Therefore figures for fuel usage for the last three years could be considered more accurate than the proceeding years.
Days Steaming
The recording of the number of days steaming is the most problematic of any of the figures. The number of days steaming has been taken as any day that the vessel is at sea. That is, when the vessel is not at a station or in an Australian port.
Problems associated with this method are highlighted by marine science voyages. For example, the vessel may be at sea for the entire month, but due to the use of the CTD or trawling, the engines are not being used at full capacity, therefore burning less fuel for the month, than if the vessel only spent 23 days at sea for a month.
An additional problem with the number of days steaming is that of half days. For example, a vessel may arrive at a station at 15:00 in the evening and leave at 10:00 the following morning. These types of situations require rounding off. Hence the accuracy of the figures due to this can be expected to be within 1 day per month.
Overall the figures give a good representative guide of fuel consumed. Errors in the amount of fuel used are low when compared to the amount of fuel consumed each month and should not have a great impact on interpretation of the data.
Errors may become apparent when average daily consumption is calculated. Daily consumption will be reasonably accurate when slow steaming or normal navigation has been done for the whole month. However, if a mixture of slow steaming, normal navigation and ice breaking occurs over a month, daily consumption figures will not be accurately represented.
Changes in the quantity of fuel used provide an indication of efficiencies in the plant, energy saving strategies and/or an indication of sea ice the vessel is encountering.
The fuel usage by the vessels main engines and generators provides an indication of the energy requirements of the vessel. This is proportional to the sea and ice conditions encountered, but also provides an indication of the ongoing efficiency of the vessels over a given time.
Accuracy of figures
Figures used should not be relied on for accuracy of more than +/- 2 tonne due to the method used for testing usage.
Fuel
The accuracy of recording ships fuel figures each day has traditionally been quite poor.
Total fuel consumption is based on the number of running hours multiplied by the nominal fuel consumption of the engine. Dips of the tanks are conducted when conditions allow. A correction is then applied to the figure for fuel remaining on the vessel.
This process means that a correction may be applied to one month's consumption, but be indicative of three months usage, one month may be out by the error accumulated over three months. The value of this correction can normally be expected to be in the vicinity of 10,000 litres.
For the last three years the Aurora has had a fuel flow meter fitted to the main engines. Therefore figures for fuel usage for the last three years could be considered more accurate than the proceeding years.
Days Steaming
The recording of the number of days steaming is the most problematic of any of the figures. The number of days steaming has been taken as any day that the vessel is at sea. That is, when the vessel is not at a station or in an Australian port.
Problems associated with this method are highlighted by marine science voyages. For example, the vessel may be at sea for the entire month, but due to the use of the CTD or trawling, the engines are not being used at full capacity, therefore burning less fuel for the month, than if the vessel only spent 23 days at sea for a month.
An additional problem with the number of days steaming is that of half days. For example, a vessel may arrive at a station at 15:00 in the evening and leave at 10:00 the following morning. These types of situations require rounding off. Hence the accuracy of the figures due to this can be expected to be within 1 day per month.
Overall the figures give a good representative guide of fuel consumed. Errors in the amount of fuel used are low when compared to the amount of fuel consumed each month and should not have a great impact on interpretation of the data.
Errors may become apparent when average daily consumption is calculated. Daily consumption will be reasonably accurate when slow steaming or normal navigation has been done for the whole month. However, if a mixture of slow steaming, normal navigation and ice breaking occurs over a month, daily consumption figures will not be accurately represented.
Data time period: 1990-05-01 to 2003-10-31
text: westlimit=60; southlimit=-70; eastlimit=160; northlimit=-42
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