During an in-port watch onboard a tank vessel while cargo operations are in progress, with the jacking gear engaged and running, you notice a 200 gallon drop in the reduction gear lube oil sump level. Which components or conditions should be checked immediately?
• Lube oil system line-up on a reduction gear and how service pumps vs. transfer/overflow lines affect sump level • How vessel trim or list can change apparent liquid levels in sumps and tanks without any actual loss of oil • Why a sudden 200-gallon drop during cargo operations on a tank vessel is a serious indication that multiple factors may need to be checked, not just one
• If the lube oil level has really dropped by 200 gallons, what are all the possible paths the oil could have taken or reasons it might appear lower? • Which options involve things you can check immediately in the engine room, and which involve coordination with deck? Would a good watchstander ignore any one of these possibilities? • In a potential casualty or misalignment situation, is it better practice to focus on only one suspected cause or to verify all plausible quick checks that could explain the indication?
• Whether improper line-up of service pumps or valves could route oil away from the reduction gear sump • Whether a change in vessel trim during cargo ops could cause a false low-level reading in the sump without any actual loss of oil • Whether the lube oil transfer/overflow system could be mis-lined so oil is quietly draining or overflowing to another tank
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