RTA-11/02

Service Letter
Technical Information to all Owners / Operators
of Sulzer RTA Engines

05.11.02

SOLAS requirements under

Fire protection, detection and extinction

Contents:
1. Introduction

2. System Requirements
as per Regulation

3. Compliance Status and

Retrofit Equipment

4. Verification List

5. Fuel Leakage Monitoring Tank

Installation Diagram

6. Support from Wrtsil

7. Fax Form for Inquiry / Order

Printed in Switzerland

Wrtsil Switzerland Ltd

Wrtsil Schweiz AG
Wrtsil Suisse SA

PO Box 414
CH-8401 Winterthur
Switzerland

Page

Tel. +41 52 262 49 22

Fax +41 52 212 49 17
Email: mailch@wartsila.com

1.

INTRODUCTION

Of all the international conventions dealing with maritime safety, the most important is the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), which covers a wide range of
measures designed to improve the safety of shipping. The convention has been amended several times
through IMO Maritime Safety Committee resolutions. One of those resolutions is the MSC.31(63)*
from May 1994, which added the following paragraphs to Chapter II-2, Regulation 15:
2.9

All external high-pressure fuel delivery lines between high-pressure fuel pumps and fuel injectors shall be
protected with a jacketed piping system capable of containing fuel from a high-pressure line failure. A jacketed
pipe incorporates an outer pipe into which the high-pressure fuel pipe is placed, forming a permanent assembly.
The jacketed piping system shall include a means for collection of leakages and arrangements shall be
provided for an alarm to be given of a fuel line failure.

2.10 All surfaces with temperatures above 220C which may be impinged as a result of a fuel system failure shall be
properly insulated.
2.11 Oil fuel lines shall be screened or otherwise suitably protected to avoid, as far as practicable, oil spray or oil
leakages onto hot surfaces, into machinery air intakes, or other sources of ignition. The number of joints in such
piping systems shall be kept to a minimum.
2.12 Ships constructed before 1 July 1998 shall comply with the requirements of paragraphs 2.9 to 2.11 not later than
1 July 2003, except that a suitable enclosure on engines having an output of 375 kW or less having fuel injection
pumps serving more than one injector may be used as an alternative to the jacketed piping system
in paragraph 2.9.

This Service Letter should be kept in a separate file in the control room. The respective pages or
tables of the Service Letter with modifications to the Operating Manual, Maintenance Manual or
Code Book should be copied and filed in the respective Manual or Book.
2.
2.9

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AS PER REGULATION

A. Jacketed high pressure fuel pipes.
B. Fuel leakage collecting manifold.
C. Fuel leakage monitoring tank.

2.10 Insulation of surfaces above 220C.

2.11 Screened fuel oil lines.

____________________________
* Validated by resolution MSC.99(73) from December 2000.

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Service Letter RTA-11/02

3.
2.9

COMPLIANCE STATUS AND RETROFIT EQUIPMENT

RTA engines comply with this paragraph of the regulation, with the exception of the
8-series (RTA 38, 48, 58, 68, 76 and 84). The 8-series comply partly, as the fuel leakage
monitoring tank is not included in the original design. Therefore, those engines have to be
equipped with the fuel leakage monitoring tank retrofit package SP-C44014-40.
Scope of supply, main components:

Level switch for alarm

Level monitoring tank

Shielded cable (10 metres)

Connection box

Installation Instructions including a certificate of origin **

Installation diagram is included in section 5 of this Service Letter

2.10 Insulation of parts above 220C is already included in the original design.
2.11 All RTA-type engine designs have screened (protected) fuel oil lines, except for the ones
that include turbochargers with external lubricating oil systems.

____________________________
**

Some classification societies require a certificate stating that the installed equipment was supplied by the
original engine manufacturer.

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Service Letter RTA-11/02

4.

VERIFICATION LIST

Paragraph
Ref.
2.9

A.

Verify if the engine has a fuel leakage monitoring tank installed to detect
fuel leakage.

2.10

B.

Verify if the exhaust manifold and all surfaces above 220C, which may
be impinged as a result of a fuel system failure, are properly insulated.
A thermographic analysis is recommended.

2.11

C.

Verify if low-pressure fuel oil lines are properly screened (protected) to

avoid oil spray or oil leakage on hot surfaces, machinery air intakes or
other sources of ignition.

2.11

D.

Verify if piping joints in low-pressure fuel oil lines are reduced

to a minimum.

2.11

E.

Verify if pipes of turbochargers with external lubricating oil systems are

suitably screened (protected).

Please refer also to the checklist in section 7.

5.

FUEL LEAKAGE MONITORING TANK INSTALLATION DIAGRAM

Leakage from High-pressure Fuel Pipes

To Ships Alarm

Level Monitoring

To Fuel Oil Overflow Tank

Note: Installation instructions will be supplied with each package.
Piping and electrical details will be included.
6.

SUPPORT FROM WRTSIL

Please contact your closest Wrtsil Network Company for further information or for any required
support in engine verification and solution configuration and installation. Please use the attached fax
form for this.
Wrtsil Switzerland Ltd has issued this Service Letter with their best knowledge and ability.
However, Wrtsil Switzerland Ltd can not take any liability for any or all information contained
in this or any other Service Letter.
Changes of any nature to the form and / or to the contents of this or any other Service Letter as
published by Wrtsil Switzerland Ltd, are not permitted.
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Service Letter RTA-11/02

7.

FAX FORM FOR INQUIRY / ORDER

Please make a copy of this form for each engine

To:

Wrtsil Switzerland Ltd

PO Box 414
CH-8401 Winterthur
Switzerland

From:

Attn.:
Fax No.:
Email:

Sales Support
+41 52 262 07 26
service.sales.ch@wartsila.com

Fax No.:
Date:
No. of pages:

Subject:

SOLAS Retrofit Package for RTA-Type Engine

including this page

Installation and Engine Particulars

Ships name:

Year of Manufacture:

Engine Type:

Engine Builder:

Engine No.:

Running hours of M/E:

No. of Cylinders:

Checklist
Yes

No

Is the engine equipped with a fuel leakage monitoring tank to detect fuel leakage?

Are the exhaust manifold and all surfaces above 220C, which may be impinged as
a result of a fuel system failure, properly insulated? (A thermographic analysis is
recommended).

Are the low-pressure fuel oil lines properly screened (protected) in order to avoid
oil spray or oil leakage on hot surfaces, machinery air intakes or other sources of
ignition?

Are piping joints in low-pressure fuel oil lines reduced to minimum?

Are pipes of turbochargers with external lubricating oil systems suitably screened
(protected)?

Inquiry or Part Order

Qty.

Package

Description
Descr
pt on

Q= Quotation
X= Order
Remarks

SP-C44014-40

SOLAS Retrofit Package for

RTA Type Engine

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Service Letter RTA-11/02