A lesson on

Tank Gauging
On Ships
 What is Gauging ?

It is accurate measurement
of the
Quantity of liquid in a tank.

(Cargo, Ballast, Bunkers and Lubes).

How are tanks Gauged ?

1. By Ullaging.
2. Or by Sounding.
 What is the difference between
Ullage and Sounding?

A gauging Tank
instrument

Ullage

Sounding
Or Innage
How are cargo calculations done ?
A) Quantities computed By Use of tables.
Quantities computed By a Loadicator Computer

A Loading computer or
A Loadicator :

View of an Modern On-line

gauging / calculating system

Loading computer
An Off line system
(Older version).
 What is Trim ?

Aft Fwd

Vessel with a STERN or AFT trim

A tanker in Ballast Condition and Having Aft(Stern) Trim
 What is List ?

Port Stbd

Water line

Vessel with a Port List.

(A vessel can be listed either to Port or to Starboard)
Vessel with No list and trim

Measured Ullage Actual Ullage

Horizontal Plane

Cargo Tank

No corrections are required

A Loaded VLCC without any LIST
 How does trim effect Gauging ?

Aft Measured Ullage Actual Ullage Forward

Correction

Horizontal plane

Vessel trim by the stern Cargo Tank

To get the actual quantity in a tank,

TRIM CORRECTIONS must be applied
 How does List effect Gauging ?

Port Measured Ullage Actual Ullage Stbd

Correction

Horizontal Plane

Vessel List to Port

Cargo Tank

To get the actual gauged value

LIST CORRECTIONS must be applied
 When a vessel is on an
Even Keel and Upright
No corrections are required to
be applied to the measured
Ullage or to the Sounding.
 The Arctic Blue
Fully Loaded,No LIST & No TRIM
 How are Cargo figures calculated
Shore tank
Parcel of cargo loaded from shore tank
(B/L figure)

Freight is payable on B/L figures only

Shore pipeline

Cargo Parcel received by ship

(Ships figure calculated to verify B/L Figure)

Ship
How is Ullaging done ?
Cargo Tank Ullage Port

Ullage port was used for

open ullaging in the past.

No longer used as personnel are

exposed to toxic gases and
This is AGAINST OUR COMPANY
POLICY
UTI Tape (Ullage, Temperature & Interface)

MMC Tape

Vapor Lock

Tape reading

Vapor Lock
How is Sounding / Innage done ?

Using MMC Closed type

sounding rods for CARGO
tanks.

Sounding Tape used

for bunker tanks.

Sounding rod Used for

Ballast tanks
 Remote gauging is good for
monitoring……
NEVER use them for calculating
figures or for topping off tanks .

It is Dangerous
&
It is against our Company Policy
Our newer vessels have Remote gauging
(Radar Type)
SAAB Tank Radar, How the housing looks on deck of a ship

SAAB tank Radar Housing

A view of a ON-LINE cargo console of VLCC Courtenay Bay

One of the MOST advanced On-Line Systems in the World

Remote gauging Float Type

Deck mounting of Float

type remote gauge

Real life picture of float in tank

moves on a “Guide” pipe
Remote Ullaging and Sounding from float type gauge

Remote Reading of Cargo Tank

Ullage in Cargo Control Room
 What can go wrong with Incorrect Gauging ?

• Over flow
• Pollution
• Claims
• Customer satisfaction

Remember :
If we don’t take care of our customers ……………
Someone else will.
Thank You