Toward a reliable main engine lubricating oil system for a safe operation of autonomous ship

The lubricating oil (LO) system is one of the vital systems on board of conventional ship (CS). This system ensures the lubrication of the moving parts, to reduce their wear and absorb the undesirable heat. Even with the presence on board of crew, the LO system has contributed to several main engine stoppages, causing catastrophic marine accidental events. In this study, we take the commonly fitted main engine LO (MELO) system, as a case study. Our contribution consists of its study, in term of reliability, safety and maintainability. For an accurate analysis of the system, technical methodologies, such as the failure tree analysis (FTA), and the failure modes and effect analysis (FMEA) have been used. Based on the analysis result and the identified weak points, we propose a reliable MELO system model, that can be used on board of autonomous ship (AS) where there is no crew on board and where a highly reliable system is recommended.