CHIEF ENGINEER. Let me fix that with our captain. I'll ring him upright away. Just a moment. (After awhile).
You know, the captain says, he won't mind those extra 'Ј 150.00 provided we do the bunkering as quickly as we can. He says we are very much pressed for time. BUNKER SUPPLIER. As you like, sir. We shall do whatever suits you best. Inasmuch as the transaction is settled, I'll go now and make some arrangements for tomorrow. In two hours I'll send you the samples and tomorrow I'll come here at 7.30 a. m. We'll settle then the practical details of bunkering.
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BUNKER SUPPLIER. Good morning, sir. The lighters will be brought alongside your ship by 8 a. m. Are you ready to take bunkers?
CHIEF ENGINEER. Yes, we've made all the necessary arrangements. BUNKER SUPPLIER. Into what tanks are you going to pump the diesel-oil? CHIEF ENGINEER. We have two fuel oil tanks aft. One of the tanks is
empty, the other one is half-full of oil. We'll start with pumping into the starboard tank.
BUNKER SUPPLIER. All right, let's start with the starboard tank. What's its capacity?
CHIEF ENGINEER. The tank's capacity is 400 tons.
BUNKER SUPPLIER. Very well, sir. Now let's settle the question how we shall take measurements.
CHIEF ENGINEER. The tank's capacity is officially stated in this ship's ullage table, as you can see. If you don't mind, let's go at once to examine the starboard tank to see if it is empty. As' to the port tank, I propose to take ullages as soon as the starboard tank is topped off.
BUNKER SUPPLIER. Why should we put it off till then? You aren't taking away any supplies from the port tank now, are you?
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CHIEF ENGINEER. No, of course, we are not. We have pumped enough oil into the service tank and that will suffice for a couple of days at least.
BUNKER SUPPLIER. If that's the case, we'll have the discharge valves shut, lashed and sealed. Then we may take the ullage right away.
CHIEF ENGINEER. Good. Let's do it this way if you like. So, we are prepared to take bunker from your lighters,
BUNKER SUPPLIER. Very well, sir. Now we have to handle the hose. Please give orders to lift the lighter hose and to have it inserted into the tank. It must be securely lashed in place. We shall load "over-all". Tell them to plug the opening around the hose with wet burlap. No open fires on board?
CHIEF ENGINEER. None, the boiler fires were extinguished two hours ago. I say, Mr Williams, last time we took bunker here in a different way. We had the dock hose connected to our risers. Not "over-all" method.
BUNKER SUPPLIER. Yes, sir, I know that. But this time we want to expedite the bunkering. We are using now a hose of a bigger diameter, as a matter of fact, a 6" hose.
CHIEF ENGINEER. Oh, I see.
BUNKER SUPPLIER. I will request you, sir, to detail someone to be on constant watch for leaks or overflow. Please order drip pans to be positioned under flanges as well.
CHIEF ENGINEER. Good. I'll see to that. Anything else?
BUNKER SUPPLIER. Yes, sir. Will you, please, have a man stationed on deck to relay orders to the lighter attendant?
CHIEF ENGINEER. All right. What station signals shall we use when taking bunker?
BUNKER SUPPLIER. First of all give a "stand by" order to the lighter attendant five minutes before the loading shall be started, stopped or reduced in rate. We'll start pumping at slow speed. When you have ascertained that everything goes smoothly, tell the lighter attendant to increase pressure or "full speed". When topping off, tell him: "Ease down" and finally: "Stop". You may use flag signals as
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well.
CHIEF ENGINEER. What flags shall we use?
BUNKER SUPPLIER. One red flag meaning "slow speed" or "reduce the pressure". Two red flags meaning "full speed" or "increase pressure". Both flags down meaning "stop".
CHIEF ENGINEER. That's clear. What emergency signals shall be used? BUNKER SUPPLIER. In case of emergency sound a continuous blast on the
ship's whistle until oil ceases to flow.
CHIEF ENGINEER. That's settled now. What other arrangements should we make?
BUNKER SUPPLIER. Have you put ashore the bonding cable? CHIEF ENGINEER. What do you mean by bonding cable?
BUNKER SUPPLIER. I mean the grounding cable which must be made fast to the shore pipeline.
CHIEF ENGINEER. Ah, that's what you mean. Yes, we have already done
that.
BUNKER SUPPLIER. That's good. Now, we may soon start bunkering. Will you kindly send someone ashore to be present when the shore tanks are dipped? As you know, the measurements obtained from these dips will be used for calculating the quantity of bunker supplied to your ship. So, please, send a competent person.
CHIEF ENGINEER. My second engineer will come along with you. He is a very experienced person.
3
AGENT. Good evening, Mr Pavlenko. The captain told me you wanted to order some technical supplies.
CHIEF ENGINEER. Good evening, Mr Thomas. Yes, that's right. We need some stores. Will you sit down, please? We have run short of packing; we want to buy some other things, too.
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AGENT. What kind of packing do you want? Metallic?
CHIEF ENGINEER. Oh, we want several kinds of packing. I've forgotten what you call that packing in English, but I know you always carry a set of samples about you. Let's see them and I'll choose the kind I want.
AGENT. You have a very good memory, Mr Pavlenko. Yes, indeed, I always carry samples about me. That's our business. Here are the samples. You may examine them and choose whatever you like.
CHIEF ENGINEER. Thank you, Mr Thomas. Let me see them. ...Well, this sample seems to be the one I want. There is something written on its cover, but I cannot make it out. The letters are too small. I can't read them without my spectacles.
AGENT. You mean this one? It's high temperature joint packing.
CHIEF ENGINEER. That's just what I want. What are the shapes of this packing?
AGENT. It's sold in sheets, in discs and in rings. The sheet sizes are 20" by 30", 30" by 40" and 40" by 60".
CHIEF ENGINEER. How thick are the sheets?
AGENT. They are different. 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 3/8 of an inch. CHIEF ENGINEER. What diameters are the discs?
AGENT. At the present moment, we have in stock only five sizes: 2", 3", 4" and 10". The thickness is the same as that of the sheets. But we have three more sizes for rings. They are: 12", 16" and 18".
CHIEF ENGINEER. What's the inside diameter of these rings?
AGENT. Two and three inches less than the outside diameter, but you can cut these rings to any size within these limits.
CHIEF ENGINEER. Yes, of course. So, will you put down our order for this packing? 50 sheets of 30 x 40", 1/8" thick, 50 sheets of 40 x 60", 1/4" thick, 100 rings 12" outside diameter 10" inside diameter.
AGENT. I've put that down. Anything else?
CHIEF ENGINEER. Yes, some more packing, but of another kind. I want
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this sample. This time I can read the brand: "Rubber Jointing for Tube Flanges, Oil-resistant". I suppose the sizes and shapes of this packing are the same, aren't they?
AGENT. Yes, they are; just the same standard type.
CHIEF ENGINEER. Then put down in your block-book: 50 sheets of 20x30", 1/4" thick, and 50 discs 12" in diameter, also 1/4" thick. Now, let's arrange for the paints. We want 100 kilogrammes, that's to say, 220 lbs, of red lead and as much as 110 lbs, of zinc white.
AGENT. Yes, I have. Any enamel paints?
CHIEF ENGINEER. Yes, certainly. So far as I remember these enamels are packed in tins, aren't they?
AGENT. Yes, they are. There are 3.5 and 10 lb tins available.
CHIEF ENGINEER. We want 20 10 lb tins of inside enamel, cream colour, and several gallons of thinner.
AGENT. Any driers?
CHIEF ENGINEER. No, we don't need them. Now, please write down also 200 lbs of babbit metal for bearings. The babbit metal must contain not less than 83 per cent of tin. Well, I think that's about all that I wanted to order.
LABORATORY EXERCISES
I. Listen to the text of the lesson and answer the following questions:
1. What quantity of bunker fuel do merchant ships usually take for a voyage? 2. Why don't they take a greater quantity? 3. What is fresh water used for aboard ships? 4. In what cases may a ship run short of technical supplies or equipment? 5. From whom are bunker and technical supplies bought?
6. Why should the agent be informed about all negotiations between the captain and other firms? 7. Who is in charge of buying technical supplies aboard the ship? 8. What is the chief engineer to stipulate during preliminary talks with suppliers? 9. Whose duty is it to approve samples submitted by the sellers? 10.
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Who usually arranges the procedure of receiving bunker? 11. In whose presence should the measurements of bunker tanks be taken? 12. By whom is the quantity of bunker checked? 13. Is the pressure in the pipelines kept constant when pumping or may it change? 14. Who is to sign the bills or invoices for the bunker taken aboard?
II. (a) Translate into Russian:
1. They said (that) you would choose a sample. 2. The captain said (that) they would consult you. 3. She thought (that) we should fix up the date ourselves. 4. The agent said (that) he would send a shipchandler. 5. We thought (that) you would make a discount.
(b) Change from direct into indirect speech using the models.
Model 1: He said, "We bought some lubricating oil."