Bunker fuel stains on fiberglass

Due to a large spill of bunker oil from the local hospital many of the boats in the marina have this heavy thick oil splashed, up to 2 feet, on the sides at the waterline. This happened when Bonnie came through 2 days ago. Any good ideas on removal?

No suggestions for removal, but I'd be in contact with an attorney and have him contact the fuel company and the hospital to see which was going to pick up the cost of having your hull cleaned.

GFC said:

No suggestions for removal, but I'd be in contact with an attorney and have him contact the fuel company and the hospital to see which was going to pick up the cost of having your hull cleaned.

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I would absolutely have contacted the hospital and their fuel company. If they fail to show intent to cover the costs and damages, then just let them know your next call is to the USCG, which will then bring in the EPA. This is a fuel spill and is something they can be cited for in addition to required to pay all clean up costs.

Bunker fuel stains will be very difficult or impossible to remove with ordinary cleaners. Years ago the company I worked for had to clean up bunker fuel that spilled on shore while loading from a tanker. We used a chlorinated hydrocarbon solvent that is unavailable for personal use today- perchloroethylene, the same stuff used by dry cleaners. Even then if it was on a boat's topsides you would have to buff and wax to get it back looking good.


I suspect that this is a case where the only option is to haul the boat where the cleaning solvent can be controlled. So it won't be cheap.


David

Well, this will get interesting. Hospital claims it's not their oil. Local newspaper is at the marina investigating.

Beaufort Memorial Hospital says oil found in river contained | The Island Packet

meridian said:

Well, this will get interesting. Hospital claims it's not their oil. Local newspaper is at the marina investigating.

Beaufort Memorial Hospital says oil found in river contained | The Island Packet

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That indicates the USCG has been contacted but I'd follow up with them to be sure, since determining the source and responsibility is now an issue. The sooner the better as the trail can disappear quickly.

Get your insurance company involved ASAP. We were in a boat yard that screwed up, called our insurance company. They paid to make it right then subrogated against the yard to recover their costs.


They will want to be involved.

How big of an area do you have to clean If its more that a couple of square feet you should have it done by a professional because of environmental concerns

Bunker sea oil is not fun stuff, worked with it a few times and made a cleaner specific to clean it off machinery a solvent based that turned the bunker into soap that was water soluble ,sold it into the tar sands.
Gas works too but spreads it around in thinner layers

Perchloroethylene I think it is banned or heavily regulated

If you have to clean it your self you will have to take it out of the water
wipe it down first with oil absorbent pads and try to scrub as much off as possible
Good thing is if this stuff splashed up it was lighter than a heavy bunker sea to float and the coating should be thinner

Try cleaners the contain more than 6% D Limonene and regular solvents (it will strip wax also )
Wear rubber gloves when working on it and don't get the bunker on your skin

meridian said:

. Any good ideas on removal?

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Call a your insurance Co. They should have their ear onto who has an acceptable cleaning site or the mobile site to bring to you.

BunkerC and Crude are just about impossible to get the stain off. Especially when left even for a day in the sun. You can scrub off the thick residue. But the stain is almost impossible.

Let the CG and your insurer engage environmental experts. Even if it seems small in nature, it isn't. You take damage to every boat there, the fact it might move on elsewhere, and potential harm to fish or animals, plus you don't know right now what it is or the chemical content.