Comparison of fuel facilities for small size vessels

Onshore fuel station
There are two basic versions of onshore fuel stations: those with an underground tank and with an above-ground tank.

Drawbacks:
1) Usually expensive land plot for the fuel station (high rental fees / high land prices),
2) Dock height,
3) Expensive coastal engineering works,
4) Potentially high ground waters levels,
5) Complicated system of waste treatment facilities, including collection and treatment of surface spillage,
6) Strict environment protection requirements (impractical in Russia),
7) High environmental risk of water transport fuelling.

Summary:
Solution that has high risks of being in contradiction with environment regulations and is economically inefficient
due to permanently fixed location.

Onshore fuel station with pontoon-based fuel dispensers
The fuel tank is connected with fuel dispensers via a pipeline: (a) attached to a pontoon, (b) laid under the water.

Drawbacks:
1) Usually expensive land plot for the fuel station (high rental fees / high land prices),
2) Expensive coastal engineering works,
3) Potentially high level of ground waters,
4) Complicated system of waste treatment facilities, including collection and treatment of surface spillage,
5) Strict environment protection requirements (differs from country to country),
6) Potentially dangerous pipeline system connecting the tank with fuel dispensers.

Summary:
Solution that has high risks of being in contradiction with environment regulations and is economically inefficient
due to  permanently fixed location.

Fuel barge, bunkering vessel

Drawbacks:
1) Self-sustainability (required by Classification Registers but not necessary for small harbour operations),
2) High freeboard (~1,2m and higher),
3) Highly specialised staff: 2-4 people for performing round the clock duty,
4) Diesel generator as the main power source,
5) Additional operational costs: collection of sanitary sewage waters, refilling of oils, diesel, water etc.,
6) Presence of additional ship systems: diesel generator cooling, surface water treatment, gas exhaust, heating, sanitary sewage water treatment, collecting of bottom sediment water, utility fresh water system etc.,
7) Repairing dock or floating crane required for surveys and operational maintenance.

Summary:
A solution for bunkering requires to involve larger ships, to be applied where no reasonable coastal
infrastructure is available. Economically inefficient for smaller marinas or yacht harbours.

Floating fuel station (FFS)

The PILDNE floating fuel station series was designed for installation in yacht harbours and marinas, for the bunkering needs of small size vessels: boats with outboard engines, small and medium size motorboats, and yachts with a water displacement tonnage under 35 tons.

There were several reasons determining the need for a new method of watercraft refuelling:
- the need for a fuelling method appropriate for use in yacht harbours,
- the need for refuelling of boats with a low freeboard,
- the need for servicing and maintenance using existing equipment in small ports,
- the need for installation in wave protected areas with well-developed coastal infrastructure.

At the expense of abandoning a number of ship systems and mechanisms, the achieved result was a compact construction with a low freeboard, that is environmentally safe (due to minimising pollution risks through convenient refuelling process, thereby reducing the number of potential contamination points), and finally having reasonably low maintenance costs.

Analysis of the PILDNE series projects in comparison with "traditional” fuel barges and bunkering vessels, onshore fuel stations,
and onshore fuel stations with pontoon-based fuel dispensers:

FFS PILDNE is more effective and economical to use in yacht harbours and marinas than fuel barges (either adapted or built by old designs), as the PILDNE project has been designed for refuelling small size vessels from the outset.

PILDNE has succeeded in creating dimensions and a freeboard height that are not possible to achieve in the "traditional” fuel barges, at the expense of giving up the propulsion system and the possibility of placing the FFS in areas with undeveloped coastal infrastructure (mainly because these characteristics are not needed in a marina or yacht harbour).

Due to giving up the mobility and placing the FFS in areas with a developed coastal infrastructure, there is no need in the self-sustainability of the FFS, and that leads to the reduction of the amount of systems needed, and accordingly a reduction in the qualification requirements and the number of operational staff.

Due to permanent moorage of the FFS and power supply from the shore, there is no need in autonomous diesel generators, and that leads to lower energy consumption and lower maintenance costs.

Compactness and reduced weight of structures of the PILDNE FFS series lead to lower costs of seasonal servicing, because a truck crane can be used, and there is no need for docking during periodic inspections of the structure.

Storing the FFS on the shore during winter periods prevents the formation of ice damaging the structure.

To place the FFS, the minimum required is a wharf with a depth of 3m and a containment parking area for the tank truck.

The international requirements of freeboard height (66 to 96 cm) are fulfilled.

There is no need for significant investments in creating coastal infrastructure.

There is a comprehensive and compact system of environment protection on the FFS.

Summary:
The FFS Pildne provides maximum efficiency and minimisation of the investment risks due to the possibility of changing the place of permanent moorage, comparatively low maintenance costs, and minimum risk of pollution to the environment.