Bunkering procedure is one such operation on a ship which has been the reason for several accidents in the past. Bunkering on a ship can be of fuel oil, sludge, diesel oil, cargo etc. Bunkering of fuel or diesel oil requires utmost care and alertness to prevent any kind of fire accident or oil spill.
The word “Bunker” is used extensively in defence forces and is used to define an area to store and safeguard personnel and supplies (such as fuel, ammunition, food etc.). It was derived from a Scottish word “Bunk” which means a reserved seat or bench.
In the shipping industry, the word bunker is used for fuel and lube oils, which are stored on a ship and used for machinery operation only. If a vessel is carrying marine fuel or lube oil to discharge it to another port, it will not be called “bunker”. If the vessel or truck is carrying it to transfer to another ship for using in its machinery, it will be termed as “bunker” and the operation performed to transport the oil is known as “bunkering”.