LP Bulletin issued by the West of England P&I Club
The West of England P&I Club has issued Loss Prevention Bulletin on the monitoring of self- heating coal cargoes prior to loading. Coal cargoes can be particularly challenging to carry, with the possibility of methane production, oxygen depletion and the corrosion of metal structures. Coal cargoes can be particularly challenging to carry, with thepossibility of methane production, oxygen depletion and thecorrosion of metal structures.
The Bulletin provides guidance on the factors that may trigger or promote self-heating and includes precautionary measures that should be taken to help identify and reject coal arriving by barge that has already begun to self-heat. If a vessel loads such a cargo without recognising the warning signs, it may experience significant delay while attemting to deal with the situation due to remore location of coal ports in Indonesia.
Assessing Coal for Self- Heating
Although cargo interests will almost certainly be aware of thepropensity for many grades of Indonesian coal to self-heat dueto its geological and chemical nature, cargo declarations oftenfail to mention this. As a precaution, all Indonesian coal shouldbe considered to be self-heating regardless of what is statedon the cargo declaration.
When a coal barge arrives alongside, the temperature of thecargo declared to the vessel, will usually be an average figure.However, even though the average figure may be less than55˚C, it is possible that the temperature of the cargo may behigher than this in places. If so, it cannot be loaded as to doso would contravene the requirements of the IMSBC Code.
The IMSBC Code recommends that vessels are provided withappropriate equipment to measure the temperature of thecargo when it arrives alongside for loading. All temperaturemeasuring equipment should be regularly checked, servicedand calibrated as recommended by the manufacturer, and thevessel should carry a sufficient quantity of spare parts. Glassthermometers, either mercury or alcohol filled, are too fragileand thus unsuitable for this purpose.
So called ‘pocket thermometers’ om which the glass thermometer is held withina metal casing usually for mounting in tanks or pipes, are alsounsuitable since the reaction time of the thermometer will begreatly increased due to the metal casing having to equilibratewith the temperature of the coal being measured.
Caution
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If cargo interests become aware that cargo on board a barge has started to self-heat, it is possible that they may try to disguise such evidence by employing one or more of the following tactics in the hope of deceiving the vessel into thinking that the cargo is safe: Loading cooler coal on top of hot coal. Using bulldozers or loaders to turn over the surface of thecargo in the hope that it will be cooled by the wind and air . Cooling the surface of the coal by spraying it with water. There have also been cases where barges rejected by onevessel following clear signs of self-heating have been towedto another vessel in the hope that the cargo will be accepteddue to less vigilant controls |
Further information may be found by reading the Bulletin (please click at image below)
Source : West of England P&I Club
It’s interesting to see the thought that goes into loading barges. It makes sense that they would need to monitor the loads! That way they can ensure that they are properly transported.