Mars Report 2012 – Experience Feedback
The Nautical Institute has issued Mars Report No.66 regarding neglected sounding pipes as follows:
Sounding pipes with missing/ ineffective caps can potentially lead to progressive flooding and cargo damage. Such vessels are clearly unseaworthy and must be detained by authorities for violation of the loadline and SOLAS conventions until effective closing arrangements have been fitted.
It is good practice to include sounding pipes in the ship’s planned maintenance system, ensuring that every sounding pipe is regularly inspected along the entire length to the extent possible and the section exposed to the weather is kept free of corrosion and wastage, and threads of the pipes and caps are regularly dressed and greased.
Click here to view three photographs showing evidence of the lack of regular tank/ bilge monitoring on board.
Source: Mars/ The Nautical Institute
