A guide released by Skuld P&I Club

SKULD P&I club has issued a guide for “Preparing Cargo Holdsand loading of Solid Bulk Cargoes” pointing out that preparation of cargo holds for the next intended carriage is a critical element of bulk carrier operations, requiring careful planning and competent execution.

A lack of proper preparation not only leads to claims related to cargo quality, such as contamination, water ingress or shortage claims, but also contractual claims relating to failed or delayed surveys, off-hire claims and charter party disputes.

Preparation starts well before the cargo first lands on the tank-top and a number of factors must be considered to ensure that the preparation is targeted, effective and correct. Sweeping out the hold and washing it down may be acceptable for one type of cargo, but may not be effective for another. Understanding exactly what is required is essential. It is important everyone involved in the ‘cargo chain’ from the chartering and operations team ashore, to the Master, Chief Officer and crew on-board understand the processes involved.

Fixing the cargo voyage

Chartering Teams and other shore members of the ‘cargo chain’ must understand the ships they manage and operate.

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In order to ensure that the voyage proceeds smoothly, it is very important to pay careful attention to the cargo during the fixing period. Otherwise the hoped for profits can turn into serious losses. Chartering Teams need to have a clear understanding of the proposed cargo lift and vessel to put the business on to the right track from the outset

Standards for hold cleanliness

The standards can vary greatly between cargoes, and in particular if there is a switch between one cargo type and another, great care must be taken to account for cargo residues and chemical reactions between different types of cargoes. Furthermore new MARPOL regulations have to be closely observed with respect to the disposal for cargo residues from previous voyages.

Loss Prevention and basic standards

Prudent loss prevention goes hand in hand with good vessel operations. If the vessel is run to a high standard as a matter of normal operations then this will reduce the risk of delays, losses, claims and disputes. That yields a significant dividend to the Ship-Owner in the long run, voyages are more profitable and the ships will attract a better rate due to their high standards. Furthermore, focusing on hold standards:

allows for effective inspections and maintenance to be undertaken;
even when loading the same type of cargo, where no clean up requirements are stated, inspections cannot be carried out unless a basic clean-up is carried-out;
but a failure to carry out a sweep-up of cargo debris and loose rust scale could hide fresh damage that may ultimately lead to a claim. Cleaning holds to a minimum standard involves a sweep up and thorough saltwater wash, followed by a freshwater wash and then a dry out;
which mean cleaning should always be finished with a fresh water wash-down. No traces of chemicals or chlorides should be detectable and with certain cargoes, their presence will be tested;
and after washing-down, holds must be dried properly and ventilated. Additional preparations should be applied as required, for example lime washing.

Loss Prevention and safety

When conducting hold cleaning it is important to remember that the primary focus of ship operations must be safety. The safety of the crew is paramount. Following on from that, the safety of the vessel, cargo and environment need to be considered. Attention needs to be paid to:

if chemicals are to be used as part of the washing-down procedure, agreement on compatibility with the next intended cargo must be sought from the shippers/ charterers;
the proposed chemicals must be understood and accurate data must be obtained on their use and safe handling;
when a chemical product and/or other specialist equipment is used, proper risk assessments, permits to work and standard operating procedures must be followed. Tool-box talks should be carried out with all crew members involved and full/correct PPE must be issued and worn at all times throughout the task;
cargo residues, wash water and wash water containing chemicals which are Harmful to the Marine Environment (HME) must be identified as such and disposed of in the correct manner. From 1 January 2013, new requirements under MARPOL annex V have come into force, which specifically apply to the disposal of cargo residues and wash water in to the marine environment. All persons involved in the cargo chain must familiarise themselves with these requirements. They basically state that:
- No discharge of cargo residues should occur less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land, or the nearest ice shelf.
- No discharge of cargo residues should occur within the six MARPOL defined ‘Special Areas’.
- No discharge of any cargo residues specified as HME.
- Hold wash water should be discharged to a suitable reception facility (RF).

Note: due to a reported lack of adequate reception facilities at present, MEPC Circular 8104 allows the discharge of HME cargo residues contained in hold wash water until 31 December 2015 outside Special Areas providing that:

Based on the information from the relevant port authorities, the master determines that there are no adequate RFs at the receiving terminal or at the next port of call.
The ship is en-route and as far as practicable (but at least 12 nautical miles) from the nearest land.
Before washing solid bulk cargoes are removed (and bagged for discharge ashore) as far as practicable (and the holds swept).
Filters are used in the bilge wells to collect any remaining solid particles.
The discharge is recorded in the garbage record book with the flag state notified utilising the revised consolidated format for reporting alleged inadequacies of port reception facilities stated in MEPC.1/ Circ.469/Rev.2.
It is still a requirement for receiving terminals to provide adequate port reception facilities for this waste stream, the circular only provides flexibility for ship owners and operators in the case when receiving terminals have failed to meet their obligations under the Annex.

Loss Prevention and maintenance

In order to ensure that vessel operations are smooth, problem free and ultimately rewarding, it is essential to maintain the necessary standards of maintenance. This includes paying attention to:

cargo holds, hatch covers, bilge systems, hydraulic & electrical systems, fixed firefighting systems and any other associated equipment are all elements that must be inspected and maintained appropriately;
planned maintenance systems (PMS) should exist for all relevant structures / equipment which should also include inspection and test regimes;
combining this with appropriate systems for reporting and correcting defects must form an overall effective maintenance strategy through the ship’s ISM system;
regular inspections should be carried out after the completion of every discharge and cleaning cycle and should include:

All structural elements of the hold framing, brackets and the hopper side structures. Also pipes, vents and other associated equipment including covers and guarding.
All structural access methods, including ladders, handrails, platforms and stairways in ‘Australian rules’ ladders.
General tank top areas, including manhole lids and bilge covers.
General paint coating condition throughout, including new scrapes / scratches and areas of coating failure.
Hatch covers, including general structural integrity and condition, gaskets, compression bars, coamings, qc cleats, wedges and drains, including non-return (NR) valves. Consideration must be given to regular water tightness tests, such as hose-tests or more stringent ultra-sonic tests.
Other hatches, vent covers, inspection hatches etc.
Hydraulic systems for hatch covers, cranes and other associated equipment that could cause delays or even contamination through breakdown or pipe / hose failure.
Electrical systems, including sensors, probes, lights, lighting circuits and water ingress sensors.
Bilge wells, including relevant ‘hat boxes’ and strums, valves, pipework, NR valves and high level alarms. Including regular checks on suction efficiency and watertight integrity of NR valves, by back-pressurising each system. Also positive checks on high level alarms or sounding pipes where no alarms are fitted.
Fixed firefighting systems and other associated equipment, ensuring all pipework is free of cargo debris and ‘wet’ systems such as manually operated hydrant type drenching systems in hatch covers are kept dry, with hoses left disconnected at all times.

robust maintenance regimes are vital in reducing cargo damage claims, third part discharge equipment claims as well as personal injury claims. Maintaining a safe and damage free environment for the cargo, the stevedores, the stevedores cargo handling equipment and the ship’s personnel requires effective maintenance;
photographs and documentation should be used to keep accurate logs of the maintenance done and the general condition of the cargo holds.

Common cause of cargo damage

The Association sees this cause as one of the most common and recurring features of cargo claims, especially for the carriage of sensitive cargoes like grains, soyabeans and rice. Often it turns out that better maintenance and standards could have prevented very expensive claims. It is important to watch out for:

water ingress usually results from 3 sources:
- Leaking hatch covers
- Back-flow through bilge systems
- Ballast tanks, including impact damage on structures, leaking manhole lids and in-adequate monitoring.

effective measures should be taken to monitor and test these particular areas of concern and defects must be identified and rectified as soon as possible.

additional water sources:
- moisture from loading cargo that is wet or comes with a high moisture content
- condensation or “sweating” that can come from a lack of ventilation or incorrect ventilation

Source and Image Credit: SKULD P&I Club