Safety Alert by the West of England P&I Club The West of England P&I Club has issued a Safety Alert regarding Cargo Damange due to Water Ingress from Ballast Tanks and Bilge Lines.Incidents resulting in damage to dry cargo following water ingress into the holds from ballast tanks and bilge lines continue to arise. Such claims are usually costly, and separating damaged goods from the rest of the cargo can often cause delay. Moreover, when cargo has been damaged by salt water, the salved value may be minimal and disposal may be necessary, adding to the magnitude of the claimWater Ingress from Ballast TanksWater from ballast tanks may enter adjacent cargo holds via a number of different routes:Damage to the hold structureThis may be caused by cargo operations, for example, due to grab damage to tank top plating or hold pipework on vessels carrying dry bulk cargo. Similarly, container vessel tank tops may be damaged by containers which are landed heavily or if lashing material becomes trapped between tank top and the container base.Severe corrosion of ballast tank steelworkThis may involve plating where localised corrosion is so severe that holes have appeared, or ballast tank air and sounding pipes in ...
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