WEEK 13: CARGO SPACE INSPECTIONS

Damage to the cargo space during cargo operation:

DAMAGE BY TEMPERATURE

- Some commodities may be affected by temperature fluctuations (which may cause

condensation, or accelerate deterioration) or extremes of temperature which may shorten the
"shelf life" of the commodity, or even change its chemical composition.

RUST DAMAGE

- Due mainly to moisture, rain, fresh or salt water, and sweat (and the presence of oxygen) rust is
a corrosion producing red discoloration and, in certain circumstances, heavy pitting. The
moisture causing the rust may be introduced by: leakage, other cargo, packaging, green timber
(dunnage), rain (when ashore, or when the hatches are open), or even the ventilation itself.

DAMAGE CAUSED BY LIFT TRANSFER

- Lowering heavy slings or drafts of cargo too fast on to cargo already in stowage may be
responsible for damage, which often goes undetected until discharge. Similarly, forcefully
dragging cargo out that is wedged by other cargo or even overstowed, may be another source of
damage at the time of discharge.

ASSYMETRIC CARGO AND BALLAST DISTRIBUTION

- Heavy cargo poured into a cargo space at one end of the hold piles up. The lateral pressure
acting on the transverse bulkhead increases, since it will not be cancelled out. Stowing cargo
asymmetrically about the centerline causes twisting and warping of the hull girder.

DAMAGE BY WEATHER CONDITION

- The Master shall inspect the vessel and cargo during navigation in (if practicable) and just after
heavy weather conditions and advise Company if any damage has occurred. Any possible (even
if temporary) repairs by ship staff either to the Hull, Fittings or to the Cargo (Containers) must
be attempted by ship staff as soon as weather abates.

DAMAGE BY WEATHER CONDITION

- In heavy weather the ship is subject to heavy strain and stresses. The stresses experienced by
the ship are hogging, sagging, pounding and pooping. If it is thought that the ship will meet bad
weather, precautionary measures are always to be put into effect.
 Areas to be checked:

1. to check and 5. to remove all ventilator heads, plug the

double, if necessary, all cargo lashings entry ports, and fit covers on them;
2. on deck; 6. to clear all loose gear from the decks;
3. to batten down all hatches, manholes 7. to make quite sure that
etc; all the derricks are secured.
4. to tighten all life-boat gripes;
The general layout of a cargo space for a container vessel

1. bridge castle front, 2. deck containers,

3. foremast and mast top,
4. forecastle,
5. insulated containers in holds,
6. container refrigeration ducts,
7. double hull,
8. passageway,

The general layout of a cargo space for a general cargo ship

A,B,D.hatches No 1, No 2, No3, C cofferdam 6. second deck

7. tweendeck centreline bulkhead
1. cargo gear, masts and derricks 8. lower hold centreline bulkhead
2. hatch covers 9. transverse bulkhead
3. cargo winches 10. tank top
4. mast house 11. stowage in holds
5. main deck
12. deck cargo
The general layout of a cargo space for a oil tanker

1. Balanced rudder with conventional 14. Tanktop

propeller 15. Longitudinal vertically corrugated
2. Auxiliary unit bulkhead
3. Lifeboat in gravity davits 16. Transverse horizontally corrugated
4. Hydraulic prime mover bulkhead
5. Cargo control room 17. Cargo pump
6. Tank heating / tankwash room 18. Catwalk
7. Cofferdam, empty space between two 19. Railing
tanks 20. Deck longitudinals
8. Vent pipes with pressure-vacuum valves 21. Deck transverses
9. Hydraulic high pressure oil-and return 22. Cargo heater
lines for anchor and mooring gear, 23. Forecastle deck with anchor-and
10. Hose crane mooring gear
11. Manifold 24. Bow thruster
12. Wing tank in double hull 25. Bulbous bow
13. Double bottom tank

Common hazards of bulk cargoes on board ships

1. Cargo shift - Cargo shift has always remained as one of the greatest dangers on bulk carriers.
This problem is greater for ships carrying grain cargoes. Grain settles by about 2% of its volume.
2. Cargo falling from height - Cargoes like iron ore, quartz and steel scraps are high density cargo.
There is a possibility of cargo falling from height during cargo operations. Cargo may either fall
from the conveyor belt of the shiploader or from the discharging grab on to the deck of the ship.
3. Dust from working cargo - Dust is one of the most common hazards in bulk carriers. Many bulk
cargoes are dusty by nature.
4. Cargo Liquefaction - Liquefaction is a phenomenon in which solid bulk cargoes are abruptly
transformed from a solid dry state to an almost fluid state.
5. Structural damage - Heavy cargoes place high loads on the structure and structural failure is
therefore probable. Etc.
 6. Oxygen depletion - Sea transportation of bulk cargoes of an organic nature such as wood, paper
pulp and agricultural products may result in rapid and severe oxygen depletion and formation of
carbon dioxide.
7. Corrosion - Some cargoes like coal and sulphur can cause severe damage due to corrosion.
8. Contamination - Preparation of cargo holds for the next intended carriage is a critical element of
bulk carrier operations.
9. Fire - Bulk cargoes are deemed to present a great deal of fire hazards. Many bulk cargoes have a
tendency to heat due to the oxidation process taking place during the voyage. Common cargoes
like coal, sulphur, cotton, fishmeal are liable to spontaneous heating.

Why inspection and preparation of holds is important?

- Cargo spaces intended to be used for loading should be inspected to ensure that the
compartment intended to be loaded with cargo is clean, dry and ready in all respect to receive
the cargo being offered.

Avoid contamination

 No residue of the previous cargo to be left

 Holds are Taint free.
 No Visible loose rust which can cause contamination.

Safety

 Holds are safe for stevedores to work.

 Detect physical damage within the hold. It also benefits in raising new stevedore damage claims.
 Damages to the ship structure, checking for corrosion/ cracks to get an early warning for parts/
portions/ strengthening structures to be renewed/ repaired.

Prevent Cargo Damage

 which can be caused from operational bilges

 ballast lines and/or
 lack of weather tight integrity of hatch covers

Fire Safety

 Identification of fire hazard for the intended cargo and availability of firefighting equipment.
 So, now we know why it is important, let us see what all you need to inspect.

Items to be inspected:
 1. Check that the designated compartments are clean and ready to receive cargo.

2. Check that the drainage and bilge suctions are working effectively and that bilge wells are dry.
Bilges to be sweetened for some particular cargoes and covered with burlap and cemented. 3.
No leakage from ballast tanks present.
3. Sounding pipes and air pipes passing from holds are clean and rust free.
4. Ensure that cargo battens (spar ceiling) is in position and not damaged
5. Check that the hatch lighting’s are in good order. Isolate lights if it poses fire hazard for the
intended cargo.
6. Inspect and ensure all means of access to the compartments are safe.
7. Guard rails and safety barriers should be seen to be in place.
8. Ensure all necessary fixed and portable fire-fighting arrangements are ready for immediate use.
Blow through CO2/Halon lines with compressed air.
9. Inspect Cargo Hold Ventilation system.
10. Inspect and ensure hatch covers are weather tight and that all the securing devices are in good
working condition.
11. If Cargo Hold is meant to take heavy weather ballast then pressure test the lines for leakage and
subsequently blank off the ballast lines.
12. Double Bottom tank manhole covers to be absolutely tight.
13. Cargo securing points/ fixed fittings etc are in good condition.

Cargo Hold Preparation

- The owner is required to present his vessel in a state that he is ready to load cargo, that means
the holds are ‘clean and dry’ prior to commencement of loading. If the owner fails to present his
ship in a proper state to receive cargo, he risks to claims amounting to large sums of money. It
is, therefore of utmost important to prepare cargo holds of ship to loading.

Cargo quality can be affected due to:

o Contamination
o Staining
o Water contact
o Inadequate ventilation

Checking Bilge Suction

o Neglecting maintenance and testing of hold bilge systems can have serious consequences,
resulting in unnecessary cargo claims due to water contamination.
o The bilge suction line in the hold bilge is normally fitted with a perforated strum box which
prevents cargo debris from entering the bilge line. The strum box should be thoroughly cleaned
 after each cargo discharge and if possible, dismantled and checked for damage or corrosion. The
end of the bilge suction line must be confirmed as clear, with no debris fouling the end of the
suction pipe.

Follow Below procedure to test Hold Bilges:

1. Test bilge suction by filling bilge well with water and pumping it out.
2. Non return valves fitted in the hold bilge pumping systems are to ensure that water pumped
from the hold bilges to the engine room and over-side or into a holding tank cannot flow back
via the bilge line into the hold bilge wells and then into the cargo hold.
3. The easiest way to test the non return valve is to stop the pump (or eductor) and allow water to
flood back into the bilge line up to the non return valve. If no water enters the hold bilge then
the non return valve is working correctly. As prudent seamanship all non return valves on the
bilge line should be overhauled on a regular basis.

Procedure for Entering an Enclosed Space

 Risk assessment to be carried out by a competent officer as enclosed or confined space entry is
deficient in oxygen, making it a potential life hazard
 Risk assessment is one of the core preparation tools for enclosed space entry. It is designed to
minimize the possibility of accidents by dealing with every aspect of the entry, identifying the
hazards, deciding the control measures and finding alternatives or solutions or means to
mitigate the risks. RA should be performed every time before man entry
 A list of work to be done should be made for the ease of assessment for e.g. if welding to be
carried out or some pipe replacement etc. This helps in carrying out the work quickly and easily
 Potential hazards are to be identified such as the presence of toxic gases
 Opening and securing has to be done and precaution should be taken to check if the opening of
enclosed space is pressurized or not
 All fire hazard possibilities should be minimized if hot work is to be carried out. This can be done
by emptying the fuel tank or chemical tank near the hot workplace
 The confined space has to be well ventilated before entering. Enough time should be allowed to
establish a ventilation system to ensure that air containing enough oxygen to sustain life is
introduced. Ventilation can either be natural or mechanical using blowers.
 A Written Assignment Presented To

Capt. Venancio Simon Sulit

Technological Institute of the Philippines

In Partial fulfillment

Of the requirement for the subject

SEAM 3- Cargo Handling and Stowage (Non-Dangerous Goods)

Batch II – WEEK 13-14

Presented by:

Busa, Nizza Claire G.

September 18, 2019