CEMENT (Loaded on conventional bulk -carrier) 1.

1 Description: Portland cement is produced by burning a precisely weighed mixture of raw materials at temperatures of greater than 1200 deg C, containing predominantly Limestone, Silica, Alumina, and small amounts of other materials to form a clinker. The resulting cooled clinker is then ground under controlled c onditions to the required fineness, with the addition of typically 5% gypsum to control setting. Used in construction of buildings and roads and for radiation shielding. Cement is considered as a nuisance dust. Because cement is produced by heating the raw materials to high temperatures using process heat by burning fossil fuels, traces, but detectable amounts of naturally occurring, and possibly harmf ul elements ,may be found during chemical analysis. Cement may contain 0.75 % insoluble residue. A fraction of these residues may be free crystalline silica. Threshold Limit Value: Total dust containing no asbestos and less than 1% silica 10mg/cubic meter Cleaning the hold after discharging cement requires greater effort and time, because of the dust it leaves on the structure. For cleaning procedure, see Final Clean-Up 1.2 Trade Name: Portland cement, mortar, concrete 1.3 Size: Powder upto 0.1mm 1.4 Angle of Repose: N/A, because it settles to almost an even surface after being aerated or disturbed. 1.5 Stowage Factor in Cubic metres/MT: About 0.67 to 1.0 1.6 IMO Classification; Appendix C, BC Code , known not to liquefy or possess any chemical hazard. It is non-combustible and has a low risk of fire. 1.7 Properties: Cement is a finely ground powder which becomes almost fluid in nature when aerated or significantly disturbed thereby creating a minimal angle of repose. After loading, de-aeration occurs almost immediately and the product settles into a stable mass. When a vessel is fixed for cement, it is important to take into consideration that the cement may have a temperature of 110 deg C when leaving the production, and is being loaded at cargo temperatures of 70-80 deg C. Very often, cement is exported from cold areas, transported part of the way at low sea temperatures, and is then unloaded in warm areas with a high air humidity. After loading, cement powder often contracts by as much as 12% once settled in holds. These are perfect conditions for water vapour to condense thus solidifying the cement, not only on the main deck, but also at the upper parts of the cargo hold. The point at which water vapor condenses and at which the atmosphere makes the steel damp, is termed the dew point. Where incoming air or the steel has a lower temperature than in the cargo holds, the surrounding air is cooled down and water vapor condenses. When wet cement dust dries on the steel it causes a major cleaning

problem, which can only be solved by extensive use of manpower, efficient equipment and chemicals, at heavy costs. Consequently , ballasting of cold water adjacent to cargo holds makes cleaning difficult. The problem can be reduced by the use of dehumidifiers, and in some cases even good ventilation. However, dehumidifiers are costly and are seldom part of the equipment found on-board bulk-carriers. The problem cannot be solved by such preventive methods. 1.8 Precautions /Hazards: 1. Several characteristics of cement in bulk make it a problem cargo: a. When wet, it solidifies. b. When manufactured, it is hot and retains the heat. c. It may easily stick to non-smooth surfaces. d. When contaminated by residues from previous cargoes, it may become useless as a binding age nt. Sugar up to 0.001% renders the cement useless as a binding agent and Ammonia or its sulphates as fumes or gases alters the characteristic of the cement to a quick binding type. 2. Cement dust can dry unprotected skin and cause mild to severe caustic burns. Direct contact with the eyes can cause effects ranging from mild irritation to severe burns. Inhalation can irritate the upper respiratory system. Cement dust can also cause inflammation of the lining tissue of the interior of the nose and inflammation of the cornea. Hypersensitive individuals may develop an allergic dermatitis. [Cement may contain trace (less than 0.05%) amounts of chromium salts or compounds including hexavalent chromium, or other metals found to be hazardous or toxic in some chemical forms] 3. Cement is highly alkaline and will react with acids to produce heat typical of acidbase neutralization. Toxic gases or vapors may be given off depending on the acid involved. 4. When exposed to cement or its dust, ensure personnel are wearing proper protective clothing (long sleeve overalls, neck and face covered leaving only the eyes ), goggles, respirators/face masks. As far as possible, avoid making skin contact with cement powder. Before handling cement, apply a skin barrier (Vaseline), and use vinegar to wash the skin exposed to cement, before showering with soap and water. 5. Every precaution to be taken to avoid water ingress into the cargo compartments, including sealing the hatches with hatch sealing tape if required. 6. Do not load/discharge cement in rain on a conventional bulk -carrier there are 2 main rules for cement: keep it dry, and keep it cool 1.9 N/A Required Cargo/Ship Certificates:

1.10 Operational Procedures applicable to Cement : In the following sections an attempt has been made to provide Masters with a detailed list of procedures on a step -by-step basis. Although these procedures are provided to assist Masters, they are not exhaustive and do not relieve you from your responsibility to ensure that the cargo is carried and handled in accordance with the BC code and other applicable international and national requirements.

1.10.1 Pre-Arrival Preparation: 1. All holds used for loading should be thoroughly swept of previous cargo, then washed and then thoroughly dried, espe cially if vessel carried sugar or ammonia recently. 2. It is recommended that all holds used for loading be coated with a complete thin & firm coat of Cement Pre-Wash (BEB 5015 is recommended) in the product/water ratio recommended by the manufacturers (about1:4). This coat must be allowed to dry before commencing loading. This coat must be applied all over from upper coaming to tank-top using scaffolding, cherry-picker (if available) or a working platform suspended on a crane (if sea conditions permit, i.e calm sea) 3. It is suggested that the bilges be blanked with steel covers and bolted down, with rubber gaskets. It is also important to test the non-return valves for each hold bilge, and if not recently over-hauled, then these should be opened , cleaned, over-hauled, tested and re-fitted. A log entry to be made to this effect. 4. All manhole covers on tank top, doors to upper and lower stools, other holes/slots on tank tops and bulkheads , hatch channel drain holes on coamings should be sealed with tape. It may also be helpful if you can effectively seal the entrances from upper stool spaces to the cargo hold area, to avoid cement dust building up in this void space. If loading in the ballast hold, then the ballast bell mouth covers should be tested to 3.0 bars keeping the valves open. Log entry to be made. 5. You should ensure that the hatch seals for all holds to be loaded and seals for all hold ventilators or other enclosures leading into the hold are absolutely weathertight. 6. A high-pressure hose should be rigge d up to the deck line in preparation of the surveyors hose test of all hatches to be loaded. All load hatches should also be battened down. 7. Prior to arrival and deballasting, all ballast tanks should be pressed up to the deck level, in order to ensure that there are no leaks in the tank tops, air-pipes or sounding pipes passing through the holds. Also it is important to check that the sounding pipes for hold bilges passing through the Top-Side tanks are not holed. This can be done by checking the soundings of hold bilges visually after pressing up the TST, and by visual inspection of the sounding pipe after emptying the TST. You should also perform a hose test on all hatches to be loaded along with the ventilators and other openings to the hold. All this should be recorded in the Log book and confirmed to the surveyor on arrival. After testing and If possible, the cold water ballast in adjacent tanks should be dropped below the tank-top level, to avoid condensation. 8. The air in the holds needs to be dried by use of dehumidifiers (if on board) for some days prior to loading. 9. The ship should be equipped with the following: a. High Pressure water washing machine which should be tested and sufficient spares maintained on board. b. The ship should also be equipped with a Combi/Maxi-gun, c. A chemical sprayer for spraying the acid solution if required. d. Sufficient stock of Muriatic acid should be available on board. along w ith other hold cleaning appliances. e. Portable scaffolding (upto 4-6 mts)and a working platform or MOT gangway are also useful for spraying the acids f. The portable submersible bilge pump or Slurry pump (if provided) must also be tested.

10. The Emergency hatch cover operation equipment should be tested and kept in readiness. (for use at load or discharge port, dep ending on open or closed hold loading/discharging) 1.10.2a Arrival Preparation: (OPEN HOLD LOADING) 1. Radar, RDF scanners (if fitted), deck motors, hatch pistons, lifeboats, gangways should be covered with plastic wrap in order to be protected against the dust. It is recommended that the superstructure, especially the bridge -front be also covered with plastic/tarpaulin covers. Hatches not used for loading should also be covered with plastic/tarpaulin covers. In some cases, during dry weather, it is recommended that superstructure be coated with a thin & firm coat of cement pre wash. 2. All moving parts should be well greased until the old grease begins to show. 3. Cranes should be topped up to maximum extent i.e until the jib cuts out so that dust settling on the jib is minimal. 4. No loose items whatsoever to be kept or left on deck. 5. Natural ventilation of all stores should be kept shut, so that no dust gets inside the stores. The wire mesh of E/R blowers next to the funnel should be covered with dust filters (porous material that will allow only air but not dust to enter). If fitted with 4 blowers, the 2 leeward blowers should be kept shut. Any critical electronic equipment exposed in the E/R should also be covered, e.g. ; Boiler controls. 6. The AC unit should be on 100% re-circulation. The AC inlet inside the accommodation used during re-circulation should also be kept covered with a filter type material (that will allow only air but not dust to enter). All natural vents to accommodation should also be shut. The ga lley vents should be on exhaust and not on supply. All natural vents to wheel house should be kept shut, and most important, all bridge equipment and panels should be covered with old bed-sheets. 7. All accommodation access doors should be kept shut and latched from inside (capable of being opened in an emergency), except the quay side entrance door which should be kept closed but not latched. The bridge wing doors should also be kept closed and ensured that the seals are capable of preventing dust from entering the wheel-house. All deck stores, crane columns, steering gear room doors should be kept shut. 8. Mooring hawsers and loose ropes should be covered with canvas. Pilot ladders should be stowed aft and kept covered. 9. A list of soundings of all tanks should be prepared at time of docking for the draft surveyor. 10. Prior to loading, your vessel will be inspected to ensure that all holds to be loaded, including bilges are clean, without any loose scale/paint or traces of previous cargo, and DRY. The surveyor will also conduct a high-pressure hose test to ensure that all hatches and associated vents are weather-tight. 11. Ensure that vessel is stocked with enough hatch sealing tape to seal all the hatches, and sufficient propane gas bottles with a long handle torch to heat the tape before application. (if loading in cold weather) 12. All personnel working on deck should be well protected from the dust, with proper protective clothing, goggle, face mask/respirator,

1.10.2b Arrival Preparation: (CLOSED HOLD LOADING) Even in Closed loading, you may expect some cement dust to leak from joints in the piping system and hatch covers seals,( because of the air pressure) 1. All hatch cover wheels and hinges should be well greased till old grease begins to show. 2. No loose items whatsoever to be kept or left on deck. 3. Natural ventilation of all stores should be kept shut, so that no leaking dust gets inside the stores. The wire mesh of E/R blowers next to the funnel should be covered with dust filters (porous material that will allow only air but not dust to enter). If fitted with 4 blowers, the 2 leeward blowers should be kept shut. Any critical electronic equipment exposed in the E/R should also be covered, e.g. ; Boiler controls. 4. The AC unit should be on 100% re-circulation. The AC inle t inside the accommodation used during re-circulation should also be kept covered with a filter type material (that will allow only air but not dust to enter). All natural vents to accommodation should also be shut. The galley vents should be on exhaust and not on supply. All natural vents to wheel-house should be kept shut, and most important, all bridge equipment and panels should be covered with old bed-sheets. 5. All accommodation access doors should be kept shut and latched from inside (capable of being opened in an emergency), except the quay side entrance door which should be kept closed but not latched. The bridge wing doors should also be kept closed and ensured that the seals are capable of preventing dust from entering the wheel-house. All deck stores, crane columns, steering gear room doors should be kept shut. 6. Mooring hawsers and loose ropes should be covered with canvas. Pilot ladders should be stowed aft and kept covered. 7. A list of soundings of all tanks should be prepared at time of docking for the draft surveyor. 8. Prior to loading, your vessel will be inspected to ensure that all holds to be loaded, including bilges are clean, without any loose scale/paint or traces of previous cargo, and DRY. The surveyor will also conduct a high-pressure hose test to ensure that all hatches and associated vents are weather-tight. 9. The grain loading port at the centre of the hatch should be opened, cleaned, gasket renewed if required, studs greased and cover boxed back This port will be the loading port The air return port should be at least 7-8 meters away from the loading port to avoid any short-circuiting of the loaded cement. This port should also be opened , cleaned, gasket renewed if required, studs greased and cover boxed back. 10. Ensure that vessel is stocked with enough hatch sealing tape to seal all the hatches, and sufficient propane gas bottles with a long handle torch to heat the tape before application. (if loading in cold weather)

1.10.3 Stow Plan and Loading Sequence: 1. When possible, cargo should be loaded in minimum holds to minimize on carriage requirements and expedite hold cleaning for the next cargo. 2. A general loading sequence and individual hold loading sequence should be prepared for presentation to the shipper/loading terminal on arrival. If loading from a single pipe branching into 2 holds simultaneously, (Closed loading) shippers in some ports require that the 2 holds be either adjacent or alternate (not more than 1 hold space apart) and the cargo quantities per hold for each sequence be equal or nearly so, to avoid delays. In this case trimming between end holds may not be possible. 3. In the closed loading method, shippers require that any hold not be filled to more than 70%, because the cement contracts as much as 12% after de-aeration. This is to avoid too much back-pressure on the loading equipment and also to avoid too much pressure on the ships closed hatch covers. 4. For the sea passage, it is highly recommended that ballast compartments (TST, DB) adjacent to the cargo holds containing cargo be kept empty. 1.10.4a Loading Operation(Closed Loading ): 1. The hatches to be loaded should be battened down, all vents, hatch entrance covers closed, and hatch coaming drains taped from inside. 2. Before commencement of loading, the shipper will install a piping system comprising of a loading pipe to the centre port and an air return pipe from the return port of each hold. 3. Loading may be done in slight to moderate rain conditions, but if the rain is heavy, the terminal may choose to stop loading. 4. Please ensure that the deck officer on watch keeps the ship upright at all times since the cargo when loaded with air attains a liquid like flow state and will flow evenly from the centre of the hold to the boundaries. 5. It is recommended that the crew c ontinuously keep sweeping any leaking cement from main deck, hatch tops. When possible, compressed air should be made available on deck throughout the loading. 6. It is possible that because of the high air pressure in the holds, the hatch cover seals may leak some cement dust at the joints This can be stopped by inserting a damp cloth at the area around the leak, and/or tightening the cleats at that location. 7. All ballasting sequences will be made to ensure that no ballast is in adjoining tanks with the hold being loaded. 1.10.4b Loading Operation (Open loading) 1. Hatch covers pistons to be covered and hatch coaming drains to be taped prior to commencement of loading. 2. Only working hatch to kept open, non-working hatches to kept shut. 3. Loading should only be done in dry weather. If it begins to rain during loading, the loading operation should be halted and hatches closed until the rain stops. 4. When rain clouds are observed to be approaching, in consultation with the terminal, loading should be halted and all hatch promptly closed. Prior to rees opening hatches after a rain shower, all water should be brushed off the hatch covers in order to avoid any draining into the holds. Also, prior to resuming loading, the loading belt should be run again for about 5 minutes over the jetty in order to run off any accumulated water or wet cargo.

5. Please ensure that the deck officer on watch keeps the ship upright at all times since the cargo when loaded with air attains a liquid like flow state and will flow evenly from the centre of the hold to the boundaries. 6. It is recommended that the crew continuously keep sweeping any leaking cement from main deck, hatch tops. When possible, compressed air should be made available on deck throughout the loading. 7. All personnel working on de ck should be well protected from the dust, with proper protective clothing, goggle, face mask/respirator, 1.10.5 Upon Completion of Loading: 1. As each hold is completed, it should be re-opened (if closed loading), the hatch coaming channels swept and cleaned with compressed air, the channel drain valves cleared, and hatch pistons and hatch rubber packings wiped with cloth, before closing and battening down. Hatch should then be sealed with hatch sealing tape. Ensure that the hold bilge sounding pipes, and all other vents/openings to that hold are tightly shut. 2. After loading de -aeration starts immediately before the cargo settles into a stable mass. Therefore ensure that time is sufficient for this settling to occur and cargo is stable before ship sails. After settling, shifting should not occur unless angle of the surface with horizontal plane exceeds 30 degrees. 3. Compressed air should first be used to remove the dust accumulated on decks. The ship should then be washed thoroughly with high-pressure water sprays. This will remove the cement adhered to the structure. While hosing down the deck, ensure that no water is allowed to enter the cargo holds. If staining is observed, because of the cement hardening or sticking to the surface, then Muriatic/Oxalic acid solution can be applied and allowed to stay for about 15-20 minutes before washing down. When using this chemical, proper protective clothing should be worn, this includes chemical suit, goggles, respirator, and latex gloves. 4. Old grease from all moving par ts which would contain cement dust should be wiped off, and fresh grease pumped in. 1.10.6 Carriage/Ocean Passage: 1. No special segregation requirements 2. Throughout the voyage the hatch sealing tapes should be checked and renewed if necessary, hold bilges should be sounded twice daily. 3. Further, the boundaries of compartments keeping the cargo should be resistant to the passage of water. Do not take ballast in adjacent ballast tanks. 4. Vessel should take all necessary precautions to avoid shipping heavy seas on deck and over hatch covers. It might be wise to request for weather routing, and keep sufficient reserve fuel on board. 5. Ventilation should not be carried out at sea. 6. It is not safe to enter closed holds at sea, because the person tends to sink into the cement. Also possibility of gases developing.

1.10.7 Unloading: 1. Items 1-8 & 12 of Arrival Preparation , and items 1,2,3,4,6 & 7( substitute ballasting with deballasting) of Loading Operation should be followed. 2. Unloading is normally done by siwerte ll (screw unloader) or grab. Only keep the working hold open. 3. Unloading has to be stopped during rain. Sometimes receivers present the master with a Rain Letter. Please note that this will not protect the ship if cargo is damaged. 4. It is advisable to avoid ballasting DBs above tank-top level, until cargo from the adjacent hold has been completely discharged. It is not uncommon to see a pay loader damage ballast/fuel tank sounding pipes while discharging, due to the limited visibility caused by flying dust. In this regard, the discharging terminal should be given a letter and a plan of all piping and additional steel structures like ladders, pipe guards etc. in each hold, advising them about this. 5. When cement is loaded by closed loading along with air under pressure, the cement will have settled all over the hold structure, in the highest reaches and under the coamings, and you can expect the cement to also remain wedged between side frames, etc. 6. Most charter parties stipulate Shovel C leaning which means that the stevedores will only discharge what they are able to get into the buckets without sweeping. They will not touch the cargo beyond their physical reach. It is recommended that during discharge and after liaison with the terminal and vessels owners, a cherry picker (2 if possible) be rented for assisting in discharge operations. 7. As each hold is almost completed, the cherry-picker should be lowered into the hold, and the cement at the upper reaches, under the upper coamings, hoppers, in between side frames, pipe guards, and ladders should be brushed down. Needless to say, the crew should be well protected, and working aloft permits should be used. This will save a lot of time and trouble when washing down the holds for the next cargo. If cherry-picker is not available, then a working platform suspended on a crane should be used. Whatever cement has been knocked down, can then be collected along with the cargo, shovel swept by the stevedores, when they come back to complete the hold. Even then, it would help if the lower reaches and tanktop can be brush swept by ships crew and the cargo filled into buckets provided by the terminal. 8. It would help if vessels owners and the terminal permit the vessel to stay alongside for a few hours after complete discharge, in order to complete cleaning the last hold by cherry-picker.

1.10.8 Final Clean-Up: 1. Each hold should be finely swept to remove as much cement as possible, this would include thoroughly cleaning the hold bilges as well. Remember the simple rule when cleaning cement: BRUSH FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, BUT WASH FROM BOTTOM TO TOP. If you wash from top to bottom as with other bulk cargoes, you will end up with the cement on the lower reaches drying up, and then impossible to wash down, without physical descaling. 2. After sweeping, the areas where the cement is hardened can be sprayed with a solution of Muriatic/Oxalic acid (about 40-60 lts mixed with about 100 lts of fresh water) by chemical sprayer using scaffolding/cherry-picker or a working platform suspended by crane (only if weather permits, i.e calm sea). After allowing to stay for 15-20 minutes, this should then be washed down using high-pressure Combi/Maxi gun. Any acid should be used with caution because it can damage the paintwork and the bilge pump, if used for pumping out the bilges. When using this chemical, proper protective clothing should be worn which includes chemical suit, goggles, respirator, and latex gloves? 3. It is recommended that the ships fixed bilge piping and GS pump should not be used for pumping out hold bilges during clean -up. It is quite possible, even with sufficient flushing of the piping for 30 minutes, the cement may clog up the piping and the bilge non-return valves. After blanking the hold bilge on one side and creating a small list (about 1 degree), the portable submersible bilge pump or Slurry pump should be used for pumping out the hold bilge. If pumping out in port, local national regulations should be complied with. It might be a good idea to sprinkle some sugar onto the tank top and into the bilges at regular intervals, to prevent the cement from setting. 4. Superstructure and decks, mast houses can then be washed using the High pressure washing machine at about 250-300 bars to remove hardened cement.

1.10.9 Emergency Response : 1. Fire fighting measures: cargo is non-combustible and the dust is nonexplosive. 2. First Aid measures 1. Eyes & skin affected: Flush eyes immediately with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical assistance. Wash affected skin with plenty of soap & water and apply sterile dressings. Seek medical attention if there is pr olonged exposure. If ingested, do not induce vomiting and provide, if conscious, with plenty of water and seek medical attention. If inhaled, move to fresh air, keep warm and seek medical attention. 3. Spill/Leak measures. Dry-clean method advised and do not disperse dust. Personnel to wear protective gear so as to avoid skin contact.