Carriage of Solid Bulk Cargoes

A huge quantity
of bulk cargo is
transported by
sea
A TYPICAL
PANAMAX BULK
CARRIER

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 The Berge Stahl weighs in at a massive 364,767 deadweight
metric tons, she was built in 1986 by Hyundai Heavy Industries.
The Berge Stahl is 1,122 feet (343m), has a beam of 208.3 feet 2
(65m), and a draft of 23m.
 Hazards – High density
 High Density / Structural damage

 Excessive
peak height
results in over
loading the
tank top
causing
excessive
LOCAL
STRESS
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 Hazards – High density
 High Density / Structural damage

 Unevenly
trimmed
Stress
cargo on
causes bulkhead
excessive
stress on
bulkhead.

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 HIGH DENSITY CARGO

 Bulk
Carrier
broke in
half and
sank while
loading.

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 Hazards – Shifting

 Cargo is more
likely to shift in
heavy weather,
with excessive
peak height

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Result of a Cargo Shift

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 Trimming & Levelling
 As a general
guideline ALL bulk
cargoes should be loader
trimmed out and
levelled close to the
horizontal.

 Cargoes such as
grain need special
consideration due to
low angle of repose
Angle of repose
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 Levelling / Trimming

Modern loading machines have

rotating trimming attachments 9
 Hazards - Liquefaction

 A flowstate
can occur on
the surface of
a bulk cargo
when sufficient
moisture Liquid migrates to cargo surface

migrates to the
surface.
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Hazards - Liquefaction

 This can
result in a
large shift
Flow state of cargo
with large
list rapidly
developing
cargo

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FLOW STATE
 Vessel can
list heavily
due to
liquefaction
of cargo .
 In some
cases
capsize and
loss has
occurred
(FSE)
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A Vessel Capsized

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 Hazards – Gas production
 Coal produces
 Explosive gas – Methane
 Poisonous gas – Carbon monoxide

 Aluminium Phosphide (used as a pesticide)

 Reacts with moisture in the atmosphere to
release phosphine gas, Diphosphine gas
and heat
 Diphosphine gas has an auto-ignition
temperature of about 90°C.
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Hazards – Gas production
Coal cargo may
produce
Methane Gas methane gas.
 IMO Bulk Cargo
code must be
complied with
for ventilation.
 Cargo should

Coal cargo
cargo be ventilated
after loading
until methane
levels are 15

lowered.
Hazards – Gas production

Carbon monoxide  Coal can

produce CO
 In many cases
an increase in
CO levels is an
indication of a
Coal cargo
cargo rise in temp.

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 Hazards - Self Heating
 Cargoes liable to self heating;

 Coal

 Steel swarf

 Seed cake

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Hazards - Self Heating

Carbon monoxide  Self Heating

 This may be
detected by a
rise in temp.
 In many cases
an increase in
CO levels is an
Coal cargo
cargo indication of a
rise in temp.
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 Hazards - Corrosive
 The cargo itself might be corrosive such as:
 Cement (lime)
 Some fertilizers

 Other cargoes cause corrosive drain off;

 Coal
 Sulphur
 Salt
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Corrosion & Drainage

 Water drainage from

cargo builds up in
bilges:
coal  Sulphuric acid
conditions may develop
in bilges:
 Bilges should be
water regularly pumped out:
drainage  BC Code recommends
that bilge acidity levels
are checked
 i.e. (pH level) 20
 Hazards - Dust
 Hazardous to humans and environment.
 Can also be very explosive.

 Grain dust is composed of a large number

of materials, including various types of
grain and their disintegration products,
silica, fungi, insects and mites.
 The dust from grain can contain 20% silica
resulting in breathing problems and cancer.
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 Loading Grain
with a dust
suppressor head

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 Hazards – Dust cont’d
 Other example of cargoes producing
harmful dust are:

 Alumina
 Phosphates
 Coal and Coke
 Soya, peas and beans
 Animal foodstuffs and fishmeal
 Aggregates
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 Hazards – Oxygen depletion
 Some cargoes will use up oxygen within
the cargo space
 Main example is the rusting of steel swarf

 Some metal concentrates and some grain

cargoes also deplete the oxygen in the
cargo hold

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Hazards – Oxygen depletion

Reduced Oxygen
 With a number of
cargoes, oxidation
of the cargo can
cause reduction in
the oxygen content
Steel Swarf
in the space above
cargo the cargo
 Example:
 STEEL SWARF
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Hazards – Oxygen depletion

Reduced Oxygen

 A substantial
number of fatalities
have occurred when
Steel Swarf ships crew have
attempted to enter
cargo
cargo spaces on
bulk carriers.
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 DVD
 Bulk carriers – handle with care

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