The US Coast Guard issued a bulletin advising that the installation and operation of ballast water management systems (BWMSs) on ships will require work specific to each vessel and its overall situation. Owners and operators should not expect that 'plug and play' will be appropriate.
The UK P&I Club recently held a Webinar on the subject of Mooring operations and safety; the Webinar received overwhelming response with about 2350 registrations from 78 countries.
Hold preparation is probably the most vital part of bulk carrier operations; if it is not undertaken properly, it can result in substantial cargo claims, delays, additional cleaning, survey costs and expensive off-hire disputes.
The preparation of cargo holds for the next intended carriage is a critical operation which requires careful planning and execution; this article considers a number of legal issues which may arise, including terms commonly used in charterparties to describe the cleanliness of cargo holds, the consequences of failing to comply with such terms, potentially resulting in off-hire claims and damages, and the role of the independent surveyor.
