Container shipping demand is exceptionally high, especially on the transpacific and Asia-Europe trade routes leading some exporters to charter bulk carriers for carrying containers; this article outlines UK Club advice on the topic
This bulletin briefly describe the physical properties of petcoke, the environmental implications of its discharge or loss at sea, the properties and effects of petcoke cleaning agents and some of the national and international policies relating to its disposal.
The UK P&I Club recently held a webinar on the subject of Chemical Tanker Claims; it was a great success with about 1600 registrations from 63 countries, looking at three main aspects related to the preparation of cargo holds in bulk carriers
The UK P&I Club's correspondents in Brazil, Representacoes Proinde Ltda, have published on their website a Practical Guidance entitled Loading Soya Beans in Brazil
The vessel loaded a full cargo of soya beans in North America for discharge in the Far East. The voyage was performed in the Northern Winter season during which orders were received to stem fuel oil bunkers at an intermediate port.
The crew were instructed to clean the vessel's cargo holds in preparation for the next cargo. The vessel was underway with sea conditions recorded as slight with no ship movement. In order to gain better access to the upper areas of the hold, the crew arranged to position the high pressure washing equipment on top of portable staging erected on the tank top.
The UK P&I Club have received the following update from correspondents Pandi Liquidadores SRL regarding customs regulation on weighting methods of solid bulk cargoes.
As discharge of a cargo of coal progressed, the level in one of the cargo holds had lowered to the point where stevedores needed to enter for cargo trimming operations using bulldozers.
The vessel was scheduled to call at two West African ports for cargo operations. At the first port of call, all operations took place without any untoward incident. However, shortly after berthing alongside at the second port of call as preparations were underway to commence cargo discharge, the crew found two stowaways who had been hiding inside the deck crane pedestals.
This was a very poorly planned bunkering operation from the outset with an almost complete neglect of the company SMS procedures. The bunkering checklist was ticked off but not in fact implemented.
The subject vessel was berthed on a NNE heading, port side to an exposed quay for cargo discharge operations. In the early morning, the wind was observed to increase in strength from the NW. The Master ordered the crew to deploy additional mooring ropes, with the final arrangement reported to be 4 head/stern lines, 2 breast lines and 2 spring lines forward and aft.
