Because of hazardous nature of the cargoes likely to be carried on chemical, oil tankers or gas tankers the planning, preparation and execution of all cargo related functions are to be viewed as critical operations.
In addition to the shipping documents, a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) must be present and available to all persons. The MSDS contain all information regarding the product in question and should be posted in public areas, so that all crew members have access to the necessary information.
In order to lift a cargo, as a minimum requirement, the following must be known:
· Name of product, technical and trade name
· Product list in vessel’s Certificate of Fitness (COF)
· Compatibility Group and exceptions
· Coating compatibility
· Marpol category
· Reactive/inhibited or not
· Melting point
· Heating requirements
If sufficient information regarding a product to be loaded is not available, the master can refuse to load the cargo. However this is very rare and normally the vessel receive all necessary information in sufficient time prior loading.
The Bulk Chemical Codes (IBC & BCH) provides all necessary information for the cargoes covered by them. Ship P&A Manual/Operation Manual, ICS Tanker safety guide and ISGOTT provides operational requirements and these are to be strictly followed. In the codes all special operational requirements regulated by law, are list. This must be fully complied with in order to operate in a safe a manner.
Cargo Planning
The following considerations shall be taken into account when planning cargo for chemicals, and oil products. The procedures are as follows:
a)Determine the volumes of the parcels allowing for expansion due to temperature at discharge port.
b)Allocate the cargo into appropriate tanks planned taking into consideration trim, stability & stresses, segregation, sensitivity to heat, odor, toxicity, coating compatibility and load density.
Stability and Stress
In order to prevent the vessel from being over stressed it is imperactive that the shearing forces and bending moments are computed before the commencement of any of the following processes:
a) Planned loading and ballasting sequence
b) Planned discharging and ballasting sequence
c) Any change of ballast
d) Any change in loading or discharging sequence
e) Any instance where ballasting/deballasting becomes out of sequence with cargo operations
f) Dry docking
New Cargo
Where a new cargo is selected by the company, the following procedures are to be observed by Master or Office:
· Master to check such cargo in COF/Cargo List, if such is not available, the master to seek more advise on correct technical name/alternative name of the cargo in the following books:
+ IBC Code Updated, Chapter 17 & Chapter 18
+ USCG Chemical data guide or equivalent publications
· Where such cargo names are not available, the Master shall seek cargo operators (Office) immediate advise
· Cargo operators/company office shall liase with charterer/shipper for the proper/alternative/chemical family of the cargo intended to carry.
· Where the cargo is not listed in the COF and it is not listed in IBC Code the company shall seek to enlist this cargo in COF attachment, by requesting to class/flag state.
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