As many of you will know, H1 periodically organises seminars on topical and relevant subjects. One seminar in the series concerned rice cargo and centred upon a presentation by Floris Menting, a Master Mariner and the senior cargo surveyor at CWA International, one of the leading marine consultancy firms. The talk was concise and to the point, covering general characteristics of rice, recurrent problems associated with its carriage and new developments in the trade. We thought it was worth summarising the points he made here in HiLights.


What to remember about rice


The Top-5 rice exporting countries ref lect the global production centres - Thailand, Vietnam, China, India and Pakistan. Whilst Indonesia also produces a significant quantity, the vast majority of Indonesian production is consumed locally.


As a foodstuff, rice is delicate, hygroscopic and sensitive. It is generally shipped as a breakbulk cargo in two-ply polyurethene bags designed to be both durable and to keep moisture off the kernels. However, as any member who has carried rice will confirm, the trade is troublesome with the result that frequent and relatively large claims do occur.


Pilferage is probably the major cause of shortage claims relating to rice discharged in West Africa. However, the nature of the problem is such that it was not possible to address the issue in detail in the seminar. Apart from tallying the cargo, being vigilant and gathering evidence (whether in visual or written form), there are few specific precautionary measures a Carrier can take to protect its interest. Some ports suffer more from pilferage than others but it is, sadly, an endemic West African problem.


Insect infestation can also cause problems for which the appropriate preventative measure is fumigation after completion of loading.


From a cargo surveyor’s perspective, the most serious causes of damage are water ingress - whether through the hatch covers, bilges or, as we saw in one case, the bosun leaving the door between his store and hold No 1 open - and condensation / sweat damage. Whilst improved ship quality, maintenance and good practice have combined to reduce the impact of the former, Mr Menting reports that condensation / sweating is still a problem.


Hellas HiLights November 2011


11


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16