Moisture Content (MC) of the cargo – a cargo moisture content (MC) of around 14% is considered safe for transportation (as per ANEC 41 dated 01 July 2020), however, if the cargo itself was not harvested, treated, and stored properly ashore then, even with the greatest attention to onboard care of the cargo, there is a possibility that the cargo will suffer damage over the duration of a long voyage. The passage from South America (e.g. Brazil) to the Far East (e.g. China) takes about 40-45 days; a long voyage. If any transit delays and delays waiting to berth are experienced, this can result in cargo deterioration. Warm moist air rising from the cargo may result in moldy cargo developing at the surface, or it may lead to ship’s sweat which may in turn fall back onto the cargo as droplets, thus leading to cargo damage at the surface.
Moisture content and temperature of the cargo also have an important relevance to the period of time for which the cargo can be safely stored. As moisture content and temperature increase, the safe storage period reduces quite dramatically. This is an important factor when vessels are subject to berthing delays.
• Improper ventilation during passage – soybean cargo on a vessel loaded in Brazil en-route to China will be at risk of exposure to ship’s sweat. The cargo will have been loaded in warm and humid conditions and ship’s sweat is formed when the steel hull and structures of the vessel cool due to the colder ambient sea and air temperature as the voyage progresses. If hold ventilation is not properly managed, condensation can form on the inside of the steel structures as the moist warm air from the cargo comes into contact with the cool steel.
This condensation will then drip onto the cargo surface causing damage.
• Cargo damaged in this manner can be collected and separated from the sound cargo during discharge operations and is not usually a very significant amount.
Members are recommended to engage a third-party surveyor at the load port to assist the master in loading soybean cargo. The surveyor will also assist in checking the temperature/moisture content of the cargo prior to and during the loading operations and will also
assist the master in the event that any clausing of the bills of lading is needed concerning the condition of the cargo.
The following are also important in mitigating potential cargo claims:
• The master is to be provided with the quality certificate for the cargo at the load port.
• The master should record the weather conditions at the time of cargo loading.
• Cargo temperature and moisture content are to be frequently checked during loading operations and an independent surveyor can assist with this.
• Cargo should not be loaded during precipitation and the crew should be vigilant in monitoring weather conditions such that cargo hold hatch covers can be closed prior to any precipitation.
• The conveyor belt is to be checked for any water at the start of the cargo operations.
• Ventilation of the cargo holds. Ventilation cannot prevent self- heating which is a pre-loading issue, however, it can prevent or reduce “sweat” while the vessel is at sea. All cargo hold ventilation activities are to be properly logged and filed onboard.
• Record the daily temperature of the cargo while on passage. • Detailed deck log book entries recording weather conditions for the entire voyage are to be maintained. • Ensure that the cargo is fumigated properly at the load port before departure by a qualified person and that the instructions for achieving effective fumigation are strictly adhered to in order to have the desired effect. (Reminder that all appropriate safety precautions are to be taken when fumigating to ensure the safety of personnel). • The cargo holds are to be sealed on cargo completion in the presence of an independent surveyor and again, seals are only to be broken at the discharge port in the presence of all interested parties, except where it has been agreed that the seals can be broken at sea in order to comply with the fumigation requirements. • It is also good practice to take samples of the loaded cargo and keep them onboard in airtight sealed containers. These samples might be useful in defending future claims related to cargo damage.
This article is published courtesy of Steamship Insurance Management Services
THE REPORT | SEP 2024 | ISSUE 109 | 61
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