Circular Letter
MSC/Circ.1160

MANUAL ON LOADING AND UNLOADING OF SOLID BULK CARGOES FOR TERMINAL REPRESENTATIVES

 

(adopted on 24 May 2005)

 

1. The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), at its seventy-sixth session, in considering the Report of the Working Group on Bulk Carrier Safety concerning the issue of the risk control options for the improvement of the ship/terminal interface for bulk carriers noted the need to harmonize training programmes for terminal personnel worldwide.

 

2. The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-sixth session, further noted that the above concern could be addressed by the application of the Code of Practice for the Safe Loading and Unloading of Bulk Carriers (BLU Code) and that the risk control options in the Manual on loading and unloading of solid bulk cargoes for terminal representatives under development would address the concerns referred to above.

 

3. The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-eighth session (12 to 21 May 2004), agreed that the application of the BLU Code would address the concerns on risk control options above and urges Member Governments, shipowners, ship operators and terminals to apply the guidance contained therein.

 

4. The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-eighth session (12 to 21 May 2004), agreed to continue the development of the Manual on loading and unloading of solid bulk cargoes for terminal representatives, taking into account the guidance in the IBTA guidelines for terminal representatives at ship/shore interface, when finalizing the Manual.

 

5. The Maritime Safety Committee, at its eightieth session (11 to 20 May 2005), approved the Manual on loading and unloading of solid bulk cargoes for terminal representatives set out in the annex and agreed that the application of the guidance contained therein would address the concerns on risk control options and urged Member Governments, shipowners, ship operators and terminals to apply the guidance contained therein.

 

6. Member Governments are invited to implement the BLU Code and to bring the annexed Manual on loading and unloading of solid bulk cargoes for terminal representatives, to the attention of terminals, shipowners, ship operators, shipmasters, shippers, receivers and other parties concerned.

 

 

MANUAL ON LOADING AND UNLOADING OF SOLID BULK CARGOES FOR TERMINAL REPRESENTATIVES

 

FOREWORD

 

1. In response to the continuing loss of ships carrying solid bulk cargoes sometimes without trace and with heavy loss of life - the Code of Safe Practice for the Safe Loading and Unloading of Bulk Carriers (BLU Code) was developed by IMO as one of a number of measures to enhance the operational and structural safety of bulk carriers. It was adopted as a recommendatory instrument by the International Maritime Organizations Assembly at its twentieth session in November 1997.

 

2. Possible stress and damage imposed by cargo handling throughout the life of a ship was considered to be a possible contributory cause of structural failure of bulk carriers leading to casualties and losses. The purpose of the BLU Code, therefore, is to provide guidance to ship masters of bulk carriers, terminal operators and other parties for the safe handling, loading and unloading of solid bulk cargoes.

 

3. To augment the BLU Code, the Manual on Loading and Unloading of Solid Bulk Cargoes for Terminal Representatives (BLU Manual) is intended to provide more detailed guidance to Terminal Representatives (as defined in the BLU Code) and others involved in the handling of solid bulk cargoes; including those responsible for the training of personnel.

 

4. It should be noted that in this Manual, a reference to an appendix is a reference to an appendix in the BLU Code and a reference to an annex is to an annex in this Manual.

 

5. Further guidance on the safe loading and unloading of solid bulk cargoes is contained in the following publications: "Bulk carriers, Handle with Care", IACS Ltd. 1998, 36 Broadway, London SW1H 0BH, United Kingdom, Tel: +44 (0)207 976 0660, Fax +44 (0)207 808 1100, E-mail: permsec@iacs.org.uk, Website: www.iacs.org.uk; "The Loading and Unloading of Solid Bulk Cargoes, ICHCA International Ltd., Suite 2, 85 Western Road, Romford, Essex, RM1 3LS, United Kingdom, Tel: +44 (0)1708 735 295, Fax: +44 (0)1708 735 225, E-mail: info@ichcainternational.co.uk.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

1. The BLU Code applies to the loading and unloading of solid bulk cargoes, to or from bulk carriers of more than 500 gross tonnage. The BLU Code does not apply to: Ships which are not bulk carriers, by definition, ships which are loading, carrying or unloading grain and ships which are being loaded or unloaded using shipboard equipment only.

 

2. The guidance in this Manual is intended to complement the BLU Code by providing guidance on good practice, regardless of ship size, terminal capacity or cargo quantity. This should assist terminal representatives to implement the Code.

 

3. Although this Manual is written primarily in the context of the operation of major bulk terminals operating ship loaders and unloaders, smaller bulk facilities and non specialist terminals may also load and/or unload solid bulk cargoes by grabs, conveyors, chutes or even directly from vehicles etc. Not all the guidance in the Manual may be appropriate to such smaller terminals and facilities and the ships they serve but the general principles should still apply and be followed.

 

4. The guidance in this Manual is intended primarily to assist Terminal Representatives to understand the key issues to be dealt with at the interface between the ship and the terminal. It should also assist relevant ships personnel to understand the issues involved from the terminals perspective.

 

5. It should be noted that in this Manual, a reference to an appendix is a reference to an appendix in the BLU Code and a reference to an annex is to an annex in this Manual.

 

LAYOUT OF GUIDELINES

 

The Guidelines have been written so that the left hand column contains the specific language of the BLU Code, and the right hand column contains the guidelines for the Terminal Representative. These guidelines are further expanded as necessary in the attached annex.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Definitions contained in the BLU Code are on page 6. In addition, the following definitions refer to a number of other expressions used in these Guidelines.

 

"BLU Code" means the Code of Practice for the Safe Loading and Unloading of Bulk Carriers, as contained in the annex to IMO Assembly resolution A.862(20) of 27 November 1997.

 

"Bulk carrier" means a ship which is constructed generally with single deck, top-side tanks and hopper side tanks in cargo spaces, and is intended primarily to carry dry cargo in bulk, and includes such types as ore carriers and combination carriers*.

 

"Cargo air draught" means the distance from the surface of the water to the lowest point of the loader or unloader when in a fully raised position.

 

"Dry or solid bulk cargo" means any material, other than liquid or gas, consisting of a combination of particles, granules, or any larger pieces of material, generally uniform in composition, which is loaded directly into the cargo spaces of a ship without any intermediate form of containment.

 

"Terminal" means any fixed, floating or mobile facility equipped and used for the loading and/or unloading of bulk cargo. The term includes that part of a dock, pier, berth, jetty, quay, wharf or similar structure at which a ship may tie up.

 

"Shipper/receiver" means any person in whose name or on whose behalf a contract of carriage of goods by sea has been concluded, or on whose behalf the goods are delivered to or received from the ship in relation to the contract of carriage by sea.

 

"Stowage factor" is the number of cubic metres which one tonne of the material will occupy.

 

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* Refer to resolution MSC.79(70) relating to interpretation of provision of SOLAS chapter XII on additional safety measures for bulk carriers.

 

Section 1.
Definitions

 

BLU Code

Guidelines

1.1 Air draught means the vertical distance from the surface of the water to the highest point of mast or aerial.

1.1

1.2 Combination carriers (OBO or O/O) means a ship whose design is similar to a conventional bulk carrier but is equipped with pipelines, pumps and inert gas plant so as to enable the carriage of oil cargoes in designated spaces.

1.2

1.3 Conveyor system means the entire system for delivering cargo from the shore stockpile or receiving point to the ship.

1.3

1.4 Hot work means the use of open fires and flames, power tools or hot rivets, grinding, soldering, burning, cutting, welding or any other repair work involving heat or creating sparks which may lead to a hazard because of the presence or proximity of flammable atmosphere.

1.4

1.5 List indication lights means lights, visible from the deck, which light up to show that a ship is listing.

1.5

1.6 Master means the master of the ship or a ship's officer designated by the master.

1.6 Standard shipping industry practice is that the Chief Officer (First Mate) is the designated officer in charge of cargo operations, and is the person with whom the terminal representative will normally liaise.

1.7 Pour means the quantity of cargo poured through one hatch opening as one step in the loading plan, i.e. from the time the spout is positioned over a hatch opening until it is moved to another hatch opening.

1.7

1.8 Terminal representative means a person appointed by the terminal or other facility where the ship is loading or unloading, who has responsibility for operations conducted by that terminal or facility with regard to the particular ship.

1.8 For reasons of practicality it is accepted that the role of terminal representative cannot be limited to one person throughout the entire loading or unloading period, and that provision must be made for shift patterns and compliance with hours of work agreements and regulations.

1.9 Trimming (loading cargo) is the partial or total levelling of the cargo within the holds, by means of loading spouts or chutes, portable machinery, equipment or manual labour.

1.9

1.10 Trimming (unloading cargo) is the shovelling or sweeping up of smaller quantities of the cargo in the holds by mechanical means (such as bulldozers) or other means to place them in a convenient position for discharge.

1.10

1.11 Trimming (ship) is the adding, removal or shifting of weight in a ship to achieve the required forward and aft draughts.

1.11

Section 2.
Suitability of ships and terminals

 

2.1.1 All ships nominated for loading should hold the appropriate valid statutory certification including, if required, the document of compliance* for ships carrying solid dangerous goods in bulk. It is recommended that the period of validity of the ships certificates be sufficient to remain valid during loading, voyage and unloading times, plus a reserve to allow for delays in berthing, inclement weather or both.

2.1.1

2.1.2 The ship owner, manager or operator, when offering a ship for a particular cargo or service, should ensure that the ship:

 

- is maintained in a sound, seaworthy condition;

 

- has on board a competent crew;

 

- has on board at least one officer proficient in the languages used at both the loading and unloading ports, or has an officer available who is proficient in the English language; and

 

- is free of defects that may prejudice the ships safe navigation, loading or unloading.

2.1.2 Terminals should determine the suitability of a ship for compatibility with both loading and/or unloading terminal infrastructure as appropriate.

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* Applicable to ships constructed on or after 1 September 1984.

 

2.1.3 It is essential that a ship selected to transport a solid bulk cargo be suitable for its intended purpose taking into account the terminals at which it will load or unload.

2.1.3 It is important that the terminal operator keeps its relevant customers informed of current terminal standards, limitations and operating conditions in terms of any changes to relevant navigational conditions, water depths, loading/unloading equipment and rates.

2.1.4 The charterer and shipper when accepting a ship for a particular cargo or service should ensure that the ship:

 

- is suitable for access to the planned loading or unloading facilities; and

 

- does not have cargo handling equipment which would inhibit the safety of the loading and unloading operations.

2.1.4 In addition to the checks carried out by the charterer and/or shipper and/or receiver, the terminal operator should take reasonable steps to assure that all bulk carriers nominated for loading/unloading at the terminal are operationally suitable in all respects for the purpose.

 

The following checks are examples of the type of checks that may be carried out:

 

.1 Check appropriate sources of information to confirm that ship meets berth maximum and minimum size limits.

 

- Length overall/Beam/Draft.

 

- Number of holds.

 

- Hatch lengths and widths. Compare dimensions with the most suitable hatch openings on the basis of the terminals own experience. If hatches are less than the preferred size, loader/unloader operators should be informed and appropriate precautions taken.

 

- Gearless/Geared/Gear Type. Location of gear.

 

- Working length from foreward end No.1 hold to aft end aft hold.

 

- Any equipment, design details or performance limitations that could affect the safety or efficiency of the operation.

 

.2 The ships owner, master or agent and the terminal representative should exchange Pre-arrival Ship/Shore Information, as per the examples in annex 1.

 

2.2 Ships

2.2

2.2.1 Ships nominated for bulk loading should be suitable for the intended cargo. Suitable ships should be:

 

.1 weather tight, and efficient in all respects for the normal perils of the sea and the intended voyage;

 

.2 provided with an approved stability and loading booklet written in a language understood by the ship's officers concerned and using standard expressions and abbreviations. If the language is neither English, nor French, nor Spanish, a translation into one of these languages should be included;

 

.3 provided with hatch openings of sufficient size to enable the cargo to be loaded, stowed and unloaded satisfactorily; and

 

.4 provided with the hatch identification numbers used in the loading manual and loading or unloading plan. The location, size and colour of these numbers should be chosen so that they are clearly visible to the operator of the loading or unloading equipment.

2.2.1 The ship should ensure the hatches are adequately identified.

2.2.2 It is recommended that all ships which are required to carry out stress calculations should have on board an approved loading instrument for the rapid calculation of such stresses.

 

2.2.3 All propulsion and auxiliary machinery should be in good functional order. Deck equipment related to mooring and berthing operations, including anchors, cables, mooring lines, hawsers and winches, should be operable and in good order and condition.

 

2.2.4 All hatches, hatch operating systems and safety devices should be in good functional order, and used only for their intended purpose.

 

2.2.5 List indication lights, if fitted, should be tested prior to loading or unloading and proved operational.

 

2.2.6 Ships own cargo-handling equipment should be properly certificated and maintained, and used only under the general supervision of suitably qualified ships personnel.

 

2.3 Terminals

2.3

2.3.1 Terminal operators should ensure that they only accept ships that can safely berth alongside their installation, taking into consideration issues such as:

 

.1 water depth at the berth;

 

.2 maximum size of the ship;

 

.3 mooring arrangements;

 

.4 fendering;

 

.5 safe access; and

 

.6 obstructions to loading/unloading operations.

 

 

2.3.1.1 Terminal representatives should ensure that the following matters are considered:

 

.1 Tidal situation for the period concerned.

 

.2 Weather forecasts.

 

.3 Whether ship will berth port or starboard sideto.

 

.4 Tug and line boat requirements.

 

.5 Mooring requirements taking into account:

 

.1 The size and type of ship;

 

.2 Local tidal conditions and foreseeable weather conditions;

 

.3 The nature of the cargo and ballasting operations;

 

.6 Any obstructions to berthing/unberthing operations.

 

.7 The terminal operator should assure an unobstructed and safe passage between the ship's gangway and the entrance (gate) of the terminal.

 

2.3.1.2 Pre-arrival Ship/Shore Exchange of Information should clarify:

 

.1 Whether ship or terminal will provide the gangway. Responsibility for providing safety net, lighting and care of gangway. Generally the master is responsible for ensuring that there is safe access to and from the ship. Normally the ship provides the gangway and master and terminal representative jointly confirm that it is safe and suitable. Where the ships own gangway is not suitable the terminal may provide one. However, the master is still obliged to ensure that it is maintained in a safe condition at all times.

 

.2 If ship is geared, the ship/charterer should provide a plan of the ship giving the positions of the derricks or cranes, and the distances between them. The terminal representative should check the validity of test reports and certificates for cranes.

 

.3 Loader/unloader booms should be raised clear of berth in good time when a ship is berthing/unberthing.

 

.4 Loaders/unloaders should be parked clear of the normal angle of approach of a berthing ship, in case the bow overshoots the jetty.

2.3.2 Terminal equipment should be properly certificated and maintained in accordance with the relevant national regulations and/or standards, and only operated by duly qualified and, if appropriate, certificated personnel.

2.3.2 Maintenance refers not just to running repairs and upkeep of equipment, but to the planned and systematic inspection and maintenance of equipment at periodic intervals. This is normally carried out in accordance with manufacturers recommendations, national requirements, and industry codes of practice.

2.3.2.1 Where automatic weighing equipment is provided, this should be calibrated at regular intervals.

2.3.2.1 Examination and testing means the thorough examination of the crane or equipment at regular intervals, in accordance with relevant legislation and insurance requirements. Items needing particular attention include:

 

.1 Lifting equipment.

 

.2 Rotating equipment.

 

.3 Access equipment.

 

.4 Safety devices alarms, anemometers, limit switches and controls, emergency stops, emergency escape and fire control equipment.

 

.5 Structural steelwork for corrosion, fatigue or cracking.

 

.6 Travel drive motors and braking systems, inc. storm anchoring arrangements.

 

.7 Lubrication adequate and regular application of correct lubricants.

 

2.3.2.2 Good housekeeping means that the entire terminal area and all the equipment on it should be:

 

.1 Kept in a clean and tidy manner, with everything in its place and a place for everything

 

.2 Maintained to a high standard of safety and safety awareness.

 

.3 Kept to a high standard of mechanical, electrical and structural maintenance.