The title should possibly be "Alternate hold loading of Ore in bulk carriers ".
As far as I am concerned , the reason for this practice was purely commercial.
Promoted by discharge and loading terminals to reduce the number of shifts
of men and equipment and hence speed up loading/discharging rates.
Promoted by charterers ( both time and voyage) to reduce cleaning time and
hence cleaning costs. Most charter partys call for a vessel to be delivered
"swept clean and free from previous cargo residues" - in the ore trade.
How much this practice has contributed to marine accidents is something that
can be discussed for ages but my view is that it was certainly was never to
the benefit of bulk carriers or the personnel on board.
The only advantages I can see are the reduction of that back breaking work
of hauling up and dumping hundreds of buckets of ore sweepings and a lot
less hold to survey for grab damage . But these are far removed from the
safety aspect.
Convention : SOLAS CH XII Bulk Carriers
Flag :ALL FLAGS
Ship type :Bulk Carriers
STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS. REMINDER
1. SOLAS REGULATIONS
1.1. SOLAS Reg.XII/14 (Restriction from sailing with any hold empty) reads :
paragraphs 2 and 3 read :
. 2 Any restrictions imposed on the carriage of solid bulk cargoes having a density of
1,780 kg/m3 and above in accordance with the requirements of regulations 6 and
14 shall be identified and recorded in the booklet referred to in paragraph 1.
2. PROHIBITED LOADING CONDITIONS
2.1. When a Bulk carrier has not been assessed to comply with the above requirements of
SOLAS Regulation XII/14, the prohibited loading conditions(referred to as alternate hold
loading conditions) are those loading conditions where any hold is loaded to less than 10%
of the hold maximum allowable cargo weight with the vessel in the full load condition
which is a condition equal or greater than 90% of the ship's deadweight at the summer
freeboard.
As far as I am concerned , the reason for this practice was purely commercial.
Promoted by discharge and loading terminals to reduce the number of shifts
of men and equipment and hence speed up loading/discharging rates.
Promoted by charterers ( both time and voyage) to reduce cleaning time and
hence cleaning costs. Most charter partys call for a vessel to be delivered
"swept clean and free from previous cargo residues" - in the ore trade.
How much this practice has contributed to marine accidents is something that
can be discussed for ages but my view is that it was certainly was never to
the benefit of bulk carriers or the personnel on board.
The only advantages I can see are the reduction of that back breaking work
of hauling up and dumping hundreds of buckets of ore sweepings and a lot
less hold to survey for grab damage . But these are far removed from the
safety aspect.
Convention : SOLAS CH XII Bulk Carriers
Flag :ALL FLAGS
Ship type :Bulk Carriers
STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS. REMINDER
1. SOLAS REGULATIONS
1.1. SOLAS Reg.XII/14 (Restriction from sailing with any hold empty) reads :
- Bulk carriers of 150 m in length and upwards of
single-side skin construction, carrying
cargoes having a density of 1,780 kg/m3 and above, if not meeting the requirements
for withstanding flooding of any one cargo hold as specified in regulation 5.1 and the
Standard and criteria for side structure of bulk carrier of single-side skin construction,
adopted by the Organization by resolution MSC.168(79), as may be amended by the
Organization, provided that such amendments are adopted, brought into force and
take effect in accordance with the provisions of article VIII of the present Convention
concerning the amendments procedures applicable to the Annex other than Chapter I,
shall not sail with any hold loaded to less than 10% of the hold’s maximum allowable
cargo weight when in the full load condition, after reaching 10 years of age. The
applicable full load condition for this regulation is a load equal to or greater than 90% of
the ship’s deadweight at the relevant assigned freeboard.
paragraphs 2 and 3 read :
. 2 Any restrictions imposed on the carriage of solid bulk cargoes having a density of
1,780 kg/m3 and above in accordance with the requirements of regulations 6 and
14 shall be identified and recorded in the booklet referred to in paragraph 1.
. 3 A bulk carrier to which paragraph 2 applies shall be permanently marked on the side
shell at midships, port and starboard, with a solid equilateral triangle having
sides of 500 mm and its apex 300 mm below the deck line, and painted a contrasting
colour to that of the hull.
2. PROHIBITED LOADING CONDITIONS
2.1. When a Bulk carrier has not been assessed to comply with the above requirements of
SOLAS Regulation XII/14, the prohibited loading conditions(referred to as alternate hold
loading conditions) are those loading conditions where any hold is loaded to less than 10%
of the hold maximum allowable cargo weight with the vessel in the full load condition
which is a condition equal or greater than 90% of the ship's deadweight at the summer
freeboard.
