Intercargo wants action on liquefaction

GETTING WET

DRY BULK • CARGO LIQUEFACTION HAS CAUSED A NUMBER OF SHIP LOSSES OVER THE PAST DECADE, TAKING A HEAVY TOLL ON SEAFARERS’ LIVES. INTERCARGO WANTS ACTION

IN THE TEN years to the end of 2019, a total of 39 dry bulk carriers were lost, according to data released by the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (Intercargo). The sinking of the 52,400-dwt Nur Allya off Indonesia in August 2019 spoilt what would have been a welcome trend in the decline in the number of losses but this incident also highlights the seemingly intractable problem of cargo liquefaction.

Of the 39 losses during the decade beginning 2010, eight bulkers were lost due to cargo shift or liquefaction, not counting Nur Allya, as the cause of its sinking is not known – although it was carrying nickel ore from Indonesia, as were six of the eight ships where cargo liquefaction has been pinpointed as the cause. The other two involved fine iron ore (Bright Ruby, which sank off Hong Kong in November 2011) and bauxite ore (Bulk Jupiter, which sank off Vietnam in January 2015); both of these cargoes were loaded in Malaysia.

Cargo liquefaction incidents place a heavy toll on life. Of the 173 fatalities recorded as a result of the 39 ship losses over the period under review, 131 happened as a result of cargo liquefaction (if Nur Allya is included). When a bulk cargo becomes unstable, so does the ship. This means that the ship can capsize very quickly, often without warning, giving the crew no time to evacuate.

LEARNING THE LESSONS In its commentary to the statistical report, Intercargo says that the loss of Nur Allya “cast a shadow over the industry’s excellent safety performance” in 2018, when no losses were recorded. “This incident alone clearly demonstrates there is no room for complacency,” the Association says.

Intercargo also calls for more rapid incident investigation and publication of incident reports. “Lessons learned from past incidents play an important role in determining where additional safety improvements are necessary, both at an industry and an international level,” it says. “To this end the prompt publication of thorough and complete casualty investigation reports remains a key objective of the industry. It is vitally important that casualty investigation reports are submitted to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in a timely manner so that the root causes of serious incidents can be properly identified and the appropriate corrective actions taken.”

Intercargo says it finds it “difficult to accept” that accident reports on only 24 of the 39 recorded incidents have been made available on IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) database and that the average time between an incident and the publication of the investigation report is 32 months.

However, those lessons that need to be learned are feeding through into regulatory changes. Amendment 05-19 to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code, which takes effect on 1 January 2021, includes lessons learned from the Bulk Jupiter incident, with new instructions on the carriage of bauxite fines: This cargo may suffer instability due to moisture content resulting in dynamic separation and formation of a liquid slurry (water and fine solids) above the solid material, leading to a free surface effect which may significantly affect the ship’s stability. This cargo is not liable to undergo dynamic separation when the cargo is shipped below its TML [transportable moisture limit].

Similarly, the investigation into the foundering of Stellar Daisy in March 2017 has led IMO to consider additional measures for bulk carriers in the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (Solas) and the International Code on the Enhanced Programme of Inspections during Surveys of Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers (ESP Code) to close gaps that the investigation identified.

Intercargo’s report can be downloaded in full from its website at www.intercargo.org/ wp-content/uploads/2020/04/INTERCARGO-BulkCarrier-Casualty-Report_2020-web-PRESS.pdf.