BULK CARRIER PRACTICE Captain J Isbester ExC FNI BULK CARRIER PRACTICE Captain J Isbester FNI MRIN Extra Master Foreword by Dr Frank Chao, Chairman, Intercargo CONTENTS Page Foreword Introduction Acknowledgements Chapter BULK CARRIERS PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE Evolution from tramp ships, categories of bulk carrier, the layout of a bulk carrier with particular reference to its distinctive features 15 Chapter CHARTERPARTIES Charterparties, time charters, voyage charters, sub-chartering, voyage estimates, compliance with the charter party, owners' and charterers' voyage orders, consultation with principals, master's responsibilities including interruptions to the voyage, keeping full records, surveys, and tendering of notice of readiness 29 Chapter LOG BOOKS, RECORDS & REFERENCE BOOKS The records which should be maintained aboard bulk carriers because of their trade, the reference books which ought to be available for routine inspection, and the drawings required by deck officers 37 Chapter MAINTENANCE AND CARE OF HATCH COVERS Development, hatchcover types, general description and design, surveys, testing for watertightness, maintenance procedures, some defects, emergency opening & closing, hatch leakage—first aid 51 Chapter PREPARATION OF HOLDS General considerations, disposal of cargo residues, preparation for cleaning, washing, clearing blocked bilge suctions, drying, sweeping, preparation of bilges and testing of fittings, hold inspections, time required for hold preparation, final preparations, hold coatings, ballast holds 69 Chapter ENSURING SYSTEMS ARE OPERATIONAL Ventilation, airpipes, hold bilges, soundings, hold temperature systems, deck & hold lighting, fire smothering systems, hatch coaming drains, deck machinery, derricks & cranes 78 Chapter BALLAST MANAGEMENT Basic pattern of ballast management, relevant regulations, ship's ballast layout, quantity of ballast required, ballasting whilst discharging, ballast management on passage, restrictions on deballasting, deballasting, achieving good results, maintenance of ballast tanks, removal of sediment and scale, patching of leaks, maintenance of coatings in tanks, inspections, closing of tanks 87 Chapter STRENGTH, STABILITY, DRAFT & TRIM Shear forces and bending moments, ship movement in a seaway, springing, hull stress monitoring, stability, free surface effect, angle of loll, flooding, sloshing, hogging & sagging, squat, effects of list and heel, change of trim due to change of density 103 Chapter PLANNING OF THE LOADING Orders for loading, general approach, maximum lift, limiting point in voyage, factors which govern the distribution of cargo, the loading/deballasting programme, two berth and two port loading and discharge, block loading, two and multi-loader operations, the trimming pours, loading the optimum amount of cargo, the discharging programme, when cargo cannot be carried safely 109 BULK CARRIER PRACTICE Page Chapter 10 THE LOADING CALCULATIONS Loading computers, the use of loading manuals, their deficiencies and contents, displacement, stability and longitudinal strength calculations, choice of methods, practical considerations, grain stability, and timber stability 123 Chapter 11 THE LOADING OR DISCHARGING BERTH The final authority for decisions, the need for exchange of information, maximum safe draft, tidal range and sailing draft, air draft, cargo handling equipment and rate, positions of structures on quay, mooring requirements, systems of fendering, systems of access, restrictions on deballasting, communication with berth operators, tonnage 'on the belt', hours of work, effects of weather, methods of trimming, loading, and discharging, ship's information for the berth operator including typical mooring arrangements, methods of information exchange, storing and handling of cargoes ashore 139 Chapter 12 THE LOADING PERIOD The importance of the loading period, arrival in the berth, preloading surveys, acceptability of the offered cargo, duties of the ship's officers, the loading/deballasting programme, monitoring of the loading and deballasting, supervision of the work of the crew, liaison with loading staff, damage to ship or cargo, maintenance of full records, chief mate's role as troubleshooter, master's role, shifting ship by warping, safe procedures for working cargo 151 Chapter 13 ESTABLISHING THE QUANTITY OF CARGO LOADED OR DISCHARGED Methods of weighing bulk cargoes ashore, draft survey procedures, reasons for unexpected results 160 Chapter 14 CARGO DOCUMENTS Hold inspection certificates, mate's receipts, bills of lading and authorizations to sign them, phytosanitary certificates, certificates of compliance, UN approval, origin, declarations by shipper, certificates of transportable moisture limit, moisture content, master's response sheet, certificates of IMO classification, lashing, readiness to load, fitness to proceed to sea, loading, fumigation, weight and quality, stowage plans, cargo manifests, dangerous cargo manifests, material safety data, hatch sealing certificates, statements of fact, letters of protest, empty hold certificates, trimming certificates and stevedores' time sheets, clean ballast discharge permits and paint compliance certificates 168 Chapter 15 THE LOADED VOYAGE Departure from the loading port, choice of route, cargo ventilation, soundings, acidity of bilges, cargo temperatures, sampling of air in holds, checking and tightening of cargo lashings daily, inspections in fair and rough weather, conduct of the voyage in rough weather, reporting, arriving at the discharging port 179 Chapter 16 THE DISCHARGING PERIOD Shipboard organisation during discharge, routine procedures, on first arrival, liaison with the discharging staff, the discharging/ballasting programme, ballasting, discharge by continuous unloading, grab, Cavaletto, vacuvator or ship's gear, care for cargo, the search for and repair of stevedores' damage, crew work 190 Chapter 17 THE BALLAST VOYAGE General remarks, departure from the discharging port, choice of route, routine tasks, conduct of the voyage in rough weather, reporting, before arrival at the loading port, partial deballasting before berthing 199 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE Chapter 18 SPECIAL TYPES OF BULK CARRIERS Operational characteristics of self unloaders, mini-bulkers, forest product ships, log carriers, retractable tweendeck vessels, vessels with Munck cranes and combination carriers Page 203 Chapter 19 CARRIAGE OF COMMON & TYPICAL BULK CARGOES Grain, coal, iron ore, steel, forest products 223 Chapter 20 UNUSUAL CARGOES & SPECIAL TRADES Bulk cargo separations, taking the ground in the berth, general and breakbulk cargoes, trading to cold regions 239 Chapter 21 SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS Responsibility for safety, permit to work system, entering enclosed spaces, use of pesticides, access between ship and shore, hazards from working cargo 251 Chapter 22 INSTRUMENTS AND MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT Atmospheric test equipment, hydrometers, sea water sampling equipment, whirling psychrometers, mucking winches, mobile cranes, cherrypickers, scaffolding, paint sprayers, portable sump pumps, high pressure washing machines, hold inspection systems, big area descalers, sand blasting machines, needle guns, pneumatic grease guns 258 Chapter 23 MAINTENANCE Planned maintenance systems, the planning of maintenance, management of spare parts, greasing and oiling, painting, maintenance of derricks, cranes and grabs, ship's fixtures and fittings 263 Chapter 24 REPAIRS & DRYDOCKING Repair of damage and defects, drydocking 275 Chapter 25 SHIP'S HOUSEKEEPING The housekeeping problem, excluding dust, dealing with dirt, keeping water out, disposal of wastes 282 Chapter 26 BULK CARRIER CASUALTIES Introduction, bulker casualties and their principal causes, other causes of damage which might lead to loss of a bulker, prevention of casualties, detection of damage, other constructive proposals, summary 287 Appendices 303 Bibliography 394 Index 398 Notes on numbering of illustrations and appendices All illustrations and appendices are numbered in one sequence consecutively within the chapter in which they appear or to which they relate—e.g., FIG 1.5, denotes figure in chapter and will be found in the main text of the book; APPENDIX 10.1 denotes appendix relating to chapter 10 and will be found in the collection of appendices at the back of the book BULK CARRIER PRACTICE FOREWORD DRY BULK CARRIERS, the workhorses of the sea carry out the essential transport of commodities without which our modern society would not be able to function The ships and their crews, together with the companies that operate them, not enjoy the glamour attached to other sectors of the industry more in the public eye: the bulk shipping sector does, however, provide a highly cost-effective service for which proper recognition is due This quiet matterof-fact 'let us get on with the job' approach so prevalent in bulk carrier companies belies the professionalism implicit in the operation of bulk carriers and perhaps leads others to undervalue its major contribution to the world economy It is not until somebody of the calibre of Captain Isbester, supported by the Bulk Carrier Working Group of The Nautical Institute, puts operational practice into writing, that the reader becomes aware of the knowledge, expertise and skill necessary to run bulk carriers efficiently and safely The 26 chapters of this book break new ground They focus not only on operational requirements but also on the various decision-making processes necessary for successful operation This approach separates this publication from others in the field and provides its unique character The task of compiling such a book is very much more difficult than simply writing a textbook on a specific theme, such as charterparties But once achieved, it is essential for reference and study Clearly it will be used both on board and in a company's daily operations It will also be an effective training manual for all those joining the world's bulk fleet for the first time More widely, it will be of particular value to shippers and charterers, terminal operators, surveyors, consultants and maritime lawyers The 400 pages of the book encapsulate the essence of good economic performance and professional awareness of all the contributory factors which go towards optimum stowage and discharge, and thus to a successful voyage This entails meeting the charterparty requirements without claims arising, whilst still ensuring that the vessel is at all times ready to trade Operating successfully and profitably is no mean achievement in today's turbulent trading conditions It therefore gives me great pleasure to write this foreword The advice and information the book contains will not only ensure high standards of operation, but will provide a means for reducing claims and containing risk Well presented, in straightforward language and intelligently illustrated, the book has a persuasive authority which will stimulate interest and commitment Dr Frank Chao Chairman, Intercargo; President, Wah Kwong Shipping, Hong Kong THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE INTRODUCTION THIS BOOK is an attempt to gather into a single volume all the specialised knowledge and experience which a master and his deck officers require if they are to operate bulk carriers safely and efficiently The emphasis throughout is on the dry bulk trades, and matters such as navigation, ship handling and safety have in general been discussed only where they apply specifically to bulk carriers The reader has been assumed to have an adequate knowledge of ships, seamanship, navigation, stability and nautical terms, but no previous experience of bulk carriers Every effort has been made to use plain English for the benefit of the many seafarers for whom English is a second language Whilst written primarily for the bulk carrier master or officer who wants to increase his knowledge, the needs of ship-owners, ship operators, nautical college staff, naval architects, marine consultants and surveyors, average adjusters, maritime lawyers and regulatory authorities have not been forgotten The book contains much in the way of practical operating procedures which is likely to be useful to these categories of reader The methods and procedures described are those followed by shipping companies, masters and senior officers who run hard-working ships with competent officers, adequate manning, and sufficient stores and spares The standards described are high, but not unrealistic, and are necessary if ships are to be operated safely and efficiently and maintained in good condition For readers who have a thorough understanding of bulk carrier operations and simply require a reminder of good working routines, the checklists which end many of the chapters provide an easily readable summary of tasks and procedures A full explanation of why and how each task is done is to be found in the body of the book, whilst the appendices provide worked examples of calculations and detailed treatment of some specialised matters The appendices containing the basic stability calculations have been prepared with care Every effort has been made to give full guidance as to how these calculations can be completed They have been provided because the explanations given in loading and stability manuals are often inadequate The mv Regina Oldendorff, a handy-sized geared bulk carrier has, by kind permission of her owners, been used as an example to illustrate points throughout the book The range of cargoes for which she was designed and her excellent condition of maintenance made her very suitable for that purpose My own background and those of the experienced bulk carrier masters and officers who advised me have ensured that the working practices described in the book are appropriate for all sizes of bulk carrier and not limited to the handy-sized vessel or any other single category Several of the builders' drawings of the Regina Oldendorff have been reproduced for reference To fit them in this book they have been much reduced in scale In general, the comments made about them can be understood without the need to read the small print, but readers who want to study the detail can so with the help of a magnifying glass, or of an enlarged copy taken with a photocopier I had hoped to use standard abbreviations for the stability terms used in the book, but stability manuals from different sources use a bewildering variety of abbreviations for the same value, as is shown in Appendix 10.1 There is an obvious need for international standardisation of abbreviations for stability purposes In most cases stability terms have in this book been stated in full to avoid confusion Metric units have been used throughout the book, with Imperial equivalents also given when they are often used Although the Systeme International d'Unites (SI) has been the system of measurements adopted officially by the major maritime nations since the 1960s its introduction within shipping has been slow, and it remains normal in the industry to speak of 'weight' rather than 'mass' I have followed common practice, and written of weight The title of this book, Bulk Carrier Practice, consciously echoes that of Tanker Practice written by Captain GAB King in 1956 Captain King's is an outstanding text book which was welcomed by generations of students, junior officers and newcomers to the business of operating tankers With the encouragement and help of The Nautical Institute I have sought in this book to provide a similarly authoritative manual for those with an interest in bulk carriers There is one significant difference between the shipping industry in the 1950s and that of the 1990s Captain King wrote for officers drawn, in most cases, from traditional maritime countries with well established schemes for officer training Nowadays, most officers, particularly on bulk carriers, come from Third World countries where traditions of training for the sea are more recent and diverse When providing explanations in this book I have tried not to assume too much knowledge and experience in the reader BULK CARRIER PRACTICE The dry bulk trades, by virtue of the variety of ships used, cargoes carried and ports visited, make considerable demands upon the skill, experience, resourcefulness and determination of those who man the ships Whilst talking to the many bulk carrier masters and officers, past and present, who have advised me I have been conscious of their eagerness to pass on their hard-earned expertise, and to help those with less experience to operate their ships safely and competently That is the main purpose of this book, and to those readers who are serving on bulk carriers, or preparing to so I send my best wishes for voyages made safer, more efficient, more successful and therefore more enjoyable by a careful reading of the appropriate chapters! There is always room for improvement in a book such as this and corrections and suggestions for new procedures or material to be included in any possible future edition will be welcome.| | Jack Isbester October 1993 Front cover photograph Part of the cargo of grain from the Panamax-sized bulker Adriatic Skou (72,000 dwt), berthed alongside in Antwerp, is being transhipped by gantry-mounted grabs to the handy-sized Eglantine (31,000 dwt) berthed outside her Photograph: Foto Guido-Coolens Antwerp, reproduced by courtesy of ABT, Antwerp Bulk Terminals THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A BOOK with the range and depth of Bulk Carrier Practice can only justice to the subject if information is available from numerous sources It has been my good fortune to write this book for The Nautical Institute, a body with an unrivalled wealth of experience amongst its membership in the operation of bulk carriers Much of that experience has been put at my disposal by members who have provided information, contacts and advice, and I have been fortunate in receiving generous assistance from a number of very capable and experienced colleagues Captain Peter Roberts, BSc, FNI, and Captain LesHesketh, MNI, both serving shipmasters, have read the entire book chapter by chapter as it was written and provided me with a very considerable number of constructive comments which demonstrate their commitment to best operating standards and the practical approach they both employ A third serving shipmaster, Captain Francois Hugo, FNI, spent weeks of his spare time in designing a set of documents for all the standard deadweight, trim, stability and stress calculations, and supporting them with a comprehensive set of worked examples and explanations He also checked all the other calculations which the book contains Captain Peter Boyle, FNI, and Captain Eric Beetham, FNI, FRSA, FRMetS, FRIN, like Peter Roberts and Les Hesketh, were members of the Bulk Carrier Working Group which guided the project and gave me much useful advice In addition Peter Boyle provided much of the information for Chapter 21, whilst Eric Beetham wrote the text and provided the illustrations for the section on combination carriers Captain Peter Swift, FNI, and Dennis Barber, MNI, were also members of the Working Group who could be relied upon for prompt information, assistance and support when it was needed When seeking a shipowner with a modern versatile handy-sized bulk carrier which I could use to illustrate the text of the book I was fortunate to meet Mr Henning Oldendorff of Egon Oldendorff He and his staff, particularly Mr D Kannenberg were immensely helpful to me, and it was a pleasure to visit mv Regina Oldendorff in Liverpool and to note the immaculate condition in which she was maintained, as illustrated by the photos in the book Tony Vlasto and Paul Dickie, solicitors with Clifford Chance, provided very necessary advice about the legal aspects of charterparties and cargo documents, and Captain Richard Evans brought to my attention many commercial considerations for the same two chapters Keith Taylor, BSc, CEng, managing director of MacGregor-Navire (GBR) Ltd, provided considerable assistance with Chapter Captain Geoff Cowap, ExC, MPhil, MRIN, MNI, gave generously of his time to put the hydrostatic characteristics of the Regina Oldendorff into a computerised loading program I am indebted to many other people for their contributions on particular topics or their assistance in improving my text Amongst former colleagues from Jebsens Ship Management Ltd I am particularly grateful to Simon Evans, MlMarE, for advising me from the chief engineer's point of view, to Captain Derek Clements, MNI and to Captain Steve Barnet, MNI, for practical information on a variety of topics, to Captain Tony Gatt, MNI, for welcoming me aboard mv Telnes, and to Captain Allan Brown, MNI, for the prompt provision of useful information Captain David Greenhalgh, MNI, revealed his experience of log carriers in a letter to Lloyd's List and was then prevailed upon to provide notes on that subject for the book David Phipps of Arlona Engineering in Durban supplied notes upon the cocooning of cargoes and the use of grabs David Robinson, BSc, CEng, MRINA, a principal surveyor at Lloyd's Register and chairman of the IACS working party on hull damages, and his colleagues provided much useful advice on safe loading procedures and the avoidance of damage to bulk carriers Dr Ian Dand, CEng, BSc, PhD, FRINA gave advice and encouragement 6n Chapter S.John Stott, CEng, MA, BSc, MIMarE, FInstR, improved my words on ventilation and applied his usual scrupulous standards to the text Captain Ken Harper, FNI, provided invaluable notes on the measurement and transportation of forest products, and for authoritative advice on the carriage of steel I was able to consult Arthur Sparks, MNI Jerry Colman, FRINA, MRIN, CEng and his colleagues provided advice on several stability matters, and on bulk carrier losses Captain Kelvin Ferries, MNI, supplied information about Munck gantries, whilst Captains John Houghton, FNI, and Gordon Mackie, FNI, gave me data and advice about weather routeing services To Captains Angus McDonald, FNI, Francois Baillod, MNI, Andrew Tinsley, MNI, John David, MNI, and Gordon Blythe, MNI, I am indebted for thoughtful advice based upon their varied personal experience Douglas Foy, FNI, has a long and creditable record of drawing attention to the scandal of bulk carrier losses, and I have been encouraged by his support and assistance The Nautical Institute's Seaways magazine, and in particular its letters section, has also been enormously useful to me as a source of sound professional opinion BULK CARRIER PRACTICE For advice, information and encouragement I am grateful to Captain Tim Lant, Mr O H J Dijxhoorn of the IMO, Donald J Sheetz, MNI Captains Iain Steverson, MNI, Chris Colchester, MNI, and Sam Household, FNI, to David Ralph of the DOT and Derek Maidment of BMT Cortec Ltd, to Richard Clarke, BComm, MNI, Kenneth Long, BSc, FIGS, FNI, MCIT, Phil Anderson, FNI, and Karl Lumbers, MNI I am deeply indebted to Julian Parker, BSc, FNI Secretary of The Nautical Institute, for his unfailing support and encouragement during the three years during which this project has matured, to David Sanders, ExC, FNI, production editor, for his skill in making the very best of the material provided, and to Lieutenant-Commander Mike Plumridge FNI, RN, Deputy Secretary, for arranging for my attendance at several relevant seminars To Captain Peter Lyon, FRIN, MNI, my partner at Eagle Lyon Pope Associates, I offer my thanks for the patience and generosity with which he has accepted my extended absence from our consultancy—a period during which our office became, for me, hardly more than a photocopying agencyt! I am also grateful to him for improvements to Chapter 11—The Loading/Discharging Berth My wife Audrey is no expert on bulk carriers, and her contribution to the book cannot be identified within its pages However, the book would never have been written were it not for the generosity, tolerance and equanimity with which she kept the household running during the last three years even accepting, with hardly a hint of protest, that when we went on holiday the word processor went with us! I owe her a very substantial debt of gratitude My debt to all those mentioned above, and to any others I may have forgotten, is considerable If the book contains errors the fault is mine.Q] Jack Isbester Photographs and diagrams Photographs of the Regina Oldendorff in Liverpool are © by Tangent Commercial Photography, Merseyside L64 3UG Diagrams drawn by David Henderson Additional artwork by Brian Mehl 10 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE ... Brian Mehl 10 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE BULK CARRIER PRACTICE 11 12 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE BULK CARRIER PRACTICE 13 14 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE 14 Chapter BULK CARRIERS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE Evolution... of bulk carrier, the layout of a bulk carrier with particular reference to its distinctive features BULK CARRIERS, or bulkers, are ships designed primarily for the transportation of solid bulk. .. forecastle deck is provided BULK CARRIER PRACTICE 21 FIG 1.34 FOLDING HATCH COVERS OPENING FIG 1.35 6,000-DWT MINI-BULKER ROCKNES (SKYPHOTOS) 22 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE BULK CARRIER PRACTICE 23 24 THE