Port Hedland Loading

A cargo claim was brought against one of our Cape Sized vessels' at Port Hedland
Australia on two accounts.

1) The quantity of Fresh Water and Ballast water on board was found to be more
than that declared by the Master to the charterers at the onset of the voyage to
the loading port when advising the max cargo to load at the limiting draft.This
resulted in the Charterers claiming for short loading to an amount equal to the
excess of Fresh Water and Ballast Water.
Masters’ to ensure that the figures of the deductible weights declared during the
deadweight calculations for determining the max cargo to load are as accurate
as possible with a very negligible difference with the actual quantity on board
during culmination of loading operations.Pre-loading plan which was advised to
charterers, BW and FW was less than actual BW and FW which was found o/b
on completion of loading. The Charterers claimed freight loss on difference
between the 2 figures. Kindly ensure that when Pre-loading plan which is sent to
Charterers is as accurate as possible especially with respect to all liquids (FW,
BW, F.O, L.O).
2) The said vessel was supposed to load to a limiting draft of 17.81M but ended up
loaded to 17.799M thereby loading short by an amount of 137MT. The vessel
was unable to load a full and complete cargo as the minimum allowable quantity
for the final trim pour as per the terminal rules and regulations is not less than
500 MT.
To avoid this kind of a situation which can lead to a sizeable claim to the detriment of
owner's interests please ensure compliance with following procedures when faced with
similar conditions at Port Hedland in particular and any other port in general:-
1. The Intermediate Draft Survey is carried out to determine the quantity required for the
final trim pour. This should be done as accurately as possible and requires the Chief
Officer's undivided attention. The draft survey should be carried out as prudently as is
normally exercised during the initial and final surveys taking into account all parameters
including hogging/sagging corrections The Master must exercise due diligence by
ensuring that he is physically present at the Cargo Control Room/Ship's Office to
augment the Chief Officer and to generally oversee the procedures. As a general rule
always add 50 to 75 MT (approximately half of TPC, half CM) in excess of the quantity
determined for the final trim pour.
2. If the vessel still lands up loading short cargo to a quantity which the terminal is
unwilling to provide(less than 500 MT in case of Port Hedland) then the Master should
issue a Letter of Protest to the terminal refusing all liability to the owner/charterer for the
quantity short loaded. The Statement of Facts (SOF) and the Mates Receipts must be
claused accordingly to safeguard owners'/charterers' interests accordingly.
3. It would be expedient on the part of the Master to put a remark in the terminal
handbook which is usually presented to the Master at the onset of the cargo operations
that the vessel would endeavour to load a full and complete cargo determined as per
the limiting draft however no liability for short loading would be acceptable for any
quantity which the terminal is unwilling to provide due whatever reason.
The facts of the case are the vessel loaded upto Mean of Mean dep draft of17.799M as against required
draft of 17.81M, whereby Chrtr claiming freight loss of 137MT.
The Master's explanation was the terminal Information handbook states that "the minimum tonnage that
can be provided by the loading equipment is 500 MT",
therefore they refused to load balance 137MT as this figure was less than 500MT. How do you manage
this kind of problem. We are facing this kind of problem
for the first time.
Reply by Capt Aziz

Good day kindly note tt it's true in west Aust's iron ore berth-
"the minimum tonnage that can be provided by the loading equipment is 500 MT"
And if ship request less than 500 Mt to load terminal refuse to load.
Due to agreed/sign by vsl terminal information handbook b4 loading.
So Master/Ch off make pre-plan, continuously monitoring shore figure with
ship figure and finally once intermediate draft survey for trimming final
quantity to load vsl should be asked always more load quantity (exam-100/150
Mt) than calculate quantity to avoid arise such situation.
And if found cargo shortage compare with ship's declaration weight

after final draft survey and port terminal refuse to loading shortage as less
than 500 MT ,vsl's master need immediate prepare LOP and remarked that : due
to port draft restrictions vsl can't loading more than 137 tons to reach to
declared draft.But according to C/OFF's calculate quantity ,vsl should sank
to declared draft during final trimming.the only reason of the less draft
caused by vsl not sure accurate loaded wt which was given by shore side .
Once agreed less qty and sign all documents difficult to manage Chrtr
claiming freight loss. Only Master can lodge LOP/Dead fright claims but
might no agreed/sign by agent/shipper/terminal operator due b4 loading vsl
agreed that less than 500 Mt if request for loading one time terminal unable
due very long loading belt from iron storage pile to ship.
Option to avoid claim from different party:

--------------------------------------------------------
Even after complete loading and after final draft survey found small load
qty less from shore to ship,but vsl still can agree for final loadable qty as
declaration to avoid any third party claim.
After onward can manage with shore draft surveyor at load port to adjust
by FW/BW/draft reading figure/density of water etc to matching with declared
sailing draft and qty. During passage can show more cargo hold bilges pump
out to adjust shortage at disch port qty ,so no any claim short landed cargo.
even disch port can manage with reading draft/density as we can keep some
hiding water 100~200 mt in our ballast line. Our aim should be no any claim
arise comes to our Owners account to avoid by any means to manage.
Reply by Capt Sawant

It is correct that the minimum tonnage that can be provided by the loading equipment is 500 MT",
Hwvr during intermidiate drafty survey, the loading master and the Chief officer will determine how much
more cargo need to be loaded for the declared draft and or the declared Quantity, which ever may be the
governing factor.
Many times during the intermediate draft survey time the list, hog/sag conditions are not taken much
seriously by some loading masters (especially if we get some young ones from ASIAN origins). Many
times vessel has to push to get all the parameters correct before procedding with the internediate draft
readings.
After intermediate survey drafty calculations, the loading master will tell the loader how much more
nedded for the final top up. Up to this stage vessel can request whatever more quantity required. If there
is some error in mean of mean draft at this stage it will be carried forwatrd to the final trimming pours.
Loader will plan the trimming pours to make sure the loading equipment is empty when vessel finishes the
loading. Vessel cannot make any additional request for the cargo after the final pours are finished if
required quatity is less than 500 Tons. Any thing less than that will result in some cargo remaining in the
equipment, conveyor belts, hoppers etc when loading is complete and this is not allowed.
In above case there may be several factors, such as error in deadweight calculations coming out of Ballst
ROB, FuelROB, very high constant, six sided draft readings and due to HOG conditions.
Since vessel was loading to less than the Summer LL draft, there must have been MIN/Max qty to load
stipulated in the CP.As long as the final qty loaded is within this range then there should be no claim for
the short loading.
It is notced that when the loading master comes on board for intermediate draft survey (Usually 2 hour
before completion) things get very busy on board and chief offiver can easily get overwhelmed by the flow
of events and the various querries initiated by the loading master and the cargo loader. Presence of
Master in the ship's office can greatly improve the sitruation as Master can see better and bigger picture
of the proceedings and intervene if necessary. This is especially true if Chief officer is new in the trade
and or of very mild nature.
Hope above will be of some use for your understanding.
Please make a circular of loading at Port Hedland to avoid this kind of

problem
Brgds/Sunil
This email is confidential and intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above and may contain
information that is privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure,
dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error,
please notify us immediately by return email or telephone and destroy the original message.

Port Hedland Loading

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Port Hedland Loading

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Port Hedland Loading

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

A cargo claim was brought against one of our Cape Sized vessels' at Port Hedland

Australia on two accounts.

Reply by Capt Aziz

And if found cargo shortage compare with ship's declaration weight

Option to avoid claim from different party:

Reply by Capt Sawant

Hope above will be of some use for your understanding.

Please make a circular of loading at Port Hedland to avoid this kind of

You might also like