Cargo hold cleaning standards in bulk carrier -Surveyors requirement prior Grain

loading

Preparation of a cargo hold prior grain loading is not just a question of sweeping, cleaning or
washing down the hold. There are a number of matters to consider, and failing to adhere to
good practice can result in failure to pass cargo hold inspection.

In the dry bulk trades, there are essentially five grades of hold cleanliness:

1. hospital clean, or ‘ stringent’ cleanliness

Hospital clean is the most stringent, requiring the holds to have 100% intact paint coatings on
all surfaces, including the tank top, all ladder rungs and undersides of hatches.

The standard of hospital clean is a requirement for certain cargoes, for example kaolin/china
clay, mineral sands including zircon, barytes, rutile sand, ilmenite, fluorspar, chrome ore, soda
ash, rice in bulk, and high grades of wood pulp. Generally, these high standards of cleanliness
will only be met by vessels trading exclusively with such cargoes. It will rarely be required in the
tramp trades.

Grain clean is the most common requirement. A ship will be required to be grain clean for the
majority of bulk and break bulk cargoes, such as all grains, soya meal and soya products,
alumina, sulphur, bulk cement, bauxite, concentrates, and bulk fertilisers. Some ports and
shippers may allow a different standard of cleanliness.

Normal clean means that the holds are swept clean, with no residues of the previous cargo, and
washed down (or not, depending on charterer’s requirements), that is, cleaned sufficiently for
taking cargoes similar to or compatible with the previous shipment. Shovel clean means that all
previous cargo that can be removed with a ‘Bobcat’ or a rough sweep and clean with shovels by
the stevedores or crew. The master should clarify what standard is expected.

Load on top means exactly what it says – the cargo is loaded on top of existing cargo residues.
Usually, this means ‘grab cleaned’. This standard will commonly be required where a ship is
trading continuously with the same commodity and grade of that commodity. This will typically
occur when a ship is employed under a Contract of Affreightment to carry, for example, a single
grade of coal over a period. With such a trade, there is no commercial need for holds to be
cleaned between successive cargoes, and each cargo is simply loaded on top of any remaining
residues from the previous cargo. With load on top, guidance may be necessary for the master
on any cleaning requirements, including the use of bulldozers and cleaning gangs.

What is Grain clean ?

The most common cleanliness requirement for bulk carriers is that of grain clean. It means
“clean, swept, washed down by fresh water and free from insects, odour, residue of previous
cargo (incl. coal petcoke, clinker.)/loose rust scale/paint flakes etc. dried up and ready to receive
charterers’ intended cargo subject to shippers’/relevant surveyors’ inspection. If the ship fails
hold inspection by shipper/relevant surveyor, the ship to be placed off hire until accepted in all
holds, and any extra costs/ expenses/time included stevedores’ stand-by and/or cancelling
charges, therefrom to be for owners’ account”.

The usual instructions a master of a tramping conventional bulk carrier will receive, particularly
if his ship is unfixed for next employment, is Clean to grain clean on completion of discharge.
The guideline here is aimed at the majority of bulk carriers engaged in the carriage of ‘usual’
bulk cargoes in conventional ships, which are cleaned to a grain clean standard. As noted above,
there are certain cargoes, such as kaolin, which require the higher standard of cleanliness or
hospital clean.

What is ‘loose scale’?

It is important to differentiate such scale from oxidation rust (i.e. light atmospheric rusting).
Loose scale will break away when struck with a fist or when light pressure is applied with a knife
blade or scraper under the edge of the scale. Oxidation rust will typically form on bare metal
surfaces but will not flake off when struck or when light pressure from a knife is applied.
Generally, the presence of hard-adhering scale within a hold is acceptable in a grain clean hold.
The scale should not fall during the voyage or during normal cargo operations.

Countries apply different standards to what constitutes an acceptable amount of loose scale or
loose paint. While in some countries, no such material is permitted, the United States
Department of Agriculture permits a single area of loose paint or loose scale of 2.32 sq m, or
several patches that in total do not exceed 9.26 sq m, before a hold is deemed to be unfit. In
practice, the hold should be free of loose scale as each surveyor’s interpretation of the required
‘standard’ may vary.

The industry accepted definition of grain clean is provided by the National Cargo Bureau (NCB).

“Compartments are to be completely clean, dry, odour-free, and gas-free. All loose scale is to be
removed.” The definition is clear:

 all past cargo residues and any lashing materials are to be removed from the hold
 any loose paint or rust scale must be removed
 if it is necessary to wash the hold, as it generally will be, the holds must be dried after
washing
 the hold must be well ventilated to ensure that it is odour-free and gas-free

Points to consider

 management must take a close interest in hold cleaning

The Chief Officer must always carry out a full and final inspection of all cargo holds before
presenting them for shipper's final approval and acceptance, to ensure that all cleaning work has
been carried out as per his instructions and to his satisfaction, and that he is satisfied that the
cargo holds are in a suitable condition for the carriage of the next commodity and presentation
to the shippers.

The relevant Management Office must be advised immediately of any expected problem with
regard to the holds, passing inspection.

On completion of hold cleaning, the chief officer should carry out a ‘surveyor’s inspection’ in this
way:

1. go down the vertical ladder, stopping to inspect the underside of the upper deck and the
hatch end coaming as soon as they become visible. Look all round, using a strong torch if
necessary, to check that all horizontal surfaces are clean. Proceed down the ladder,
inspecting the bulkhead on each side and the adjacent parts of the ship’s sides

2. from the tank top, climb accessible pipe guards and inspect surfaces for residues and rust
scale. Check behind frames, pipes and pipe guards. Walk around the sides and ends of the
tank top, inspecting the bulkheads and ship’s sides. Walk over the tank top, listening for
indications of loose rust scale

3. climb the sloping ladder slowly, inspecting all visible surfaces. Stop at the top, inside the
hold, to inspect the underside of the upper deck and the hatch end coaming

4. check the insides of any deck houses for grain and insects. Be aware that some crews
have been known to collect grain residues in sacks to sell at subsequent port calls.
Storage of that sort will almost certainly attract insects

5. If insects are found in grain residues in a hold, clean the residues as thoroughly as
possible. Spraying the area with a good-quality insecticide may solve the infestation but
do not try to ‘bomb’ a hold with Lindane (now banned in some countries) or similar
preparations. It is rarely effective and if surveyors such as representatives of the
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service notice the ‘bomb’ residues on the tank top,
they will be suspicious
6. be aware that washing a hold will tend to lift hard scale, the effect not being noticeable
until the water has dried. Rust scale should not require chipping to remove, before a hold
is accepted for grain

7. open and close hatch covers several times before starting to clean, to shake off residues
and loose rust as much as possible

8. pay particular attention to hold number one. This is often the most difficult to clean
because of its shape and additional structural members. Most surveyors will start a grain
survey in that hold, and if it passes, less attention may be given to the remaining holds

9. check bilge wells are dry .

Fig: Bilge plates covered with burlap and ready to load grain

It is customary to cover bilge well cover strainer plates with burlap and cement around
the perimeter, or there may be a bolt down system. Some cargoes, such as zircon,
andalusite, titanium slag or chrome ore are contaminated by cement or cement dust. In
these cases, the burlap should be positioned using marine tape. Kraft paper can be
considered for certain cargoes to prevent dust and silt.

10.Bilge line testing : One of the most important tasks in hold preparation is to ensure that
the bilge wells, lines and valves are in a clean and operational condition.

The bilge lines must be tested by a competent person (under the supervision of the cargo
officer) to ensure that the non-return valves are functioning correctly and not allowing any
flow back of water into the holds. The bilge high-level alarms must also be tested and
confirmed as operational.
 Fig: Hold of a bulk carrier that is grain clean and ready to load

Chief Officer: notes and hints on surveyors’ inspection

1. non-government surveyors are usually paid for each job, not for the time taken to do a
job. Anything that speeds up a survey is appreciated. So be prepared
2. the chief officer, boatswain and a crewman with a hand brush, hand scraper and bucket
should accompany the surveyor, so that any spot cleaning can be carried out while the
surveyor is in the hold
3. hatch covers should be at least halfway open if the weather looks like rain; otherwise they
should be fully open. The surveyor will probably ask for cover sections to be ‘tented’ so
that undersides can be inspected. The inside of the hatch coaming will also be inspected
from the deck
4. ensure that the access hatches at each end of every hold are open. The surveyor may go
down the vertical ladder and walk up the sloping ladder
5. bilge wells must be open for inspection