UK Club tackles tanker cargo claims

News Release U.K. P&I Club Thomas Miller(Americas)Inc. October 31, 2011

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A new publication from the UK P&I Club focuses on one of the major sources of cargo-related
claims in the tanker sector:  cargo contamination.
 
The Club stresses that
loading and discharging of a cargo is a joint operation between the crew of the
tanker and the terminal staff. Therefore it is essential that the Chief Officer
should strive to establish a good working relationship with the key terminal
personnel so as to reduce the risk of subsequent problems.  
Contamination, for example, can occur both on board the vessel and in the
lines and tanks ashore.
 
The “Tanker Contamination
Claims Checklist” identifies the main causes of cargo contamination arising from
both on board and shoreside and compiles the key points to consider in seven
sections running from the pre-loading phase through to discharge and
sampling.
 
The checklist begins by
considering whether the ship is suitable for the cargo(es) to be
loaded.  Points to be considered include:
 
·       
Can the different grades of cargo be arranged to maintain the degree of
separation required? (All chemicals must be separated by positive
segregation.)
 
·       
Can the ship maintain the required cargo carriage and discharge
temperature(s)?
 
·       
Is
the tank coating suitable for the nominated cargo? (Some cargoes can permanently
damage certain coatings, others make coatings soft for a while, during which
time the range of cargoes they can tolerate is restricted.)
 
·       
If
applicable, is the cargo tank coating in good condition?
 
·       
Have the cargo tanks and lines been suitably prepared to load the
nominated cargo(es)? If applicable, have previous cargo vapours been reduced to
less than 2% by volume so that potential flashpoint contamination of nominated
cargoes is eliminated?
 
·       
With reference to the quality of multiple oil products loaded, can
two-valve segregation on the liquid side be maintained throughout the voyage?
(Again, chemicals must be carried under positive segregation.)
 
·       
Can the vapour side of each oil product parcel (inert gas and vapour
relief systems) be segregated throughout the entire voyage? 
 
Thorough checks also need to
be taken when preparing the cargo plan and checking the systems.

 
Preparing the cargo plan is
primarily concerned with avoiding
contamination in tanks, pipelines, pumps and valves and includes issues created
by vapours and heat sources. 
 
Checking systems is ensuring
that tanks and pipelines are clean, noting that with some cargoes, even water
can be a contaminant, ensuring that coatings are sound and fit for purpose, and
testing gaskets and glands for leaks. The importance of regular maintenance and
the training of crew so that it is done correctly and safely cannot be
understated.
 
Naturally, the Club also
reminds crews that it is essential to ensure beforehand that enclosed spaces are
safe to enter; awareness of this risk is now high but still it is a major cause
of deaths at sea.
 
The Tanker Contamination
Claims Checklist then deals with discharge and loading, and especially with the
relationship between ship and terminal to ensure that both parties fully
understand each other in terms of procedures covering not only normal operations
but also emergencies.
 

A section entitled ‘Working
with the cargo inspector’ is highly detailed with regard to the process of
taking and keeping samples and this theme continues in a section entitled
‘General Comments, which commences with the Club noting that a leading
firm of cargo surveyors had reported that approximately 40 per cent of alleged
shipboard contamination problems are, on investigation, found to be shore
related. 
 
When defending cargo
contamination claims, often samples are the only hard evidence that the
shipowner can present. Ensuring good practice when taking and keeping samples
might not sound a big deal to the officer involved but if things go wrong, large
sums of money can depend on the contents of those little
bottles.
 
The checklist complements the
Club’s “Tanker Matters” video published previously, which reviews the most frequent causes of
tanker cargo claims and how to avoid them.
 
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