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5 Cargo

up to force 10. The heavy weather lasted for a couple of compared to the same top section of the other overboard

days causing the vessel to pitch and roll heavily. Afterwards discharge pipelines. The shipyard had missed welding the
the crew carried out tank soundings. All cargo hold bilges pipe and this was not noticed prior to delivery.

reportedly showed a maximum sounding of about 5cm in

the bilge well, whereas all topside water ballast tanks were
empty. The cargo hold bilges were not equipped with a bilge Contamination

high-level alarm system.Contamination case study 1

During good weather the Chief Oficer opened up the The bulk carrier was discharging grain. After almost half of the
cargo hatches to inspect the condition of the wheat forcargo hold had been emptied some caked cargo was found.

any signs of water ingress following the ship’s earlier heavy The cargo in the immediate vicinity of two pipes at the aft

weather encounter. None was observed to the surface of the bulkhead of the hold was wet and a strong oily odour was
cargo situated below the hatch cover coaming and hatches. detected. The cargo receiver refused to accept the cargo and

However, following closer inspection, the Chief Oficer claimed that all cargo now was unit for human consumption.

reportedly discovered that a section of the wheat situated
just below the overboard discharge pipeline outlet of the Causes:

topside water ballast tank had become wet. The pipeline, After an investigation by the crew it was found that fuel oil

leading into the said water ballast tank was also wet. The vapour from one of the fuel tanks had leaked from a broken
Chief Oficer checked the ballast tank and it was empty. He air vent and sounding pipe. This caused oil to enter the cargo

observed that any water illed into the ballast tank would hold resulting in the contamination.

leak into the cargo hold.

Causes:Contamination case study 2

The gap between the outer circumference of the section of The bulk carrier had loaded wheat. Upon discharge it was found
pipe to the inner side of the sleeve was noted up to about that the cargo smelled of fuel oil. The smell had entered the

2mm. It was found that this gap was not welded whencargo hold through the air ventilation pipe of the fuel oil tank.

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