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10 Appendices

Cargo sampling

When it comes to liquid cargo disputes, it is easy for cargo interests to have the upper hand due to their access to shore tank
samples from loading and discharge ports. In order to protect the ship from false judgments, it is always highly advised for crews

to take samples from the manifold, irst foot, and inal tank during loading, and manifold and tank samples at discharge. The

information gained from these samples can protectively aid in the fair determination of cause. Clean closed sampling systems and
cargo appropriate sample vessels should be used, and tank samples should be taken in zones. Sample sizes exceeding one litre are

most often suficient for repeated testing, but because of the cargo speciic nature of speciications, due diligence regarding the

sum of test sample volumes is advised. Finally, it goes without saying that crews should be trained and aware of details such as
careful labelling, recorded storage, and judicious invitations for other parties to join in the sampling.

Cargo testing

Once samples are obtained, parties look to major analytical worthwhile to retest, and specialist interpretation may be

laboratories to serve their testing. What is often overlooked, required to decide what the reported values really indicate.

however, are the many nuances associated with the tests for 3. Not all labs are created equal. While it is unfair to prejudge
which results are too often taken at face value. Several key a laboratory based on geographical location, it can be

points should be realised by parties that seek judgment of said that it is sometimes better to ship samples to another

their cargo samples:place with a more reputable lab. In fact, it may be said that
1. Different test methods used to test the same parameter laboratories vary wildly in their quality and capacity, with

are not considered interchangeable. The values produced language and cultural factors further complicating the

by the different protocols are therefore not meant to be choosing of labs. When it comes to lab vetting, it may be
directly comparable. This is due to the fact that not only wise to consider having a specialist perform due diligence

can test methods differ in their technique and technology, for sourcing a quality lab, or sending them as a witness if

but also vary greatly in their speciicity, scope, sensitivity, quality cannot be veriied remotely.
and precision. For the values produced by two different As seen here, the qualiication of commodities has many

test methods to be comparable, a study must be performed features that lend themselves to interpretation and decision-

to evaluate how much the results from shared samples making. If we assume that sampling was representative, then
agree with each other. The importance of transparency in we may say that testing is the most important tool in judging

the methodologies reported on test certiicates can easily a dispute objectively.

be understood from this, and it is easy to see why a inal To bring together some of the above points, let us refer
round of joint testing is often required.back to the two cargoes exempliied in the opening of the

2. All test methods have inherent error. When test methods article, Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) and Ethylene Dichloride

are developed and validated, the inter-laboratory precision, (EDC), which were chosen as examples because they are
or reproducibility, is often characterised. This is important commonly shipped and related in properties and origin. As

because test values that happen to fall near a speciication seen in the below table, the two chemicals have a similar but

threshold have an associated repeatability, which brings in different panel of associated speciications.
to question the ‘true’ value. In such a situation it may be

VCMEDC

Purity99.98%Purity99.99%

Water100ppmWater50ppm

AppearanceColour
Clear ColourlessN/A10Alpha

Acidity1ppmAcidity2ppm

Iron0.5ppmIron1ppm

Non-volatile Residue15ppmNon-volatile Residue20ppm

Methyl Chloride80ppmTotal High Boilers450ppm

1.3 - Butadiene10ppmTotal Low Boilers450ppm

Ethylene DichlorideDensity
5ppm1.258-1.268g/ml

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