BULK CARRIER LOSSES

Code No: 532

Video Running Time: 16 minutes

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Bulk Carriers are primarily designed for the transportation of a wide range of solid bulk cargoes loaded directly into the cargo space.

In recent years many bulk carriers have been lost, often with tragic loss of life and frequently with little clue to the cause. The IMO and classification societies now recognize the problem and both have introduced guidelines and recommendations to help reduce losses. This package is designed to support these guidelines.

Deterioration of the vessel's structure namely corrosion, stevedore damage and local overloading, must be found, reported, inspected and repaired.

Care must be exercised during loading, individual hold weight limits should never be exceeded. Limits on shear forces and bending moments on the hull should be borne in mind at all times.

Ships' officers must inspect thoroughly all holds for damage caused by corrosion, and seek out fatigue fractures and deformations.

Although access to all the steelwork in a hold is difficult, all available methods should be used. These include ladders, scaffolding, cherry pickers and crane hung catwalks.