How do you control cargo hold bilges?
Cargo residues from bilges can enter the bottom of sounding pipes and block them making them unusable in order to obtain appropriate soundings through sounding rods, lines etc. One way to prevent the blocking of sounding pipes with residues is to hose them out with water coming from the deck.
Is it necessary to always clean the cargo hold bilges?
Hold bilges must always be cleaned out thoroughly and bilge suctions tested before loading another bulk cargo. Bilge covers are to be wrapped in burlap, replaced in position and secured.
What is cargo hold inspection?
Hold inspection, prior to loading, is a service to verify if the vessels hold is ready to receive your cargo without contaminating it. We also complete hatch inspections to prevent a cargo defect by ensuring that the ship’s hatch cover seals and securing arrangements are complete.
What is the purpose of sounding pipes and strum box in the cargo hold bilges?
The bilge suction line in the hold bilge is normally fitted with a perforated strum box which prevents cargo debris from entering the bilge line. The strum box should be thoroughly cleaned after each cargo discharge and if possible, dismantled and checked for damage or corrosion.
Why is it important to remove bilges?
Clean bilges are the first line of defense against marine pollution. All seasoned marine engineers know that if the bilges are clean and dry almost all the worries concerning Port State inspections are over. Dirty engine room bilges are one of the biggest detainable deficiencies in port state inspections.
Why do deck wells and bilges need to be protected?
It protects moisture-sensitive cargoes, such as bagged cargo (e.g. coffee, cocoa) or bales (e.g. tobacco, tea) from sweat, which forms on a ship’s sides and runs off over the decks. The floor dunnage „lifts“ the cargo off the deck, so that water is able to flow off without coming into contact with the cargo.
What happens when cargo hold are not cleaned?
Insufficient cleaning of the intended cargo and not meeting the charterer requirements can lead to delays and charter party disputes, which can lead even to the risk of off-hire. An off-hire clause is providing for exceptions from the obligation for charterers to pay hire from the time of delivery until redelivery.
Why does cargo hold clean matter?
Regardless of the previous cargo carried, all cargo holds should be thoroughly cleaned prior to loading the next cargo. If a vessel is carrying cargoes, where residues will solidify on the surfaces, they may be next to impossible to remove if the vessel is not cleaned immediately after discharge.
What checks should be made on hold bilges prior loading?
How to prepare cargo holds prior loading
- The compartment should be swept clean, and all traces of the previous cargo removed.
- Bilge areas should be cleaned and all ‘bilge suctions’ seen to be working satisfactorily.
- The fire/smoke detection system should be tested and seen to function correctly.
What is the difference in hold and hatch?
As nouns the difference between hatch and hold is that hatch is a horizontal door in a floor or ceiling or hatch can be the act of hatching while hold is a grasp or grip or hold can be (nautical|aviation) the cargo area of a ship or aircraft, (often cargo hold ).
What is the purpose of bilge?
The bilge is the lowest inner part, or bottom point, on a boat, and is designed to collect excess water. On vessels of virtually any size, a pump inside the bilge performs a very important function: to remove accumulated water by creating pressure or suction so that the water can be removed.
What are ship bilges?
The bilge /bɪldʒ/ of a ship or boat is the part of the hull that would rest on the ground if the vessel were unsupported by water. The “turn of the bilge” is the transition from the bottom of a hull to the sides of a hull.
How to prevent cargo hold bilge system damage?
To reduce the chance of such cargo damage, operators are advised to inspect and test the cargo hold bilge system as part of the routine pre-loading checks of the cargo holds. More specifically: Inspection and testing of cargo hold bilge system non-return valves should be included in routine pre-loading checks of the holds.
How are the cargo holds ventilated?
Cargo holds are ventilated by air pipes passing through the weather deck, and these are fitted with self-closing watertight covers (headers). This is a Load Line requirement.
What causes a cargo hold to flood?
A cargo hold can be flooded through an open deck sounding pipe when water is washed on deck in heavy weather. Holes in weather deck air pipes also cause hold flooding during heavy weather.