Wet Damage to Cargo

Wet Damage to Cargo IRCA-cases starts at page 12 Read about prevention at page 16 2013 www.swedishclub.com Wet Damage to Cargo Contents Introduction 3 Statistics 3 Executive summary 4 P&I Wet Damage 2008 – 2012 6 Bulker and Container vessels, Immediate causes 6 Bulker and Container vessels, Type of damaged cargo 7 Water ingress detection system 8 Leaking manhole covers 8 Cargo bilge system 9 Cargo hatch covers 10 Maintenance 11 Interactive Root Cause Analysis — IRCA cases 12 Leaking bilge valves 12 Cargo hold flooding 14 Prevention 16 www.swedishclub.com Wet Damage to Cargo Introduction The Club has noticed that there is an increased number of costly wet damage claims. To prevent this trend it is essential that owners take appropriate loss prevention measures. In this study we have focused on some specific areas asleaking manhole covers, the cargo bilge system and cargo hatch covers. Statistics Analysis of wet damage claims from 2008-2012 Vessel types: Bulker and Container vessels Claims: 122 Average claim cost: USD 55.000 (excess of deductible) For several years now, The Swedish Club has applied the IRCA method to establish the root cause of a casualty. If you want to find out even more, contact our Loss Prevention department. You find the contact persons on page 17. 3 www.swedishclub.com Wet Damage to Cargo Executive summary Recurring issues ` Damaged valves and lines ` Leaking cargo hatch covers ` Coamings/rubber seals in poor condition ! ` Leaking manhole covers Main areas of concern ` Ignoring procedures such as risk assessment, work permits etc ` Insufficient maintenance routines for valves and lines ` Bilge alarms not maintained and tested properly ! ` Crew ignoring bilge alarms ` Location of the bilge alarm panel ` Lack of due diligence and adequate checks ` Insufficient experience www.swedishclub.com 4 Wet Damage to Cargo Preventive measures for leaking manhole covers ` All nuts and bolts should be in place and tightened evenly for the manhole cover ` Two people should check when the job is finished that it has been completed correctly ` It is important that the gasket for the manhole is clean and there is no debris or dirt causing leaks ! when the manhole cover is refitted ` The ventilators into the cargo holds should be in good operating order and capable of being closed Preventive measures for the bilge system ` Bilge wells should be cleaned and inspected regularly. It is imperative that this is documented ` Air and sounding pipes should be inspected for debris ` Valves and lines should be included in the PMS (Planned Maintenance System) and tested at regular intervals! ` It should be verified that remote control valves are operational ` Ensure all critical parts of the bilge system are included in the PMS ` Ensure all valves are closed when not in operation Preventive measures for cargo hatch covers ` Do regular ultrasonic tests on cargo hatches ` Ensure there are SMS (Safety Management System) procedures that address required jobs to maintain the cargo hatches in proper condition. These jobs should be included in the PMS ! ` Risk assessment addressing the problems of leaking cargo hatch covers ` The crew need to ensure that the paint is intact, which will give good protection against corrosion ` Essential to verify that gaskets and coamings are in good condition ` Keep detailed records of completed maintenance, inspections and tests by both the crew and third parties 5 www.swedishclub.com Wet Damage to Cargo P&I Wet Damage 2008 – 2012 Bulker and Container vessels, Immediate causes Graph No 1 - Total number of claims 8% 7% 4% Blocked bilges 31% Leaking manhole covers Leaking hatch covers Leaking lines Leaking ventilators 51% Graph No 2 - Total cost of all claims (excess of deductible) 4% 19% Blocked bilges Leaking manhole covers 8% Leaking hatch covers 43% Leaking lines Leaking ventilators 26% Graph No 3 - Average per claim cost (excess of deductible) 160000 140000 120000 m 100000 The most expensive claims are leaking lines and ventilators. Leaking manhole covers is the 80000 overall most expensive category. These claims 60000 are often caused by lack of maintenance and Average cost per clai 40000 ignoring procedures. 20000 0 Blocked bilges Leaking lines Leaking ventilators Leaking hatch covers Leaking manhole covers www.swedishclub.com 6 Wet Damage to Cargo Bulker and Container vessels, Type of damaged cargo Graph No 4 - Total number of claims 8% 5% 7% 5% 3% Bagged bulk Container dry bulk Container reefer 21% Container unitised Dry bulk Paper Steel products 51% Graph No 5 - Total cost of all claims (excess of deductible) 13% 3% 10% 1% 0,1% Bagged bulk Container dry bulk Container reefer Container unitised Dry bulk 32% Paper 41% Steel products Graph No 6 - Average per claim cost (excess of deductible) 100000 90000 80000 Dry bulk claims are both the most frequent and m 70000 have the highest total cost of all wet damage 60000 claims. There is no surprise that steel products 50000 are the most expensive claims because of the 40000 high value compared to bulk cargo. Average cost per clai 30000 20000 10000 0 r Pape Dry bulk Bagged bulk Steel products Container reefer Container dry bulk Container unitised 7 www.swedishclub.com Wet Damage to Cargo Water ingress detection system Bulker vessels are required to have a system in place that will give a warning of water ingress as per the Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS) convention. The purpose of a water ingress detection system is to provide an early warning of a condition that may seriously threaten the safety onboard. The alarm has two levels, the first at 0.5m and the second at a height of not more than 2m. The spaces monitored are the cargo holds and the fore- peak tank. A panel must be positioned on the bridge together with audible alarms. Repeaters can be placed in other spaces but it is not compulsory. In the event of a flooding alarm the Officer Of the Watch (OOW) should, without delay, determine the exact nature of the water ingress. Any water ingress for bulker vessels must be monitored, as flooding or liquefaction of cargo represents a major risk for loss of buoyancy. Leaking manhole covers In connection with a tank inspection it is not unusual that flooding occurred because the manhole did not have a gasket or the nuts or bolts were not tightened properly. There are also casualties which happened because the manhole was left open. When a tank inspection is to be done, there is a requirement to issue an entry into enclosed space work permit and a risk assessment. Usually there is also a requirement that the safety officer should inspect that the job has been prepared as per procedures. This is to ensure the safety of the crew To be able to prevent one person’s mistake a two-person and to prevent casualties. Unfortunately there have been check should be carried out. This is usually done for critical casualties when the crew has disregarded procedures or just navigation decisions, but can also be implemented for tank assumed that the tank inspection was completed correctly. inspections. Preventive measures for leaking manhole covers ` All nuts and bolts should be in place and tightened evenly ` It is important that the gasket is clean and that there is no debris or dirt causing leaks when the manhole cover is refitted ` The ventilators into the cargo holds should be in good operating condition and capable of being closed and made watertight ` A two-person check should be carried out for closing the hatch and manhole covers www.swedishclub.com 8 Wet Damage to Cargo Cargo bilge system To prevent cargo holds flooding there must be established cargo onboard. Bilge valves should be included in the PMS routines onboard for how to test bilge valves and bilge lines. (Planned Maintenance System) and tested at regular intervals There is often debris from the cargo pumped through the and it is important to verify that remotely operated bilge bilge lines, which causes damage to bilge valves or blockages. valves are in good condition. To ensure there is no Lack of maintenance on bilge valves and lines passing debris, or build up of through cargo holds cargo around the bilge or adjacent compart- valves, there should be ments is a concern. a visual inspection. It is important that Bulker vessels must shipowners/managers comply with the IMSBC have a plan for testing code section 2.2 “Due bilge valves and bilge consideration shall lines. During the test be paid to bilge wells it should be verified if and strainer plates, for there is any significant which special prepa- corrosion or not. ration is necessary, There is also a risk to facilitate drainage that bilge valves can and to prevent entry seize up if they are not of the cargo into the operated. When the bilge system. Bilge bilge pump has been lines, sounding pipes stopped it is and other services lines Leaking bilge valves cause serious wet damage. important that the within the cargo space non-return bilge valves are closed to prevent back flow. shall be in good order.” There have been casualties when a high level alarm has been On container vessels there is no requirement to have a acknowledged but without any investigation as to what bilge alarm, but a prudent owner will install this for proper caused the alarm. It is a concern if the bilge alarm panel is safety measures. only on the bridge as many of these floodings happen during It is also essential that bilges are cleaned and that bilge cargo operations when the bridge is usually unmanned. valves and lines are tested and inspected before loading The consequences of ignoring work permits, risk commences.

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