Recently, the serious accidents have been reported that some ships carrying Iron Ore Fines or Nickel Ore have capsized primarily because of liquefaction of their cargoes.

In order to avoid such accidents, the IMSBC Code is now applicable to all ships as mandatory requirements since 1 January 2011. The cargoes which may liquefy are categorized as Group A. When the moisture content of such cargoes is exceeding its transportable moisture limit (TML), loading shall not be allowed. The cargoes not listed in the IMSBC Code, such as Iron Ore Fines or Nickel Ore, will be provisionally risk-assessed by the authority of the port of loading. If the authority assesses cargo at risk of liquefaction, loading limitation as Group A shall be imposed. The Indian Administration, for instance, has assessed Iron Ore Fines produced in their country as Group A.

On other hand, P&I Clubs have noted that, even though the cargo information stated that the moisture content of the shipped cargo is less than TML, the actual moisture content of the cargo exceeds TML due to heavy rainfall during loading, and which may lead to liquefaction and trigger the serious accident.

Therefore, please be advised that the following items are to be checked, when cargoes which may liquefy, such as Iron Ore Fine or Nickel Ore, are shipped.

1. Before loading, the following contents are to be checked in the cargo information which is provided to the master as appropriate information on the cargo by the shipper. (Section 4 of the IMSBC Code)
(1) TML and moisture content are stated on the cargo certificate.
(2) Whether the test to determine TML of the cargo has been conducted within six months to the date of loading of cargo.
(3) The interval between sampling/testing and loading is never to be more than seven days.
(4) Whether a proper cargo information has been individually provided for each cargo hold to be loaded. (Except in cases where the moisture content of the cargo is clearly uniform.)

2. The master is not to accept the cargo for loading unless the moisture content of the cargo indicated in the cargo information has been confirmed as being less than its TML. (Paragraph 7.3.1, Section 7 of the IMSBC Code)

(To be continued)