Notes: This chapter can only be completed if the vessel is provided with an International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Liquefied Gases in Bulk. The vessel must be carrying gas at the time of the inspection;
however, a gas carrier which for a brief period is not actually carrying gas at the time of the inspection, may be inspected as a gas carrier provided that an adequate assessment of the procedures on board for the carriage of gas can be made. In such cases, the report must clearly note the circumstances.
In answering the questions below, note that:
• The mandatory IGC Code applies only to those vessels the keel of which was laid on or after 1st July 1986;
• The mandatory GC Code applies to vessels delivered after 30thJune 1980; and
• The non-mandatory EGC Code applies to those vessels delivered on or before the 31st October 1976.
Amendments to the IGC and GC Codes introduced after vessels were delivered do not necessarily apply to such vessels.
Gas carriers that carry dual-code cargoes (Diethyl ether, Ethylene oxide/Propylene oxide mixtures with an E-o content of not more than 30%, Isoprene, Isopropylamine, Monoethylamine, Pentanes, Pentene, Propylene oxide, Vinyl ethyl ether and Vinylidene chloride) are additionally required to have a Noxious Liquid Substances Certificate.
Gas carriers carrying oil cargoes, which are regulated under Annex 1, are required to hold an IOPP Certificate with a Form B which identifies the ship as a product carrier. The SOLAS Safety Construction and Safety
Equipment Certificates should also identify the vessel as ‘a tanker engaged in the trade of carrying oil other than crude oil’.
Relevant cargoes are those which do not contain heavy components likely to remain in the tanks after a ventilation procedure and will typically be Light naphtha, Jet fuel (also called Turbo fuel white or White cut gasoline), Mogas, Natural gasoline, Condensate, Pentane and Casing head gasoline.
Gas carriers accepted under this Notice of Equivalency will have:
• Independent cargo tanks;
• An arrangement suitable for tank cleaning by ventilation procedures; tank cleaning with water will be prohibited as a normal procedure;
• Deep well pumps but submerged electrical motors will not be accepted.
Policies, Procedures and Documentation:
8.1 Are the officers aware of the operator's policy statements, guidance and procedures, including information on maximum loading rates and instructions with regard to safe cargo operations?
Masters should be provided with information on maximum permissible loading rates for each cargo and ballast tank and for each group of cargo or ballast tanks. This requirement is aimed at ensuring that tanks are not over or under-pressurised by exceeding the capacity of the venting system, including any installed secondary venting arrangements. This information should be displayed at the cargo control position.
8.2 Are the officers aware of any loading limitations for the vessel and are these limitations, if applicable clearly posted in the cargo control area?
No cargo tanks should be more than 98% liquid full at the reference temperature. (IGC 15.1.1) The Administration may allow a higher filling limit than the limit of 98% at the reference temperature, taking into account the shape of the tank, arrangements of pressure relief valves, accuracy of level and temperature gauging and the difference between the loading temperature and the temperature corresponding to the vapour pressure of the cargo at the set pressure relief valves. (IGC 15.1.3) The maximum allowable loading limits for each cargo tank should be indicated for each product which may be carried, for each loading temperature which may be applied and for the applicable maximum reference temperature, on a list to be approved by the Administration. Pressures at which the relief valves, including those valves fitted in accordance with IGC 8.3, have been set should also be stated on the list. A copy of the list should be permanently kept on board by the master. (IGC 15.2) Reference temperature means:
- The temperature corresponding to the vapour pressure of the cargo at the set pressure of the pressure relief valves when no cargo vapour pressure/temperature control is provided;
- The temperature of the cargo upon termination loading, during transportation, or at unloading, whichever is the greatest, when a cargo vapour pressure/temperature control is provided. (IGC 15.1.4)
Although there are no regulatory requirements governing the maximum pressure below the relief valve setting which the cargo tanks should be allowed to reach, it is prudent to maintain the cargo tank pressure at or below 80% of the relief valve setting. During loading, tanks may occasionally reach 90%
of the relief valve setting.
8.3 Are legible and up to date pipeline and/or mimic diagrams of cargo, inert gas and venting systems, as applicable, available in the cargo control area and deck officers’ familiar with the systems?
Inspectors should verify the deck officer holding the watch is familiar with the cargo operation ongoing and planned sequence of events during the watch.
8.4 Are officers’ familiar with the information contained within the Procedures and Arrangements Manual, and is the manual accessible onboard?
A P and A Manual is required only if dual code cargoes are carried and where there is an IOPPC NLS Certificate.
8.5 Is the Cargo Record Book correctly completed and up to date?
A Cargo Record Book is required only when carrying dual code cargoes under either a Certificate of Fitness or a NLS Certificate. Entries should be recorded as they occur and not at some later point in time.
Stability and Cargo Loading Limitations:
The Master of the ship should be supplied with a loading and stability information booklet. This booklet should contain details of typical service and ballast conditions, provisions for evaluating other conditions of loading and a summary of the ship’s survival capabilities. In addition, the booklet should contain sufficient information to enable the Master to load and operate the ship in a safe and seaworthy manner.
(IGC 2.2.5) 8.6 Has a cargo plan been prepared and followed with a detailed sequence of cargo and
ballast transfers documented, stress, intact and damage stability and are any limitations, where applicable understood by the cargo watch officers and clearly documented?
Inspectors should determine that prior to transfer of cargo, calculations have been made for stress and stability conditions for the start, interim and completion of transfer conditions. Regular monitoring of stress and stability should be taking place throughout cargo transfer to ensure that the conditions have been maintained within design limits.
The cargo transfer operation should be planned and confirmed in writing in order to assure full mutual understanding. The items to be addressed should include: —
• The order of loading or discharging
• The total quantities of cargo to be transferred
• The sequence of discharging and receiving tanks
• The intended transfer rates
• The transfer temperatures and pressures to be expected, and
• The use of vapour return line
Simultaneous cargo and ballast handling, for stress and ship stability purposes, should also be noted on the cargo plan. All cargo operations should be carefully planned and documented well in advance of their execution. (LGHP)
The cargo plan should be completed by the responsible officer prior to commencement of operations and verified and approved by the Master. It should be comprehensive, contain full details of the operation and be easy to interpret. Vessel should be able to demonstrate that an independent check of the cargo line up.
The cargo log must include details of all major events including starting and stopping of main cargo and ballast pumps, tanks being worked and any deviations from the original plan.
Additional points should address:
- Density, temperature and other relevant conditions, including the reference temperature which determines the filling limits;
- A plan of the distribution, quantities, innages, lines and pumps to be used;
- Critical stages of the operation;
- Notice of rate change;
- Stability and stress information;
- Drafts and trims;
- Emergency stop procedures;
- Action to be taken in the event of a spill;
- Flammability and toxicity with references to cargo data sheets;
- Ballast operations;
- Protective equipment requirements;
- Hazards of the particular cargoes.
And, as required, requirements for:
- Cargo pollution category;
- Cooling requirements including rates of cool-down;
- Use of the cargo heater or vaporiser;
- Under keel clearance limitations;
- Bunkering; and
- Special precautions required for the particular operation.
8.7 If a loading computer or programme is in use, is it class approved, regularly tested and are officers aware of the test requirements including damage stability?
Ships of more than 65 metres in length are required by Class to be provided with a loading manual including permissible limits of still water bending moment and shear force; the results of the calculations of still water bending moments; shear forces and where applicable, limitations due to torsional and lateral loads and the allowable local loading for the structure (decks, double bottom, etc.)
Ships of more than 100 metres in length are required by Class to be provided with an approved loading instrument. An operational manual is always to be provided for the loading instrument The loading instrument should be capable of calculating shear forces and bending moments in any load or ballast condition at specified readout points and should indicate the permissible values. Ships with very limited possibilities for variations in the distribution of cargo and ballast and ships with a regular or fixed trading pattern may be exempt from the requirement.
At each Annual and Special Survey, the loading instrument is to be checked for accuracy and the approved loading guidance information confirmed as being available on board. Class approved data should be used and the tests should be carried out in the presence of the attending surveyor at the annual survey. There is no requirement for class to endorse the test however. Regular on-board testing should also take place and records attesting to this should be maintained. The test should involve physically entering the data for each tank into the computer and verifying the result. It is not acceptable to simply retrieve a stored test condition from the computer and compare this against the official conditions.
Ships constructed on or after 01 Jan 2016* and ships constructed before 01 Jan 2016* (by the first renewal survey on or after 01 Jan 2016, but before 01 Jan 2021**) are required to be fitted with a stability instrument capable of handling both intact and damage stability. Ships carrying onboard stability instruments already approved and certified by a recognized organization, and capable of verifying both intact and damage stability to a standard acceptable to the administration, may continue to use such an instrument.
The following options for waiving the requirement by the flag administration have been given:
■ Ships which are on a dedicated service, with a limited number of permutations of loading such that all anticipated conditions have been approved in the stability documentation provided on board
■ Ships where stability verification is made remotely by a means approved by the administration
■ Ships which are loaded within an approved range of loading conditions
■ Ships constructed before 1 January 2016(1) provided with approved limiting KG/GM curves covering all applicable intact and damage stability requirements MEPC.248(66) / IGC Ch 2.2.6 / IBC Ch 2.2.2.6
* 01 Jul 2016 and ** 01 Jul 2021 for gas carriers
The master of the ship should be supplied with a loading and stability information booklet. This booklet should contain details of typical service conditions, loading, unloading and ballasting operations, provisions for evaluating other conditions of loading and a summary of the ship's survival capabilities.
In addition, the booklet should contain sufficient information to enable the master to load and operate the ship in a safe and seaworthy manner. (IGC 2.2.5)
If a class approved loading computer is not available, record in Comments how stress and stability calculations are performed.
8.8 Is the vessel free of inherent intact stability problems, are officers aware of these problems or risks of structural damage from sloshing, and actions required if the vessel takes on an unstable condition and/or angle of loll?
Vessels that have large width tanks will be subject to reductions of intact stability due to free surface.
Although such vessels may meet IMO intact stability criteria when in fully loaded or ballasted conditions, they may be unstable when multiple tanks are slack during cargo or ballast transfer operations, or in intermediate states of loading. Trim and stability manuals generally deal only with arrival and departure conditions and operators are not made aware that stability problems may exist at intermediate stages during cargo transfers.
If a vessel has either large width cargo tanks, 'U' section ballast tanks, or double bottom tanks without watertight centreline bulkheads, inspectors should ascertain that the vessel meets IMO intact stability
criteria by requesting the chief officer to demonstrate, using the class approved loading instrument, the intact stability at the worst case condition (i.e. All tanks slack and maximum free surface).
If no suitable loading instrument is provided and adequate instructions are not available, the question should be answered 'No', unless there is satisfactory proof that the vessel is free of inherent stability problems.
Inspectors should ascertain whether all officers appear familiar with operational restrictions and that instructions are prominently posted describing action to take if stability concerns are suspected or experienced. Record a "N" response and appropriate Observation if weaknesses or other concerns are revealed.
Important restrictions other than maximum permitted cargo density should be recorded as an observation.
Verification of compliance with damage stability requirements should be documented in accordance with the company's operating procedures and the company's safety management system. This should include a method of retaining manual calculations and/or stability instrument printouts used to verify compliance, so that this information can be provided to third parties, such as company auditors, surveyors or port State control inspectors. It is recommended that records are retained on board for a minimum of three years to ensure they are available at the next Safety Management Certificate (SMC) audit. (MSC.1/Circ.1461 Part 2 6.1)
If cargo tanks are fitted with centre line bulkhead valves, these should normally be kept closed and only used for levelling. No more than 50% of the tank valves should be open at any one time.
On refrigerated LPG vessels fitted with centre line bulkheads having level gauges fitted close to the bulkhead on either side, the level gauges will indicate substantially differing liquid levels if the vessel is listed, even though both sides of the tank may contain approximately equal quantities. Personnel must be aware of this when taking actions to correct a list.
If specific procedures have been adopted to address potential stability problems, these should be recorded as an Observation.
Cargo Operations and Related Safety Management:
8.9 Are all officers and ratings aware of the carriage requirements including emergency procedures for the specific cargo onboard and gases in general and are officers’ familiar with the vessels cargo system, including emergency discharge arrangements?
Officers should be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of the following:
- Shipboard operations and cargo handling;
- The IGC, GC and EGC Codes, where applicable;
- SIGTTO and ICS Guides;
- Cargo reliquefaction procedures;
- Cargo tank environmental control procedures when gas freeing and gassing up;
- Hazards associated with thermal loads, particularly when cooling down;
- The minimum cargo temperature;
- Requirements for medical treatment following exposure to hazardous cargoes;
- Spill response;
- Communication procedures with shore;
- Emergency stop procedures, including which systems are affected by ESD activation.
And, as required:
- The meaning of Category X,Y, Z and OS cargoes;
- Precautions for reactive and self-reactive cargoes;
- Limitations when loading high density cargoes;
- Effects of sloshing loads;
- Hazards associated with toxic cargoes.
For each gas carried a review of the carriage requirements should have been made in order to ensure that the cargo plan contains all the necessary information for the safe carriage of the product. The review should reference:
- The IGC Code Chapter 19;
- The Certificate of Fitness;
- The P and A Manual; and - Material Safety Data Sheets.
8.10 Is the chief officer familiar with the term 'reference temperature' and is he/she aware of the reference temperature for the existing cargo?
Reference temperature means:
- The temperature corresponding to the vapour pressure of the cargo at the set pressure of the pressure relief valves when no cargo vapour pressure/temperature control is provided;
- The temperature of the cargo upon termination loading, during transportation, or at unloading, whichever is the greatest, when a cargo vapour pressure/temperature control is provided. If this reference temperature would result in the cargo tank becoming liquid full before the cargo reaches a temperature corresponding to the vapour pressure of the cargo at the set pressure of the relief valves as required by in chapter 8.2, an additional pressure relieving system complying with chapter 8.3 should be fitted. (IGC 15.1.4)
8.11 Is a cargo compatibility chart available?
Charterers instructions for cargo compatibility issues should be followed.
It will be necessary to check compatibilities and the ship’s natural ability to segregate, if more than one cargo grade is to be carried. On such occasions, special attention must be given to the ship’s reliquefaction system. There may also be a need, when changing cargoes, to replace the lubricating oil in compressors for certain cargoes.
Refrigerants used for reliquefaction shall be compatible with the cargo they may come into contact with. In addition, when several refrigerants are used and may come into contact, they shall be compatible with each other. (IGC 7.3.2)
8.12 Are cargo operations being carried out and logged in accordance with the plan?
The log (that may be electronic) must include details of all major events including starting and stopping of main cargo and ballast pumps and tanks being worked.
8.13 Are officers aware of the documentation and handling requirements for cargoes with inhibitors, and if the cargo carried is required to be inhibited, is the required information available?
Care shall be taken to ensure that the cargo is sufficiently inhibited to prevent self-reaction (e.g.
polymerization or dimerization) at all times during the voyage. Ships shall be provided with a certificate from the manufacturer stating:
.1 name and amount of inhibitor added;
.2 date inhibitor was added and the normally expected duration of its effectiveness;
.3 any temperature limitations affecting the inhibitor; and
.4 the action to be taken should the length of the voyage exceed the effective lifetime of the inhibitors. (IGC 17.8)
In cases where polymerization of vinyl chloride is prevented by addition of an inhibitor, 17.8 is applicable. In cases where no inhibitor has been added, or the inhibitor concentration is insufficient, any inert gas used for the purposes of 17.6 shall contain no more oxygen than 0.1% by volume. Before loading is started, inert gas samples from the tanks and piping shall be analysed. When vinyl chloride is carried, a positive pressure shall always be maintained in the tanks and during ballast voyages
between successive carriages. (IGC 17.19)
Where products are required to be inhibited, the certificate required by 17.8 shall be supplied before departure, otherwise the cargo shall not be transported. (IGC 18.4.3)
Note: The products which are required to be inhibited are identified in column ‘l’ of Chapter 19. They are Butadiene, Isoprene, Vinyl ethyl ether and Vinylidene chloride. Products required to be inhibited should be refused if an inhibitor certificate is not available.
8.14 Are all officers aware of the emergency procedures for dealing with leakage, spillage or fire involving the cargo?
Contingency plans in accordance with 18.3.1.3, for spillage of cargo carried at ambient temperature, shall take account of potential local temperature reduction such as when the escaped cargo has reduced to atmospheric pressure and the potential effect of this cooling on hull steel. (IGC 18.3.3)