Society of International

Gas Tanker and

Terminal Operators
(SIGTTO),

Capt. Jal T Contractor

By
Capt. Jal T Contractor

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Lesson Plan
• Main Elements = Hazards on Gas Carriers,
• Teaching Method= Lecture and PPT
• Text Book = Sigtto and IGC
• A/V Aid = LCD and white board

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• Guidelines = Sigtto and IGC
• Time = 2 Hours

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Lesson Plan
• At the end of this module candidates will be able to
demonstrate their knowledge of different types hazards on
Gas

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Hazards On Tankers
• Flammability,
• Toxicity,
• Reactivity
• suffocation

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• corrosivity,
• low temperature and pressure.
• Chemical Burns
• Rollover

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5

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• The single most hazardous aspect of liquefied gases is the
flammable nature of their vapours. Much effort is put into ship
design to ensure effective cargo containment so as to limit
vapours escaping to atmosphere. In addition, ships and
terminals have design specifications for electrical equipment

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so as to ensure that, within well-defined operating zones, such
sources of ignition are eliminated.

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• All liquefied gases transported in bulk by sea, with the
exception of chlorine, are flammable. The vapours of other
liquefied gases are easily ignited. The exception to this is
ammonia which requires much higher ignition energy than the
other flammable vapours. Accordingly, fires following

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ammonia leakage are less likely than with the other cargoes.
However, in practice, it is usual to consider the possibility of
ammonia ignition and to act accordingly.

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• Because of the very rapid vaporisation of spilled liquefied
gases, the spread of flammable vapour will be far more
extensive than in the case of a similar spillage of oil.
• The chances of ignition following a spill of liquefied gas is,
therefore, much greater. For this reason, many terminals

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establish ignition-free zones round jetties.

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• The hazards to personnel in fighting oil cargo fires are well
known and apply generally to liquefied gas fires. There are,
however, some points of difference to note . Radiation from
liquefied gas fires, because of the rapidity of vapour
production, can be intense and fire-fighting should only be

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attempted when personnel are wearing protective clothing
suited for purpose.

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Toxicity
• Acute Toxic Effect The effect on humans of a single exposure
of short duration to high concentrations of a toxic compound
or toxic vapour.
• Chronic Toxic Effect The cumulative effect on humans of
prolonged exposures to low concentrations of a toxic

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compound or toxic vapour, or of intermittent exposures to
higher concentrations.

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• Toxicity is the ability of a substance to cause damage to living
tissue, including impairment of the nervous system. Illness or,
in extreme cases, death may occur when a dangerous gas or
liquid is breathed, taken orally or absorbed through the skin.

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• Toxic substances are often ranked according to a system of toxicity
ratings. One such scale is shown below:
• Unknown, for products with insufficient toxicity data available;
• No toxicity, for products causing no harm (under conditions of
normal use) or for those that produce toxic effects only because of

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overwhelming dosages;
• Slight toxicity, for products producing only slight effects on the skin
or mucous membranes or other body organs;
• Moderate toxicity, for products producing moderate effects on the
skin or mucous membranes or other body organs from either acute
or chronic exposure; and,
• Severe toxicity, for products that threaten life or cause permanent
physical impairment or disfigurement from either acute or chronic 13
exposure.
• In summary, toxic substances may result in one or more of the
following effects:
• 1 Permanent damage to the body: With a few chemicals, such
serious ill-effects may occur. Vinyl chloride is a known human
carcinogen and butadiene is suspected of having similar

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effects.
• 2 Narcotics: A patient suffering from exposure to a narcotic
product can be oblivious to the dangers around him. Narcosis
results in ill-effects to the nervous system. The sensations are
blunted, clumsy body movements are noticeable and distorted
reasoning occurs. Prolonged exposure to a narcotic may result
in loss of consciousness.
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• 3 Corrosion/Irritation of the skin, lungs, throat and eyes.
TLV
• Research into toxicity considers such factors as:—
• • The length of exposure
• • Whether contact is by inhalation, ingestion or through the
skin

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• • The stress of the person, and
• • The toxicity of the product

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TLV
• Threshold Limit Values (TLV)
• As a guide to permissible vapour concentrations for prolonged
exposure, such as might occur in ship’s plant operation,
various governmental authorities publish systems of Threshold
Limit Value (TLV) for the toxic substances most handled by

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shipping industry. The most comprehensive and widely quoted
system is that published by the American Conference of
Governmental and Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).

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TLV
• The recommended TLVs are updated annually in the light of
experience and increased knowledge. The ACGIH system
contains the following three categories of TLV in order
adequately to describe the airborne concentrations to which it
is believed that personnel may be exposed over a working life

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without adverse effects. TLV systems promulgated by advisory
bodies in other countries are generally similar in structure.

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TLV
• A) TLV-TWA. Time weighted average concentration for an 8
hour day or 40 hour week throughout working life.
• B) TLV-STEL. Short term exposure limit in terms of the
maximum concentration allowable for a period of up to 15
minutes duration provided there are no more than 4 such

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excursions per day and at least 60 minutes between
excursions.
• C) TLV-C. The ceiling concentration, which should not be
exceeded even instantaneously.

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TLV
• While most substances that are quoted are allocated a TLV-
TWA and a TLV-STEL, only those which are predominantly fast-
acting are given a TLV-C.
• 0.1% Vol = 1000 PPM
• 0.2% Vol = 2000 PPM

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 TLV

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suffocation
• For survival, the human body requires air having a normal
content of about 21 per cent oxygen. However, a gas-free
atmosphere with somewhat less oxygen can support life for a
period without ill-effects being noticed. The susceptibility of
persons to reduced oxygen levels vary but at levels below

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about 19 per cent, impaired mobility and mental confusion
rapidly occur. This mental confusion is particularly dangerous
as the victim may be unable to appreciate his predicament.
Accordingly, self-assisted escape from a hazardous location
may be impossible. At levels below 16 per cent,
unconsciousness takes place rapidly and, if the victim is not
removed quickly, permanent brain damage and death will
result. 22
• In general, such a problem is limited to enclosed spaces. Oxygen
deficiency in an enclosed space can occur with any of the following
conditions:—
• • When large quantities of cargo vapour are present
• • When large quantities of inert gas or nitrogen are present, and

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• • Where rusting of internal tank surfaces has taken place

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 CORROSIVITY

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CORROSIVITY
• Some cargoes and inhibitors may be corrosive. The IMO Codes require
materials used in the cargo system to be resistant to corrosion by the
cargo. Care should therefore be taken to ensure that unsuitable
materials are not introduced into the cargo system. All precautions
specific to the cargo should be strictly observed.
• Corrosive liquids can also attack human tissue and care should be taken
to avoid contact: reference should be made to the appropriate data

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sheets. Instructions about the use of protective clothing should be
observed

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 LOW TEMPERATURE

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LOW TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
• Most metals and alloys become stronger but less ductile at low
temperatures.
• Normal shipbuilding steels rapidly lose their ductility and impact-
strength below O'C. For this reason, care should be taken to prevent
cold cargo from coming into contact with such steels, as the
resultant rapid cooling would make the metal brittle and would
cause stress due to contraction. In this condition the metal would

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be liable to crack. The phenomenon occurs suddenly and is called
'brittle fracture'.

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 Pressure

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Pressure
• Liquefied gases are normally carried as boiling liquids at
either:
• ambient temperature (fully pressurised ships), or
• atmospheric pressure (fully refrigerated ships), or

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• intermediate temperatures and pressures (semi-pressurised &
Fully-refrigerated).

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Pressure
• Particularly hazardous cargoes such as ethylene oxide and propylene oxide may be
carried below their boiling points to reduce boil-off and increase safety. In such cases
the tank pressure is maintained above atmospheric with nitrogen padding.
• Any heat input to the cargo will vaporise some of the liquid and gradually increase the
tank pressure. Pressure vessels are designed to accommodate this increase, but on
fully or semi-refrigerated ships the boil-off is condensed by the reliquefaction system
and returned to the cargo tanks as a boiling liquid. On LNG vessels cargo tank pressure
is almost always controlled by burning the boil-off in the main propulsion system or in
rare cases (e.g. emergency) by venting it to atmosphere.

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• If the pressure above a boiling liquid is increased, vaporisation from the surface is
reduced, and vice versa.

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 Reactivity

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Reactivity
• A liquefied gas cargo may react in a number of ways: with
water to form hydrates, with itself, with air, with another
cargo or with other materials.

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Reaction with Water
• Reaction with Water - Hydrate Formation
• Some hydrocarbon cargoes will combine with water under certain conditions to
produce a substance known as a hydrate resembling crushed ice or slush. The
water for hydrate formation can come from purge vapours with an incorrect dew
point, water in the cargo system or water dissolved in the cargo. Care should be
taken to ensure that the dew point of any purge vapour or inert gas used is
suitable for the cargo concerned, and that water is excluded from the cargo
system.

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• Hydrates can cause pumps to seize and equipment to malfunction. Care should
therefore be taken to prevent hydrate formation.

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Reaction with Water
• Certain cargoes, notably LPGS, may contain traces of water when
loaded. It may be permissible in such cases to prevent hydrate
formation by adding small quantities of a suitable anti-freeze (e.g.
methanol, ethanol) at strategic points in the system. It is emphasised
that nothing whatsoever should be added to any cargo without the
shipper's permission. For LPG mixtures a small dose of anti-freeze may
be permissible, but for chemical cargoes such as ethylene the addition

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of even one litre per two hundred tons could make the cargo
commercially valueless. In the case of inhibited cargoes the anti-freeze
could adversely affect the inhibitor.

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Self Reaction
• Self-reaction
• Some cargoes may react with themselves. The most common
form of self-reaction is polymerisation which may be initiated
by the presence of small quantities of other cargoes or by
certain metals. Polymerisation normally produces heat which
may accelerate the reaction.
• The IMO Codes require cargoes which may self-react either

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to be carried under an inert gas blanket, or to be inhibited
before shipment. In the later case a certificate must be given
to the ship, stating:
• the quantity and name of the inhibitor added;
• the date it was added and how long it is expected to remain
effective;
• the action to be taken should the voyage exceed the
effective lifetime of the inhibitor; any temperature limitations 37
affecting the inhibitor.
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Self Reaction
• Certain cargoes which can self-react (e.g ethylene oxide,
propylene oxide), but which cannot be inhibited, have to be
carried under inert gas. Care should be taken to ensure that a
positive pressure is maintained in the inerted atmosphere at
all times and that the oxygen concentration never exceeds

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0.2% by volume.

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Reaction With Air
• Reaction with Air
• Some cargoes can react with air to form unstable oxygen
compounds which could cause all explosion. The IMO Codes
require these cargoes to be either inhibited or carried under
nitrogen or other inert gas. The general precautions in

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paragraph 1.4.2 apply and care should be taken t() observe the
shipper's instructions.

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Reaction with other Cargoes
• Reaction with Other Cargoes
• Certain cargoes can react dangerously with one another.
They should be prevented from mixing by using separate
piping and vent systems and separate refrigeration equipment
for each cargo. Care should be taken to ensure that this

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positive segregation is maintained.

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Reaction with Other Materials
• The data sheets list materials which should not be allowed to come into
contact with the cargo. The materials used in the cargo systems must be
compatible with the cargoes to be carried and care should be taken to
ensure that no incompatible materials are used or introduced during
maintenance (e.g. gaskets).
• Reaction can occur between cargo and purge vapours of poor quality:
for instance, inert gas with high CO2, content can cause carbamate

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formation with ammonia (see paragraph 4.6.1). Reaction can also occur
between compressor lubricating oils and some cargoes, resulting in
blockage and damage.

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 Frostbite

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FROSTBITE
• FROSTBITE
• The extreme coldness of some liquefied gases is, in itself, a significant
hazard. If the skin is exposed to severe cold, the tissue becomes frozen.
This danger is ever-present in gas terminals and on a ship handling fully
refrigerated cargoes. For fully pressurised gases, while containment
systems will normally be at or near ambient temperature, liquid leaks

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will quickly flash to the fully refrigerated temperature. Such areas
should never be approached without proper protective clothing.

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FROSTBITE
• The symptoms of frostbite are extreme pain in the affected area (after
thawing), confusion, agitation and possibly fainting. If the affected area
is large, severe shock will develop.
• Initial symptoms
• • The skin initially becomes red, but then turns white
• • The affected area is usually painless, and

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• • The affected area is hard to the touch
• If the area is left untreated, the tissue will die and gangrene may occur.

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Chemical Burns
• As shown in , chemical burns can be caused by ammonia, chlorine,
ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. The symptoms are similar to burns
by fire, except that the product may be absorbed through the skin
causing toxic side-effects. Chemical burning is particularly damaging to
the eyes.
• Symptoms
• • A burning pain with redness of the skin

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• • An irritating rash
• • Blistering or loss of skin
• • Toxic poisoning

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Rollover
• Rollover is a spontaneous rapid mixing process which occurs in
large tanks as a result of a density inversion.Stratification
develops when the liquid layer adjacent to a liquid surface
becomes more dense than the layers beneath, due to boil-off
of lighter fractions from the cargo. This obviously unstable

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situation relieves itself with asudden mixing, which the name
'rollover' aptly describes.

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Rollover
• Liquid hydrocarbons are most prone to rollover, especially
cryogenic liquids. (What are cryogenic liquids? Cryogenic
liquids are liquefied gases that are kept in their liquid state at
very low temperatures. The word "cryogenic" means
"producing, or related to, low temperatures," and all cryogenic

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liquids are extremely cold. Cryogenic liquids have boiling
points below -150°C (- 238°F))

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Rollover
• LNG is the most likely by virtue of the impurities it contains, and the
extreme conditions of temperature under which it is stored, close to
the saturation temperatures at storage pressures. If the cargo is
stored for any length of time and the boil-off is removed,
evaporation can cause a slight increase in density and a reduction of
temperature near the surface. The liquid at the top of the tank is

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therefore marginally heavier than the liquid in the lower levels.

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Rollover
• Once stratification has developed rollover can occur. No
external intervention such as vibration, stirring or introducing
new liquid is required to initiate rollover. The response to a
small temperature difference within the liquid (which will
inevitably occur in the shipboard environment) is sufficient to
provide the kinetic energy to start rollover, and release the

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gravitational driving forces which will invert the tank contents.

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Rollover
• The inversion will be accompanied by violent evolution of large
quantities of vapour and a very real risk of tank over-pressure.
Rollover has been experienced ashore, and may happen on a ship
that has been anchored for some time. If such circumstances are
foreseen the tank contents should be circulated daily by the cargo
pumps to prevent rollover occurring. Rollover can occur if similar or

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compatible cargoes of different densities are put in the same tank.

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Rollover
• For example, if tank pressure is maintained by boil-off
reliquefaction, the condensate return may be of slightly different
temperature (and hence density) from the bulk liquid, and likewise if
condensate from two or more cargoes is returned to one tank. In
such circumstances, rollover may be prevented by returning
condensate that is less dense than the bulk liquid to the top of the

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tank, and condensate that is denser to the bottom of the tank.

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Rollover
• Rollover may also occur when two part cargoes are loaded into the
same tank (e.g. propane and butane). In this case there will be a
large boil-off (up to 3% of the total liquid volume) due to the
temperature difference betweenthe two. For this reason, the
practice is considered unsafe unless a thorough thermodynamic
analysis of the process is undertaken, and the loading takes place

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under strictly controlled conditions. Rollover in a ship on passage is
most unlikely.

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Rollover
• Essentially, stratification and the subsequent rollover process
is confined to shore LNG storage. However, if the use of LNG
carriers for floating storage were to be introduced, personnel
manning such vessels would need to be as aware of the
problem and as vigilant to avoid rollover as their counterparts

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managing shore based storage.

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 Roll over

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GAS HAZARDOUS AREAS
• GAS HAZARDOUS AREAS ARE SPECIFIED IN THE REGULATION
ARE, AS FOLLOWS:
• • · All cargo tanks and rooms containing cargo tanks or pipes.
• • · Pump room, compressor room and other rooms where
gas appears.

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• • · A radius of 4,5 meters around ventilation outlet from the
compressor room and pump room.

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GAS HAZARDOUS AREAS
• • · A radius around the ventilation outlet from cargo tanks at
9 meters.
• • · A zone on open deck in the cargo tanks area up to 2,4
meters above deck and 3 meters ahead and aft of the cargo
tank area.

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• • · A radius of 3 meters around pipe lines for cargo.

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