Marine

Newslink
NEWS
Volume 4 | Issue 7

Railways going RO-RO way

PHOTO(S) OF THE MONTH
Ships & bad weather
BACK TO BASICS
Question of the month

FEATURE ARTICLE
SEAWATER & CARGO
 EDITOR’S NOTE

S
eawater or salt water damages, to ship borne cargo, are becoming a common
occurrence today. At shore, there is a rare possibility that the cargo will get exposed
to seawater until unless a hurricane hits the shore, but at sea whilst cargo is loaded
onboard a freighter or ship, there are many probabilities.

Poor hatch covers, unattended repairs of tank covers, improper ventilator securing and many
more reasons can attribute to such damages. Seawater in cargoes like Fishmeal or Coal can
increase their temperature subsequently causing spontaneous combustion. In this volume
of Marine Newslink, we discuss the most common reasons for seawater ingress into cargo
tanks & subsequently in cargo, and their preventive measures.

NEWS

R
ailways have launched a new service
‘Ro-Ro’ to carry loaded trucks on
goods train in a bid to attract more
loadings and reduce carbon emission.
Roll-on Roll-off (RO-RO) service was
2 launched across the Digha rail bridge
between Bihta and Turki stations in Bihar.
Konkan railways have already been doing
something like this from few years.
After consultation with the truck operators,
who are transporting sand in truck from
North Bihar to South Bihar through road
bridges like Mahatma Gandhi Setu,
Vikramshila Setu, it has been decided
to operate RO-RO service across Digha
Bridge. Besides sand, stones can also
be transported using the RO-RO service.
Railways will extend the service to cover
more commodities and destinations
in future. In order to have effective
communication and redressal of issues
pertaining to freight customers, railways
nominated Key Customer Managers for 10
major freight commodities. Key Customer
Managers were nominated for coal, iron
ore, raw material for steel plants, steel,
foodgrain, fertiliser, cement, POL, container
and other commodities.
As cargo owners & Insurers it is a good
news, reduction in bulk cargo handling
points means shortage & pilferage will be
controlled to great extent. l

Issue 7 | MARINE NEWSLINK

 Ship in bad weather

PHOTOS OF THE MONTH

Seawater in cargo hold

 SEAWATER DAMAGES TO CARGO
INTRODUCTION
In June of 2007, an ocean freighter of
Indian registry sailed from port in Australia
loaded with 3,000 tons of zircon destined
4 for New York. En route, the ship made a
port call in New Orleans U.S.A. When the
ship left New Orleans and exited the Gulf
of Mexico around Florida, the freighter ran
into Hurricane Dean which was raging in
Issue 7 | MARINE NEWSLINK
the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida.
Waves breaking over the freighter caused
seawater to penetrate the hatch covers
and leak into the holds. Sailing through
the hurricane, the ship made landfall at
New York, where the buyer was about to
receive over a million dollars of seawater
contaminated zircon.
Seawater damages can cause full or partial
cargo losses.
We will concentrate on causes & reasons for
saltwater damages on Ships.
To understand onboard seawater damages
we need to know little about ships.
Ships are floating vessels, which have many
tanks other than cargo holds. These tanks
are used for storing fuel, freshwater for
crew consumption and seawater (commonly
called BALLAST water) for ship balancing.
In layman terms, when a ship is empty
“Ballast” is taken onboard to keep the ship
steady. The seawater is taken in tanks to
keep ship sufficiently submerged for easy
navigability.
The tanks in which such seawater is taken
are called Double Bottom (DB), Peak tanks
(situated at forward & rear end of ships &
hence peak tanks) or Wing (TST) Tanks.
Tanks located under the cargo holds are
called DB tanks and tanks located under
main deck are called Wing (Top Side-TST)
tanks. Cargo hold vents and entrance
hatches also pose serious risk of seawater
ingress if not closed or secured properly
5
Bilges are supposedly gutters of every
cargo tanks & each cargo hold will have
minimum two or more bilges. They are fitted
with pump system to pump out water that
may enter the cargo hold. Bilges play very
crucial role, if a ship side is penetrated
and seawater starts flowing into the tank.
Incidents resulting in damage to cargo
following water ingress into the holds from
ballast tanks and/or bilge lines continue to
arise. Such claims are usually costly and
separating damaged goods from the rest of
the cargo can often cause delay. Moreover,
when cargo has been damaged by seawater,
the salvaged value may be minimal and
disposal may be necessary, adding to the
magnitude of the claim.
MARINE NEWSLINK | Issue 7
 to valves between the ballast main and
hold or overboard drop valves not being
closed

When the P&I clubs carry out condition

surveys of dry cargo vessels, the ballast
tanks surrounding the cargo holds are tested
hydrostatically. It is therefore recommended
that, as far as is safe and practicable,
ballasting operations are undertaken only
when the adjacent cargo holds are empty of
cargo, recognising that this may not always
be possible due to operational reasons.
WATER INGRESS FROM BALLAST TANKS If a ballast tank manhole within a cargo hold
Water from ballast tanks may enter adjacent has been opened for a routine inspection,
cargo holds from various different routes: to carry out maintenance or while in dry-
Damage to the hold structure: This dock, the manhole cover should be refitted
may be caused by cargo operations, carefully on completion so that the tank is
for example, due to grab damage to ready for use. Checks should be made to
tank top plating or cargo hold pipe-work ensure that sealing arrangements are free
on vessels carrying dry bulk cargo. of debris, that the gasket is in satisfactory
Similarly, container vessel tank tops may condition and renewed if necessary, and that
6 be damaged by containers which all nuts and bolts are in place and correctly
are landed heavily or if lashing cross-tightened in order to achieve a
material becomes trapped between tank watertight seal. Provided no cargo is present
top and the container base. in the hold, it is recommended that the tank
Severe corrosion of ballast tank is then checked by means of hydrostatic
steelwork. This may involve plating testing at the earliest opportunity to confirm
where localised corrosion is so severe that the manhole cover does not leak.
that holes have appeared, or ballast tank
air and sounding pipes in holds where NOTE: Water ingress from ballast tanks or
the blind side of pipe-work close to the bilge wells generally results in wetted cargo
adjacent steelwork has corroded in a layer on the tank top. Upward spread of
unchecked due to the difficulty of damage from this is rare.
examining this area and removing rust
scale. Preventive measures for leaking manhole
Leaking ballast tank manhole covers. This covers
may be due to failure of the gaskets or All nuts and bolts should be in place and
the presence of debris preventing a tightened evenly for the manhole cover
suitable seal when manhole covers are It is important that the gasket for the
refitted, or when manhole cover securing manhole is clean and there is no debris or
nuts and bolts have not all been replaced dirt causing leak when the manhole cover
or properly tightened. is refitted
Cargo-hold heavy weather ballast filling/ A two-person check should be carried out
suction arrangements. This may be due for closing the hatch and manhole covers

Issue 7 | MARINE NEWSLINK

 In some cases DB tank covers can be
sealed using cement for one voyage

WATER INGRESS FROM CARGO HOLD

BILGE LINES
Cargo hold bilge systems are fitted with
a non-return valve on each bilge line. The
non-return valve can become blocked,
either by cargo residue or by rust or debris
such as rags, preventing it from closing
properly. Non-return valves can also seize
open or partially open. If the screw down
valve between the bilge line and the bilge
pumping system is not closed and bilge/
general/ballast pumps are subsequently
operated, seawater may flood back along
the bilge line, past the non-return valve and
into the cargo hold. It is recommended that
the inspection, maintenance and testing It should be verified that remotely
of cargo hold bilge line non-return valves controlled bilge valves are in good
are incorporated into pre-loading vessel condition
inspection, including checking for backflow Ensure all critical parts of the bilge
past the non-return valves when bilges have system are included in the test 7
been pumped dry. Ensure all bilge valves are closed when
not in operation
Preventive measures for the cargo bilge
system HATCH WATERTIGHT INTEGRITY
Bilge wells should be cleaned and To prevent cargo claims due to water
tested regularly. It is important that this is ingress, all hatch seals (both longitudinal
documented and transverse), hold access lids and seals
Bilge lines and valves should be tested around the hatch sides should be chalk
before loading commences marked and water tested using deck wash
Air and sounding lines should be hoses.
inspected for debris
Bilge valves and lines should be
tested at regular intervals

MARINE NEWSLINK | Issue 7

 A more accurate method of testing a hatch SILVER NITRATE TEST
for leakage is to use ultrasonic equipment. For the detection of seawater contamination
However this is usually carried out by survey in cargoes, a solution of silver nitrate
agencies that are trained in the use of this in distilled water is regularly used as a
equipment. Faulty or suspect sections of simple test for the detection of seawater
hatch rubber should be replaced in their contamination of ship’s cargoes. Whilst the
entirety; localised replacement or ‘building test is a useful preliminary test for saline
up’ of hatch rubbers using sealing tape is contamination it should be considered
discouraged. as indicative only. It has limitations and
should not be relied on as definitive proof
Preventive measures for the cargo hold of saltwater contamination. In order to
8 weather tightness undertake a ‘spot’ test in surveyors will
Acceptance of vessel through rating normally carry a small dropping bottle
system containing acidified silver nitrate solution. 
Hatch cover tests by acceptable methods A few drops of the solution should
– This shall also includes inspecting be dropped onto both the suspected
hatch coamings contaminated and apparently
Test or inspect ventilators of cargo holds uncontaminated areas of the subject cargo.
for weather tightness More comprehensive lab tests are also
Test or inspect entrance hatches & door available for high value claims.
of cargo holds for weather tightness

Seawater damages are increasing due to age

and poor maintenance of ships, inapt crew,
increasing pressure of time lines on ships and
not to forget weather conditions.l

Issue 7 | MARINE NEWSLINK

 BACK TO BASICS

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

A coal consignment from Indonesia was imported

on FOB terms. Full load vessel. Coverage was on
ICC-A + War + Strikes.

The ship reached the Indian shore. The cargo was

being discharged through barges. War broke out
and enemy country sunk the barge carrying the
coal. Is the claim tenable?

LAST MONTH’S QUESTION:

“Export consignment on CIF basis was covered from Nagpur to Singapore.

Q Coverage was on ICC-B + War + Strikes. Stuffing happened at Nagpur.
There was heavy rains enroute and the cargo reached Mumbai port totally wet
and in soaking condition. Surveyor observed that there was a hole on the roof of 9
the container (probably consignor didn’t do a light test before stuffing at Nagpur).
Is the claim payable?

Not Payable; ICC-B covers only entry of sea, lake or river water into vessel
A craft hold conveyance container or place of storage. Fresh water damage like
rain is not covered.

CORRECT ANSWERS SENT BY:

Mr. Bharat Bhushan – Optima Insurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi
Mr. Birendra Mishra – Tata-AIG, Lower Parel, Mumbai
Mr. Seetharaman Srinivasan – JLT Independent Insurance Brokers Private Ltd., Chennai
Mr. Partha Pathak – Marsh India Insurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore
Mr. Krishna Narasaiah – Tata-AIG, Bangalore
Ms. Shubha Shetty – Tata-AIG, Bangalore
Mr. Santosh Varma – Kadel Insurance
Mr. V Ganesan – Marsh India Insurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd., Chennai
Ms. Chandni Mehta – Probitas Brokers, Mumbai
Mr. Kinnar Jhaveri
Mr. Nithyanandan K. – Prudent brokers – Chennai

MARINE NEWSLINK | Issue 7

 IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS / CONTACT US
FEEDBACK PLEASE SEND IT TO Tata-AIG General Insurance
Company Limited,
Keyur Gandhi
Peninsula Business Park,
National Manager – Marine
Tower A, 15th Floor,
keyur.gandhi@tata-aig.com
G.K.Marg, Lower Parel,
Vijay Pal Singh Mumbai 400013.
Marine Loss Control Manager – India www.tataaiginsurance.in
vijaypal.singh@tata-aig.com

DISCLAIMER
The publication is for private circulation only. It is for internal additional information of employees and associates. Views
expressed in the article are personal views of author and the publisher, editor does not own any responsibility legally or
otherwise. Though due care is taken to give accurate information, the readers are advised to verify independently the
correctness of the information given.

For all earlier months Marine Newslink issues, please do visit our website link
http://www.tataaiginsurance.in/taig/taig/tata_aig/resources/knowledge-center.html