Singapore Polytechnic

Singapore Maritime Academy

Class 1&2 (Deck) Certificate of Competency
MA2024: Cargo Work
Chemical Tankers: Tutorial Solutions

1. With reference to the carriage of liquid chemicals in bulk, state the procedures in
relation to the disposal of tank washings, slops and dirty ballast.

1. Contaminated wash water resulting from mandatory pre-wash procedures should always
be immediately discharged ashore unless no shore reception facilities in which case it is
retained on board and to be discharged at another port. During the voyage, the slops and
the tank washings should be given the same safety and environmental care as the original
cargo.
2. Dirty ballast, caused by ballasting into a cargo tank before the tank is cleaned, should be
treated as slops, and must be disposed of in accordance with MARPOL and P&A
Manual.
3. When discharge overboard is permitted, it is undertaken at sea and proceeding en route
at a speed of at least 7 knots. Discharges of chemical residues should normally be below
the waterline through an u/w discharge outlet on the side of the ship away from essential
water inlet valves, In the interest of safety, this procedures should be adopted even when
it is not a mandatory requirement.
When any discharge are made above the waterline, care should be taken to avoid cargo
vapours or liquid blowing back on board. If suck risk exists, discharge should be made
below waterline. If not possible, consider alter course, or reduce speed of personnel on
deck wears appropriate PPE.
4. Compatibility of various cargo and cleaning chemicals should be considered just as
carefully when handling slops as when handling cargoes themselves. Avoid the
following.
4.1 Mixing of slops from Annex I (oil) cargoes with slops from Annex II
(chemical) cargoes.
4.2 Mixing slops from incompatible cargoes.
4.3 Mixing slops from vegetable oils or fats with chemical slops petroleum oil slops.
If ship’s cargo tanks are used as slop tanks, avoid introducing slops from cargo which are
incompatible with tank coating.

Capt Osman.2013 1
 Singapore Polytechnic
Singapore Maritime Academy
Class 1&2 (Deck) Certificate of Competency
MA2024: Cargo Work
Chemical Tankers: Tutorial Solutions

2.
Sophisticated parcel chemical tankers:
Typically up to 40,000 tonnes deadweight with multiple small cargo tanks - up to 54 -
each with an individual pump and a dedicated pipeline, to carry small parcels of high
grade chemicals. These ships have a significant proportion of the cargo tanks made
with stainless steel, allowing maximum flexibility to carry cargoes that need their
quality safeguarded.

Product / chemical tankers:

Of similar size to parcel tankers but with fewer cargo tanks, mostly of coated steel
rather than stainless, and less sophisticated pump and line arrangements. Such ships
carry the less difficult chemicals, and also trade extensively with clean oil products.

Specialised chemical carriers:

Small to medium sized ships, often on dedicated trades and usually carrying a single
cargo such as an acid, molten sulphur, molten phosphorus, methanol, fruit juice, palm
oil and wine. Cargo tanks are coated or stainless steel according to the trade.

3.
TLV-TWA: TLV-TWA (Time Weighted Average) Concentration of vapour in air
which may be experienced for an 8-hr day or 40-hr week throughout a person’s
working life. It is the most commonly quoted TLV and it shows the smallest
concentration.

TLV-STEL (Short Term Exposure Limit) Maximum concentration of vapour-in-air

allowable for a period of 15 mins provided there are no more than 4 exposures per day
and at least 1 hr between each. It is always greater than no.1

TLV-C (Ceiling Concentration) Concentration of vapour-in-air which should never

be exceeded. Only those substances which are predominantly fast acting are given
TLV-C. Of the main liquefied gases, only the more toxic products, such as ammonia
and chlorine, has been ascribed such a figure.

4.Odour Threshold: It is the lowest concentration of a certain odour compound that

is perceivable by the human sense of smell.

Capt Osman.2013 2
 Singapore Polytechnic
Singapore Maritime Academy
Class 1&2 (Deck) Certificate of Competency
MA2024: Cargo Work
Chemical Tankers: Tutorial Solutions

4.
Ship’s Type “1”
Designed for the carriage of IBC Code chapter 17 products, which have severe
environmental and safety hazards that mean the maximum of preventative measures
are required to stop an escape of the cargo. The design principle is that the cargo
carrying compartment are located at a required distance from the hull of the ship to
guard against potential release caused by collision or grounding. The ships are of a
smaller size and are often dedicated to single cargo trading. The tanks will either be
coated or stainless steel, depending on the nature of the trade that is carried out, and
they may not exceed 1,250m3 capacity.

Ship’s Type “2”

Designed for the carriage of IBC Code chapter 17 products, which have moderately
severe environmental and safety hazards that mean preventative measures are required
to stop an escape of the cargo. These ships can be up to 40,000tonnes DWT and may
have as many as 54 cargo tanks, each with its own individual pump and pipeline. The
tanks are usually constructed of stainless steel, which provides maximum flexibility
on cargo selection. The temperature and other specifications of the compartments can
be regulated according to the specific requirements of the type of liquid being
transported. Typically, these tankers carry a number of high value "just in time"
cargoes in small amounts. The maximum tank size is 3,000m3

Ship’s Type “3”

Designed for the carriage of IBC Code chapter 17 products with sufficiently severe
environmental and safety hazards, they require a moderate degree of containment.

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