ALL YOU WANTED TO KNOW

ABOUT

CARGO CALCULATIONS

But were afraid to ask !

Cargo Tank GAUGING
 What is Gauging ?
There are 3 parameters

Measurement of Ullage or Sounding

Measurement of Temperature

Measurement of Interface
 Ullage and Sounding
Gauging
instrument Cargo Tank

Ullage

Sounding
Or Innage

Usually ullages are used for calculation.

In rare cases soundings may be used
 What is interface
The water in the cargo settles after loading and is called free water.
Interface is the separation level between the cargo and the free water

Gauging
Cargo Tank
instrument

Ullage of
interface

Interface level Oil

Water
 Trim Correction

TRIM

A Vessel Trimmed by Stern

Aft Measured Ullage

Actual Ullage Forward

Horizontal plane
To obtain the actual cargo quantity in
a tank,
Correction
Cargo Tank in a vessel
Trim correction must be applied to
Trimmed by stern the measured ullage
 List Correction

A vessel listed to Starboard

Gauging Instrument
Port Actual Ullage Stbd
Measured Ullage

Horizontal plane

Correction
Cargo Tank in a Vessel
Listed to Starboard
To obtain the actual quantity of cargo in a tank,
List Correction must be applied to the measured ullage
 The basics of
Cargo Calculation
 Basic Facts

Oil is traded by its Mass

Mass = Density X Volume

Mass of oil does not Temperature increases,

change with temperature Volume increases

Temperature increases,
Density reduces
 Various forms of Density
Density in one of the following forms is provided by the Supplier

 Density at 150 C – This is the mass per unit volume of oil at 150 C.

 Relative density at 600 F – This is the density of oil at 600 F divided by

the density of water

 API gravity – Bears a purely mathematical relation to relative density

141.5
API gravity at 600 F = - 131.5
Relative density at 600 F
 Standard Temperature
 Volume of oil on board is measured at Observed temperature

 Since the density and volume of oil change with change in

temperature, a Standard temperature has to be used for
calculations

 The standard temperatures used are 150 C and 600 F.

150 C is not the same as 600 F.

In fact 150 C = 590 F

 Tank volumes

TOV : Total Observed Volume of cargo at observed

temperature including free water

GOV : Gross Oil Volume at observed temperature is TOV

minus free water.

GSV ( Gross Standard Volume ) : Gross oil volume at standard

temperature

GSOV : This is the Gross oil volume at standard temperature +

the free water
 Tank volumes - units

Tank Volumes are usually calculated in

 US Barrels
OR
 Cubic Meters

1 Cubic Meter = 6.28981 US Barrels

 The difference between
OBQ and ROB
OBQ ROB
This is the quantity of cargo This is the quantity of cargo
in the ships tanks before that remains in ships tanks
loading. after discharge.
OBQ may be either Liquid or ROB may be either Liquid or
Non - Liquid Non - Liquid

During the ballast voyage the oil / sludge clinging on to the sides
collects at the bottom of the tank.
Hence the OBQ on arrival Load port may be a little more than the
ROB after last discharge.
 Correction Factors

VCF WCF
or or

Volume Correction Factor Weight Correction Factor

 Also called Volume Reduction Factor  Also called Weight Reduction Factor
 Obtained from ASTM tables  Obtained from ASTM tables
 GOV x VCF =  Volume at standard temperature
Volume at standard temperature. x WCF = Mass
 ASTM Tables
Why use ASTM Tables ?
Because ASTM Tables represent a uniform International Standard for
petroleum measurement

What to use the table for

Table number

Description of when to use the table

Compiled by :
The American Standard of Testing and Materials
The Institute of Petroleum ( London )
The American Petroleum industry
 Commonly used ASTM Tables
ASTM tables can be broadly divided into three main groups

Tables used for

Tables used for Tables used for
conversion of
volume Correction Weight Correction
volume and
Factors ( VCF ) Factors ( WCF )
density measures

Crudes 1 57 11
6A, 24A, 54A 52 2
Products 56 13
3 29
6B, 24B, 54B
 Tables for VCF

Table 6A - For crude oils

For correction of US Barrels at Observed temperature
to US Barrels at 600 F.

Table 6B - For Products

For correction of US Barrels at Observed temperature
to US Barrels at 600 F.

These tables are entered using the API and the observed
temperature
 Tables for VCF

Table 24A - For crude oils

For correction of US Barrels at Observed temperature
to US Barrels at 600 F.

Table 24B - For Products

For correction of US Barrels at Observed temperature
to US Barrels at 600 F.

These tables are entered using the Relative Density and

the observed temperature
 Tables for VCF

Table 54A - For crude oils

For correction of Cubic meters at Observed
temperature to Cubic meters at 150 C.

Table 54B - For Products

For correction of Cubic meters at Observed
temperature to Cubic meters at 150 C.

These tables are entered using the Density at 150 C and

the observed temperature
 Tables for WCF
Table 11 - For converting US Barrels at Standard temperature to Long
Tonnes using API.

Table 13 - For converting US Barrels at Standard temperature to Metric

Tonnes using API.

Table 29 - For converting US Barrels at Standard temperature to

Long Tonnes using Relative Density at 600 F.

Table 56 - For converting Cubic meters at Standard temperature to

Metric Tonnes using Density at 150 C.

Table 57 - For converting Cubic meters at Standard temperature to

Long Tonnes using Density at 150 C.
 Tables for Interconversion of units
Table 1 - Interrelation between Various units of measurement.

Table 2 - For Temperature conversion. Centigrade to Fahrenheit

and vice versa.

Table 3 - Conversion of API gravity at 600 F to Relative density at

600 F and Density at 150 C

Table 52 - For converting Barrels at 600 F to Cubic meters at 150 C

and vice versa.
 Which tables to use When
Density in some form is given by the Supplier

When API is When Relative When Density at

given Density is given 150 C is given

Calculate Volume Calculate Volume Calculate Volume

in US Barrels in US Barrels in Cubic Meters

Use VCF table Use VCF table Use VCF table

6A – Crudes 24A – Crudes 54A – Crudes
6B - products 24B - products 54B - products

Use WCF table 11 Use WCF table 29 Use WCF table 57

for Long Tonnes for Long Tonnes for Long Tonnes

Metric Tonnes =
Use WCF table 13 Long Tonnes X Use WCF table 56
for Metric Tonnes 1.01605 for Metric Tonnes
 GSOV – OBQ
= Loaded Volume
Gauge the cargo
tanks for ullage, GSV + Free Water
temperature and = GSOV
interface
Loaded volume X WCF
= Metric Tonnes

Calculate the or Long Tonnes

volume from the GOV X VCF
ullage tables
= GSV
( TOV )
TOV – Free Water
= GOV
 Line Content
Line content refers to the cargo in the bottom line of the ships cargo tanks.

• The ullage tables normally state whether the line content is included within
the tabulated volume of each tank or not.

• If not stated, it is implied that the line content is included within the tabulated
volumes for each tank.
• Line contents must be added to or subtracted from the GOV.

Add line content:

• If any lines passing through empty tanks are filled with cargo.

• Contents of all lines if the line content is not included in the tabulated volume
of each tank

Line content may have to be subtracted in certain cases

 Line Content – An example

1C 2C 3C 4C 5C

A ship with 5 cargo tanks

and 3 bottom lines loads
at 2 ports

Bottom lines

1C 2C 3C 4C 5C
After loading in 1st load port,
the line content in the empty
tanks ( 2C and 4C) is to be
added to the GOV

1C 2C 3C 4C 5C
After loading in 2nd load port,
the line content in 2C and 4C
must be subtracted from the
GOV of 2nd load port
 Blending
When two different cargoes grades are mixed, it is called Blending.
How to calculate the quantity of 2nd cargo loaded after blending ?
Assuming cargo A was loaded 1st and Cargo B was later mixed with cargo A to get cargo C.
Assuming density in the form of API is given, proceed as follows :

Using VCF for Standard volume of

Calculate Weighted weighted average cargo B = Standard
Average API API, reduce Cargo volume of cargo C
C to Standard – Standard volume
volume of Cargo A

Weighted Average API

Using WCF for API
of cargo B convert
Standard volume of
(GOV Cargo A x API Cargo A ) + (GOV Cargo B x API Cargo B )
= cargo B to mass.
GOV Cargo C
 What is the B/L figure
B/L - Bill of Lading figure.

 The B/L figure or the shore figure is the quantity of cargo loaded as
calculated by the supplier.

 Freight is generally paid on the basis of the B/L cargo figures.

Ship’s figures :

 The cargo quantity calculated on board the ship is called the ship’s
figures

 The ship’s figures are used to check that the B/L figures stated by the
shipper are correct and to safeguard the owner’s interests
 Overview of loading
Shore tank
Parcel of cargo loaded from shore tank
(B/L figure)

Freight is usually payable on B/L figures

Shore pipeline

Cargo Parcel received by ship

(Ships figure calculated to verify B/L Figure)

Ship
B/L description

Gross B/L figures. ( Including the BS & W )

These must be used for comparison for CQD

Net B/L figures. ( Excluding the BS & W )

BS & W expressed as a percentage of the

Gross B/L quantity.
 What is BS & W

BS & W : Base Sediment and Water.

 This is the sediment and water contained in the cargo.

 It is expressed as a percentage of the total cargo.

 The Gross B/L figure includes the BS & W.
 The Net B/L figure excludes the BS & W.
 What is CQD
CQD – Cargo Quantity Discrepancy.

 This is the difference between the B/L figure and the ships figure
expressed as a percentage of the B/L.

 Ships figures must always be compared with the Gross B/L figures.

 If CQD is more than 0.25%, the Office must be informed who would
then obtain a Letter of Indemnity from the Charterers failing which
the B/L should not be signed by the Master.
 What is VEF
• VEF stands for Vessel Experience Factor.
• This is an indication of the difference in the Ship’s figures and the B/L
figures averaged over the last 10 to 20 voyages.

Ship’s figure
• VEF =
B/L figure

Why do the Ship’s figures and B/L figures differ ?

The difference is due to the following:

 Ship’s figures are not very accurate because cargo tanks on the ships
are not exact geometrical shapes and hence there are inherent
inaccuracies in the formulas used for calculating the volumes.
 The volume of the structural members inside the cargo tanks cannot be
exactly calculated.
 Experience has shown that B/L figures are normally overstated by the
shipper / supplier
 In-Transit Loss
Also called Vapour Loss or Voyage Loss
 Due to volatility of the cargo, the cargo vapourizes into gas during
the laden passage.
 This causes the pressure in the cargo tank to rise.
 When the pressure exceeds the safe value set, the gas releases
into the atmosphere through the PV valves.
 Over a long voyage, a lot of cargo could be lost in this manner.
 Cargo can also be lost if the Charterers instruct to purge the cargo
tanks to reduce the levels of harmful gasses in the ullage space.
 Charter parties usually allow approximately 0.25% of the cargo as
acceptable in-transit loss.
Precautions :
 Ensure the integrity and proper functioning of PV Valves.
Thank you