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Coal
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Introduction to Coal
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What is Coal?

Coal is a natural, solid, combustible material consisting of amorphous carbon and hydrocarbons.
Coal was formed from prehistoric plants, in marshy environments, some tens or hundreds of
millions of years ago.
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Different kinds of Coal ₁

1. Lignite (60,000,000 years), commonly referred to as brown Coal, is the very first Coal
formation, or the “youngest” of the Coal products. With high emissions and low energy
value, this type of Coal is mostly used in power plants. Because lignite is the youngest of the
Coal family, it has the highest moisture content. This high moisture content makes the lignite
very susceptible to spontaneous combustion.

2. Sub-bituminous (100,000,000 years) Coal is lignite Coal that has been naturally processed for
a longer time period, and also deeper in the ground. This type of Coal has a higher energy
content, but a lower sulfur content, making it burn more cleanly.
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Different kinds of Coal ₂

3. Bituminous (300,000,000 years) Coal (the most abundant of the Coals) is the third ranking of
the Coal family. This soft Coal produces smoke and ash when burned, but provides a higher
heating value than sub-bituminous or lignite Coal.

4. Anthracite (350,000,000 years) is the highest rank of Coal due to its remarkable properties.
Anthracite has the highest carbon percentage, which is 87%; hence, impurities are less.
Anthracite processes a higher amount of heat per unit mass than the other types of Coal. It
does not ignite easily, but when it does a blue, smokeless flame is produced for a short time.
Since it doesn’t produce a smoke, it burns cleanly.
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Different kinds and uses of Coal

• Lignite
• Sub-bituminous
• Bituminous
• Anthracite
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Top Coal Producers and Flow Direction

Total Reserves Total Production Flow direction Map (Importers/Exporters)

Country (est. 2016) (est. 2016)
Australia 144818 Mt 299.3 Mt
• The three largest importers of Coal are China,
Indonesia 244010 Mt 255.7 Mt India and Japan
USA 251582 Mt 364.8 Mt
• The three largest exporters of Coal are
S. Africa 9893 Mt 142.4 Mt Indonesia, Australia and Russia
Russia 160364 Mt 192.8 Mt
Colombia 4881 Mt 62.5 Mt https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-the-global-Coal-trade

China 244010 Mt 1685.7 Mt

Total: 1139331 MT 3656.4 Mt

http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-
energy/Coal/Coal-production.html
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• Electricity Generation
Use of Coal • Steel Manufacturing
• Cement Plants
10%
• Other Industry
3% • Heating
• Other Uses
8%

Coal is the largest source of

68%
energy for the generation of
4%
electricity worldwide and the

7%
second largest in terms of trade
volume dry bulk commodity,
behind iron ore, transported
by sea.
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IMSBC Code: Coal

(International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes)
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IMSBC GROUPS

Solid Bulk Cargoes can be categorised into

three Groups (A, B and C)

Group A consists of cargoes which may liquefy if shipped at a moisture

The IMSBC Code classifies Coal as
content in excess of their transportable moisture limit
Group B.
Additionally, the IMSBC Code
classifies Coal as Group A if 75% or
Group B consists of cargoes which possess a chemical hazard more of the material consists of fine
which could give rise to a dangerous situation on a ship particles under 5mm in size.

Group C consists of cargoes which are neither liable to liquefy

(Group A) nor to possess chemical hazards (Group B)
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IMSBC FULL TABLE/INSTRUCTIONS FOR Coal

Angle of Repose Bulk Density (kg/m³) Stowage Factor (m³/t)

Not applicable 654 to 1266 0.79 to 1.53

Size Class Group

Up to 50 mm MHB B (and A)

Stowage Hold Weather Emergency

Hazard & Cleanliness Precautions Loading Precautions Ventilation Carriage Discharge Clean up Procedures
Segregation  
 

X X X X X X X X X X X

X Yes X No
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Cargo Declaration (Coal)

The shipper’s cargo declaration (certification prepared by the shipper) should be scrutinised carefully to
determine which hazards are associated with the Coal to be loaded. However, in some parts of the world it
should be borne in mind that the cargo declaration may not necessarily be accurate.
For example, declarations regarding Coal cargoes from Kalimantan province, Indonesia, often state
incorrectly that there is no self-heating risk.
All Coal cargoes from Kalimantan should be treated as being liable to self-heat.
The IMSBC Code requires the shipper (or agent) to provide cargo details, including:
• moisture content
• Sulphur content
• particle size
• information on whether the cargo may be liable to emit methane or self-heat, or both.
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Properties & Characteristics (Coal)

May be liable to react with water and

May be liable to self-heating that could lead to
produce acids which may cause corrosion.
spontaneous combustion in the cargo space.
Flammable and toxic gases, including hydrogen
Flammable and toxic gases, including carbon
may be produced.
monoxide, may be produced.
Coal
May emit methane,
a flammable gas with

May be subject to oxidation, a low explosive limit (LEL)

leading to depletion of oxygen and of 4.4% in air.

an increase in carbon dioxide

in the cargo space.
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Coal: General Guidelines

of IMSBC Code
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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₁

Hold Preparation:

• All cargo spaces and bilges wells must be clean and

dry.

• All residues of waste material or previous cargo

removed.

• All electrical cables and components in cargo spaces

and adjacent enclosed spaces free from defects.
Such cables and components to be safe for use in an
explosive atmosphere or positively isolated.
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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₂

Vessel Instrumentation:

• The IMSBC Code requires Shippers to provide cargo details

including moisture content, Sulphur content, particle size,
and information on whether the cargo is liable to emit
methane, self-heat.

• IMSBC Code requires that the Vessel should have:

An instrument capable of measuring oxygen, carbon monoxide
and methane, gas sampling ports on all holds and a means
of measuring the pH values of bilge water samples.
The cargo must be measured both during loading and voyage.
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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₃

Temperature monitoring:

• If the Coal exceeds the temperature of 55°C should not be loaded on

the Vessel. Sometimes Shippers and Surveyors may quote an ‘average
temperature’ measurement in relation to a barge cargo in order to
establish a value below 55°C. This method is not acceptable.

• The holds should be ventilated for the first 24 hours or until the
methane concentration is acceptably low, i.e. below 20% LEL.

• Monitor the temperature of the cargo regularly during loading, not

just when the first barge arrives.

• Do not stow cargo adjacent to hot areas.

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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₄

During Loading:

Ingress of air:

• Employ ‘soft loading’ as possible.

• As cargo in partially filled holds will be exposed to ingress of air, avoid undue delays when loading.

• If delays occur, close partially filled holds and do not ventilate.

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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₅

After Loading:

Trimming:

• Trim the cargo as level as possible to the boundaries of

the cargo spaces.

• Shippers may resist requests to properly trim, insist that

they do so.
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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₆

After Loading:

Cargo Monitoring

• Close and seal the holds immediately after loading in

accordance with the Code recommendations for self-heating
Coal.

• Begin monitoring of the hold atmospheres for methane,

carbon monoxide and oxygen immediately, recording the
results and the time they were obtained.

• Gas monitoring to be done through proper fittings in the

holds.
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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₇

During the Voyage ₁:

Cargo monitoring

• Monitor the hold atmosphere for methane, carbon monoxide

and oxygen at least once a day.

• A reduction of the oxygen concentration in a well-sealed hold

is to be expected.
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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₈

During the Voyage ₂:

Cargo monitoring

• Below an oxygen concentration of about 10%, most

instruments in common use will not provide
reliable readings of the methane %LEL.

*Check your instrument manufacturer’s

recommendations on the use of a splitter at low
oxygen levels and/or seek expert advice if there is
cause of concern.
• Infrared Thermometers.
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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₉

During the Voyage ₃: Air & Sounding Systems

Cargo monitoring

• Temperatures measured by lowering thermometers into

sounding pipes may be useful in general terms
but should not be relied upon to reflect any changes
occurring in the bulk of the cargo as temperature
monitoring via sounding pipes will only defect heating Coal
in the immediate vicinity and will not provide information
on the bulk of the cargo.
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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₁₀

During the Voyage ₄:

Cargo monitoring

• If methane in excess of 20% of the LEL is detected use

surface ventilation in accordance with the Code but only
for the minimum time necessary to remove the methane.
If this concentration of methane is detected after
the oxygen has fallen below 10% seek expert advice before
ventilating.
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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₁₁

During the Voyage ₅:

Cargo monitoring

• If carbon monoxide concentration in a closed cargo hold

exceeds 30ppm, the Code recommends that the
frequency of measurement is increased to twice daily.
If the carbon monoxide exceeds
50ppm, the Code recommends the Owner should be
notified to call for expert advice.
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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₁₂

* In addition to the possibility of self-heating and the

production of methane, because Coal cargoes are mostly
self-drained and are usually loaded wet, water will drain to the
hold bilge and should be pumped out.

If a significant amount of water is pumped out of the hold

bilges during the voyage, records should be kept of the
sounding before and after each pumping operation,
and the volume of water removed should be calculated
and recorded so as to produce a running total of the volume of
water.
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General Guidelines (IMSBC) ₁₃

* The final total volume should be made available at the discharging port for use in draught surveys or
other outturn cargo weight measurement operations to avoid any claims for short delivery of cargo.

Also, records should be kept in the garbage record book.

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Coal: Recent Developments

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Recent Developments: Self-heating / Gas readings / Indonesia Coal ₁

 IMSBC Code notes that the catalytic sensors used to measure methane concentrations
(usually on the ‘%LEL’ scale) may not provide accurate results in atmospheres with
a low oxygen content; ‘low’ in this context typically being less than about 10%.

 This disadvantage can be overcome by the use of instruments that incorporate infrared
(“IR”) sensors, which don’t require the simultaneous presence of oxygen.
In addition, modern analysers which can measure carbon monoxide concentrations of
2000ppm or more offer distinct advantages when monitoring incidents of self-heating.
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Recent Developments: Self-heating / Gas readings / Indonesia Coal ₂

* Relatively inexpensive hand held infrared

thermometers are ideal to scan the surface
of the cargo prior to and ideal to scan the surface
of the cargo prior to and during loading and quickly
inform the Master if temperatures are of concern.
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Coal: Carbon Monoxide

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Carbon Monoxide (CO), the ‘Silent Killer’, tasteless & odorless ₁

Headaches Nausea Dizziness Breathlessness Collapse Loss of consciousness

The level of CO concentration is measured using a system called ‘parts per million’ (ppm).
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Carbon Monoxide (CO), the “Silent Killer”, tasteless & odorless ₂

* Once a cargo hold has been loaded and the hatch covers have been closed, the
amount of carbon monoxide inside the compartment should be monitored closely to
determine whether or not self-heating is taking place.

If the level of carbon monoxide in any cargo space reaches 50 ppm or exhibits a steady
rise over three consecutive days, a self-heating condition may be developing.
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Analysis of a Thermal Coal Case

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Facts of the Coal Case ₁

• The vessel was moored at Muara Berau (Indonesia), ready to load Coal.

• When the 1st barge arrived, the H.5 of the vessel was semi-loaded with Coal.

• The Coal was loaded without a declaration of carriage being on board.

• After the first barge arrived the loading stopped.

• Few days later, the Captain and the crew noticed that the Coal in H.5 was smoking.

• Under instructions, the vessel’s crew used salt water on the cargo in order to mitigate the
reaction.

• Lemissoler instructed the Captain to keep close measurements and monitoring the flammable
gases, while keeping LEL below 20%.

• Because of temperatures being above 75°C, self-heating of Coal rapidly increased and the risk of
fire breaking out was more likely. The vessel asked for a P&I expert advice on the next possible
steps.
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Facts of the Case ₂

Photos of the cargo in H.5
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Questions/Discussion/Conclusion

1. In your opinion, was the use of seawater in the hatch/hold a mistake?

What would you do?

2. What is your opinion about loading cargo without declaration?

Did any of you confronted a similar situation in the past?

3. What would you do in a similar occasion if the loading of the cargo was slow?

4. Why semi-loading of a hatch/hold with Coal, could lead to an incident?

5. Why we must trim Coal in hatches/holds?

6. When a ventilation is allowed and when we must ask for an expert advice?

7. How do you measure an atmosphere with low oxygen content?

THANK YOU!