Marine Chemicals
Why are chemical products necessary for cargo hold cleaning?
Bulk carriers constitute a significant fragment of the global maritime transport of goods, making up 15–17% of the world’s merchant fleets.
The efficiency of a bulk carrier in vastly accounted to its cargo holds and the volume of cargo it can carry. The whole operation involving the loading, the safe transfer and the unloading of the cargo is a complex procedure requiring diligent preparation, a key part of which is cargo hold cleaning. Despite the time pressure, this step should not be neglected, as it can directly affect the bottom line of the whole operation.
#5 reasons why cargo hold cleaning matters
1. Inadequate cleaning can cause cargo contamination, leading to cargo damage claims from the receivers. For instance, if contaminated by residues, cement loses its binding capacity, salt becomes liquid and sugar can ferment. A single piece of coal left behind can get the hold failed.
- 2. The consequences of non-compliance can be costly. Vessels may be held in port until surveyors are satisfied, but a ship is only earning while at sea and not in port, meaning that time in port must be kept to minimum.
3. Insufficient cleaning of the intended cargo and not meeting the charterer requirements can lead to delays and charter party disputes, which can lead even to the risk of off-hire. An off-hire clause is providing for exceptions from the obligation for charterers to pay hire from the time of delivery until redelivery.
4. Except from these, failure to carry out a sweep-up of cargo debris, even when loading the same type of cargo, could hide fresh damage which may also lead to a claim.
5. Remaining residues may not only damage the next cargo, but also affect the painted surfaces and increase corrosion, posing an additional threat for the hull along the sea water.
It becomes understood that a thorough cargo hold cleaning is vital for the whole transport operation to run smoothly. This is why personnel onboard and onshore, involved in cargo holds preparation and in fixing vessels respectively, should be familiar with the whole range of issues surrounding the cleaning of holds.
In WCI we understand that sometimes, due to the shortage of time and pressure, is difficult to find the accurate chemical at some specific regions, therefore we have expanded our stock points to the most important ports in South America, Europe and Asia. America: USA, Panama, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Caribbean Islands (shipped from Panama). Europe: Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Greece, Turkey. Asia: United Arab Emirates, Singapore, India and China.