LYCEUM INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ACADEMY

Cuta, Batangas City

SAFETY AND STOWAGE OF DANGEROUS CARGOES

by
King Ariel C. Caringal
John Paul D. Cardenas
Eleonor C. Magadia

2012

Mariners who carry dangerous cargoes on board ships understand how

they will avoid exposing the ship and persons to risks. They secure the
safety of each cargo in accordance to the International Maritime Dangerous
Good Code (IMDG Code), which contains details about classification of
dangerous goods and how the voyage will be safe while carrying the cargoes
on board. Safe stowage is also required to segregate incompatible goods
that may cause hazard to marine environment.
This paper on Safety and Stowage of Dangerous Cargoes asserts
that dangerous goods need full attention to its safety and stowage. The
stowage plan and stowage requirements of different kinds of dangerous
goods as mandated by the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
(IMDG Code) when carrying dangerous cargo on board will be touched. It
also covers the importance of packaging, placarding, labelling, and marking
of goods in maintaining the safety of such cargo.
The researchers hope that this paper could give maritime students
knowledge about International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG
Code) that may help them understand the different classifications of
dangerous goods covered by the code. May it also orient them on the
different practices of mariners in giving attention to safety and stowage of
such cargoes; and prepare them somehow as deck cadets in boarding a ship
with dangerous cargoes.
*There are nine classes of dangerous cargoes as identified by
Dangerous Goods International (2012) & Federal Express Canada (19952012). They are classified as Class I for explosives substances, Class II for
gases, Class III for flammable liquids, Class IV for flammable solids, Class V
for oxidizing and organic peroxides, Class VI is for toxic and infectious
substances, Class VII for radioactive material, Class VIII for corrosive
substances and Class IX for miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles
(Cosare, 2008).
The details of classifications of dangerous goods are contained in
International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code). According to
IMO (2011), IMDG Code is an international code that contained information
on how dangerous cargoes are safe in transport by sea. It details the

matters on packing, container traffic and stowage, especially on segregating

incompatible goods. However, the development of the code started in 1960
Safety of Life at Sea Conference, which recommended that governments
should adopt this code for the safety transport of dangerous cargoes by sea.
It was first prepared in 1961 by a working group of IMOs Maritime Safety
Committee together with the United Nations Committee of Experts on the
Transport of Dangerous Goods. Its amendments was originated from two
sources; one is for the proposal made by the Member of State submitted
directly to IMO and amendments that required taking account of changes to
the United Nations recommendations on the transport of dangerous goods.
The logistic bulletin of Holman Fenwick Willan LLP in January 2012
discussed that the IMDG Code contains detailed technical specifications for
the safety transport of dangerous goods by sea. It gives the classifications of
dangerous goods that can be categorized through unique UN reference
numbers. Those nine classes of dangerous goods have been recognized
internationally for their safe transport by sea. It also involves placarding,
labelling requirements, documentation, stowage and segregation as well as
the emergency response when danger occurs. Accordingly, misdeclaration of
dangerous goods in any way is a serious problem. It can cause fire or
explosion that can harm people onboard and the marine environment, which
is prohibited by MARPOL Convention.
According to Peter (2011), one of the safest ways and the most
common of transporting goods are via waterways. But International Maritime
wanted to ensure complete safety and security on all the vessels carrying
dangerous goods from one place to another. IMDG Code is been strictly
executed to ensure the safety of transport of all vessel carrying dangerous
goods by sea as well as of the crew, and prevent marine pollution. It might
not be enough to follow the guidelines of the code that is why most vessels
carrying dangerous goods onboard have Facility Safety Officer (FSO) who
have enough knowledge about the code and different rules in protecting
marine environment. FSO take charge in any danger that cargo posed while
in transport.
Packaging is also important for the safety transport of dangerous
cargoes in packaged form by sea. Packages shall be good enough to

decrease the hazard of those cargoes to the marine environment depending

on the degree of danger they present.
Cosare (2008) supposed that the packaging of dangerous goods shall
be in good quality that cannot be dangerously affected when in contact with
the substance and capable to withstand the risks of handling at sea. The
material for packaging of liquid cargoes shall be capable to minimize the
danger from such kind of cargoes and if possible, have sufficient quantity to
absorb the liquid in the event of breakage of the receptacle. Furthermore,
receptacles shall have enough ullage for some cargoes that have tendency to
expand in high temperature. On the other hand, the receptacles for gases as
cargo which is under pressure shall be tested, well-constructed and filled
correctly.
The Container Handbook of GDV (2012) maintained that having
appropriate receptacles and packaging aids influences the security of a load,
prevents damage and cost of stowing, handling and transportation.
Accordingly, protecting cargo from loss and damage, protecting people and
environment, and having high levels of mechanization and rational data
stowage, handling and transporting processes are the three main tasks of
packaging. It contends that package is only proper and in good quality when
it is able to withstand in any operations.
Meanwhile, Tone (2010) reported that Lion Technology provided a web
seminar held last June 8, 2010 about the latest domestic and international
rules for transporting of lithium batteries. It stressed that lithium battery if
not packaged correctly, defected or mishandled causes extreme heat that
could ignite the packaging. The seminar was offered to anyone who performs
pre-transportation tasks, such as battery classification, packaging, marking,
labelling or completion of shipping papers.
The case study of Carr & Omans (2011) further supports the claim on
the need for safety and stowage of dangerous goods. It involves Boeing 707
cargo freighter with full fuel tanks and full of cargoes bounded for Europe
coming from a major eastern airport. Its cargo is 15000 pounds of
hazardous materials that unfortunately were improperly packaged and
labelled, and lacked of proper documents. Due to mishandling of such cargo
and negligence of its safety requirements it caused smelled and noticed
smoke from the main deck area by the three member crew. Upon this

observation, the captain tried to determine the closest airport but the smoke
obscured the vision in the cockpit, and the aircraft crashed that resulted to
the loss of crew, cargo and aircraft. The investigation found that several jars
of nitric acid leaked into the sawdust that caused spontaneous ignition of
cargoes.
Another case presented by Croft (2011) concerns a package that US
Federal Aviation Association claimed to have smoke and flames discovered
inside the package having 33 lithium-battery-powered electronic devices
when it was shipped by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology via
Federal Express on August 25, 2009. Two of the devices in the package were
heated and melted that caused the surrounding cushion and package catch
fire. In that case, FedEx did not know that they have loaded dangerous
cargo because the package was not labelled and marked properly. FAA noted
that the batteries were not properly packed in such a way that it would
prevent short circuit that could cause spark or dangerous heat. According to
International Federation of Air Line Pilots Association (IFALPA), Lithium
batteries were the cause of over 40 incidents since 1990 involving fire and
explosion in aircraft and cargo holds like what happened in UPS Boeing 747400F Aircraft that crashed near Dubai because that found not labelled as
hazardous material.
Caygill (2011) cited an incident that happened to a freight trailer from
Larne to Stanraer Ferry when it gives off a strange odor; and it was found
out that it does not have placarded notice of the officer. The cargo was
aluminium smelting locally known as skulls that could make a fire when it
gets contact with water. The shipper was Tinnelly International Transport,
who is no longer trading and has been investigated when an explosion
happened aboard Irish Sea Ferry on 8th July, 2007. The investigation
revealed that the trailer does not need to placard under EU legislation while
on the road; however it must have been placarded in accordance with the
IMDG code for transport by sea. Capt. Bill Bennett, Area Operations manager
(Northern Ireland) stated that it was a serious violation to IMDG Code with
cargo known to give off gases and explode when it gets wet.
McDonald (2010) affirmed that most of incidents at sea that involved
container ships and explosion are caused by cargo. Inaccurate declaration
and labelling of dangerous cargoes could cause an incident and must be
corrected. This is like what happened with the vessel Aconcagua from South
Korea to Chile in December 1998, when an explosion happened because of

Calcium Hypochlorite (CH) cargo in a container stowed next to bulkhead,

alongside a fuel tank. CH has a characteristic of temperature-sensitive and
because fuel tank had been heated due to the voyage. It is a stowage
requirement of a cargo having the characteristics of heat sensitivity to stow
away from the source of heat in accordance with the IMDG Code in order
to avoid fire or explosion.

Conclusions
Carrying of dangerous cargoes is indeed risky to crew and marine
environment. The danger starts when cargoes are not properly declared as
hazardous. It may cause wrong packaging requirements, or wrong
placarding that has direct effect on the labelling and marking as dangerous
substances. This improper handling of dangerous cargoes may greatly affect
the safety stowage of cargoes. Incompatible cargoes may be stowed in one
cargo hold that could pose risks of fire, explosion, etc., and may put the
crew into grave, and destroy marine environment. However, this scenario
can be avoided through proper planning and execution of safety handling of
dangerous substances by following the requirements of the International
Maritime Dangerous Goods Code.
Recommendations
The student researchers suggest that full securing of safety is needed
when carrying dangerous substances regardless of the degree of danger
they may present. Compliance with every rule to meet the proper
requirements of handling cargoes in order to avoid danger and have safe
navigation is also required.
It has been proven that it is not enough to have knowledge on
handling dangerous cargoes, the crew should undergo trainings that will
enhance such knowledge to a proper execution in maintaining the safety of
the transport. It is also important that the characteristics of different classes
of dangerous goods can be identified to be able to tell whether the cargoes
are compatible or not. Moreover, competent mariners must be able to
maintain safety of the voyage, and take proper action when an accident
happens.

References

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