NAME: Cynel B. Garciza INSTRUCTOR: C/M Verlo Carl B.

Delfin
YEAR & SECTION: BSMT Polaris 3A SUBJECT: Seamanship 3

1. Outline the reasons for general inspection of holds, list items to be inspected, the
importance of cleaning holds before loading and after discharge of general cargoes?

Cargo Hold must be inspected by the Cargo Officer (Chief Officer) before commencing
loading operation to ensure that the hold is suitable for the next cargo, and to eliminate the
possibility of cargo damage due to contamination, ensure that all fittings are in good order.
After unloading of cargo, it is very important the responsible officer does a proper inspection
and preparation of holds. Inspection of hold helps identify for structural damage or defects in
the hold. It also helps to know if any damage done by the stevedores, and same can be
mentioned in the stevedore damage report. We will study further about inspection of holds.
Similarly, it is important to prepare holds before loading the next cargo. preparation o holds
depends upon the next cargo, if next cargo is compatible with the last, a good sweep down and
removal of leftover cargo is all that is required. If, however, the next cargo is incompatible with
the last or if you are loading sensitive cargoes such as foodstuffs, a more through cleaning may
be required.
Cargo spaces intended to be used for loading should be inspected to ensure that the
compartment intended to be loaded with cargo is clean, dry and ready in all respect to receive
the cargo being offered. Through inspection of holds is needed to:

AVOID CONTAMINATION

 No residue of the previous cargo to be left.

 Holds are Taint Free.
 No visible loose rust which can cause contamination.

SAFETY

 Holds are safe for stevedores to work.

 Detect physical damage within the hold. It also benefits in raising new stevedore
damage claims.
 Damage to the ship structure, checking for corrosion/cracks to get an early warning for
parts/portions/strengthening structures to be renewed/repaired.

PREVENT CARGO DAMAGE

 Which can be caused from operational bilges.

 Ballast lines and/or
 Lack of weather tight integrity of hatch covers.

FIRE SAFETY

 Identification of fire hazard for the intended cargo and availability of firefighting
equipment.
These are the items to be inspected:

1. Check that the designated compartments are clean and ready to receive cargo.
a. Holds properly swept and cleaned from previous cargo residue.
b. Loose rust scale and loose paint removed.
c. Holds fee from all stains.
d. Depending upon charterer’s requirement, holds effectively washed/rinsed and dried.

2. Check that the drainage and bilge suctions are working effectively and that bilge wells
are dry. Bilges to be sweetened for some particular cargoes and covered with burlap
and cemented.
3. No leakage from ballast tanks present.
4. Sounding pipes and air pipes passing from holds are clean and rust free.
5. Ensure that cargo battens (Spar Ceiling) are in position and not damaged.
6. Check that the hatch lightings are in good order. Isolate lights if it poses fire hazard for
the intended cargo.
7. Inspect and ensure all means of access to the compartments are safe.
8. Guard rails and safety barriers should be seen to be in place.
9. Ensure all necessary fixed and portable fire-fighting arrangements are ready for
immediate use. Blow through C02/Halon lines with compressed air.
10. Inspect Cargo Hold Ventilation System.
11. Inspect and ensure hatch covers are weather tight and that all the securing devices are
in good working condition.
12. If cargo hold is meant to take heavy weather ballast then pressure test the lines for
leakage and subsequently blank off the ballast lines.
13. Double bottom tank manhole covers to be absolutely tight.
14. Cargo securing points/ fixed fittings etc. are in good condition.

Also,

1. General cleanliness (No Rust or loose rust).

2. Spar ceiling.
3. Tween Deck draining holes.
4. Bilge system (Bilge well, strum box & non-return valve).
5. Sounding Pipes (Bilge & Double Bottom Tanks).
6. Air Vent. Pipes.
7. Electric cables, Lighting and connections.
8. General condition of side shell, bulkheads, frames and beams.
9. Double Bottom Tanks manholes
10. Ventilation ducts.
11. Fire detection and fixed fire extinguishing systems.
12. Hatch cover, check for water tightness (any damaged rubber must be changed) (grease
all moving parts including wheels, hinges and cleats).
13. Fixed hold ladders (Repair as necessary or place temporary ladders).
14. Hold manholes on the weather deck.
Hold Cleaning Procedure:

Cleaning: The amount of cleaning with a cargo space will depend upon the nature of the cargo
which has been discharged and that which is to be loaded; hold which is ready to receive cargo
should be clean and dry, well ventilated and free from any odor.

1. When discharging is finished, Collect and stack all serviceable dunnage.

2. Unsuitable dunnage must be sent up on deck to be disposed of. It is a common practice
in two deck vessels to shift a quantity of the lower hold dunnage up to the tween deck,
to be passed down again as required in the lower hold. This saves unnecessary shifting
of dunnage when stowing the lower hold.
3. The hold is then thoroughly swept down and all rubbish is sent up on deck.
4. The Bilge covers are lifted and the bilges thoroughly cleaned out.
5. Particularly, attention must be given to the rose boxes and it is most important to see
that all the holes in the boxes are clear.
6. If necessary, the bilges may be cement or lime washed or coated with bitumastic; this
tends to prevent corrosion and also disinfects them.
7. Before the Bilge covers are replaced, bilge suction must be tested.
8. To clean a hold from which a coal cargo (Or any dusty bulk cargo) has just been
discharged it is necessary first to sweep it down and then to wash it down with a hose.
The bilge suctions and/or rose boxes must be attended to so that the water can be
pumped away. Hold must be wiped down (washed) with fresh water to remove any salt
residues.
9. Ventilate the hold by mechanical ventilation (leaving the hatch cover opened will help
accelerate dryness.). Sawdust sprinkled on all ironwork and on the tank top (or ceiling)
will help to absorb the damp and may be swept up after a short interval.

Reasons and Importance for cleaning holds.

Generally speaking, it is the ship’s responsibility to deliver the cargo (at the Port of
discharge) as received (at the Port of loading), cargo damage claim is one of the main concerns
of the shipping companies, shipping companies entrust the cargo care to the ship’s Master and
crew. Cargo damage can be caused by contamination from the previous cargo, so it is a must
to clean the hold thoroughly (from top to bottom) after every cargo. It is a common practice
with some types of cargo (expensive and delicate cargo) to hire a surveyor to inspect the ship’s
holds before commencing loading, unclean holds will result in refusing to load till it is cleaned or
re-cleaned; time lost will be on the owner account. As per Charter Party or as per contract of
carriage, the owner is required to make the holds, refrigerating and cooling chambers and all
other parts of the ship where goods are carried, fit and safe for their reception, carriage and
preservation. The owner is required to present his vessel in a state that he is ready to load
cargo, that means the holds are clean and dry prior to commencement of loading. If the owner
fails to present his ship in a proper state to receive cargo, he risks to claims amounting to large
sums of money. It is, therefore of utmost important to prepare cargo holds of ship to loading.
Cargo quality can be affected due to:

 Contamination
 Staining
 Water contact
 Inadequate ventilation

To avoid contamination and water contract of cargo it is better to inspect and test the
Hatch Covers and Bilge Suction. Contamination, staining, water contact and inadequate
ventilation can also occur if proper dunnage is not used or laid in the cargo hold.

2. State the reasons for using dunnage according to types and sizes, methods of
dunnaging?

Dunnage is any material that is used to protect goods and their packing from moisture,
contamination or mechanical damage. It can be wood, plastic, tarpaulin or a range of other
materials. There are few reasons why dunnage is so necessary on general cargo ships while
loading general cargo. Of prime importance is to keep the cargo away from the steel bottom of
the hold. The moisture in the air condenses on the steel bottom and these droplets of moisture
over a period of time can damage cargo. This is known as ship sweat. And only dunnage can
the cargo be safeguarded against this. Good ventilation certainly helps but some amount of
sweat is ever present. The second reason why dunnage is spread about on the holds is to bring
about some amount of frictional resistance between the cargo and the steel bottom. Thus,
lashing becomes easier.

Another factor is the dunnage helps in spreading the cargo weight evenly. In the event
of small ingress of water, the dunnage helps in channeling the water into the bilge wells. If this
were not prevented then any accidental ingress of water would be absorbed or retained in pools
by the cargo. If the hold bottom is dirty due to stain and hard coating of earlier cargo and
hosing down is not possible then a double layer of dunnage would prevent the cargo in coming
into contact with the stain. In general, lower holds are laid with double dunnage while tween
decks are layered with single dunnage. The double dunnage works by providing a channel due
to the bottom layer and cargo support due to the second tier.

Some common types and sizes of dunnage.

1. Solid Plastics – this kind of dunnage is used mostly in industrial, high value shipping.
Solid plastics are more expensive than other dunnage types but are worth the cost for
high-value products that need protection.

2. Bubble Wrap – is one of the most common ways of shipping glass and other fragile
products. It can be reused again and again as long as the bubbles don’t pop.

3. Wood – it can be used to create barriers between items, usually used for strong and
heavy goods.
 4. Air Pillows – are being deployed inside packages in order to keep items from sliding.
These are often used as a gap filter to fill in missing space.

5. Kraft Paper – is recycled paper usually crinkled and stuffed in a package. It’s one of
the most common dunnage types because it’s cheap, eco-friendly, reusable, and highly
effective.

6. Foam – is often used to pad electronics, medical equipment, sensitive items, and fragile
or sharp pieces. If you’ve purchased a TV before, you’ve probably taken it out of the box
with foam dunnage on the side.

7. Steel – is one of the most expensive dunnage options which is typically used for high
value shipping. If your products are heavy, steel is a good dunnage option because it
can prevent heavier products from damaging lighter products.

8. Corrugated Paper – is another popular dunnage choice. Its high-tech construction

ensures the material can carry a wide range of weights, protects against moisture, and
provides sustainable packaging options.

9. Custom Dunnage Solutions – is needed sometimes when you have fragile materials
that have very specific dimensions. You can work with dunnage providers to help you
design the dunnage needed to protect your products.

The sizes of the dunnage may vary but usually they are about 6” X 1” X 6” feet. These
are laid about 6” to 10” apart, though the gaps may again vary depending upon the nature of
the cargo. the bottom tier of the hold dunnaging may be laid in the fore and aft direction and
the top tier in the athwart ship direction. At the aft of the hold a clearing of two feet is laid with
the bottom tier in the athwart ship direction. This helps in the water/ condensation from
trickling to aft and then subsequently finding the bilge well. Tween deck dunnaging is of one
tier–exceptionally may be two tiers and it really doesn’t make much difference if the dunnage is
laid out in the fore and aft direction or in the athwart ship direction. For heavy cargo where
spreading the weight takes precedence over other hazards, the dunnage or timber used is
generally 4” X 4” X 6” feet (they may be also of stouter variety). These heavy timbers are laid
out in the fore and aft direction in order that the load is spread on as many frame spaces as
possible. Dunnaging also forms a very important factor when ventilation is of primary concern
especially when loading a consignment of rice. Extra channels are created within the bagged
cargo to allow good ventilation, together with double dunnaging being provided between stacks
of 4-6 bags. If this is not done then the cargo sweat that may be generated is not removed and
condenses on the cargo itself allowing the cargo to rot.

Dunnage is primarily for the protection of the cargo from sweat related damage and
consequently it is used so that the cargo does not get too closely packed thereby obstructing to
the flow of air. Special cargoes use more dunnage where air channels have to be kept so that
the airflow is not hampered. Rice is one such cargo. advantage of dunnaging is also from the
fact that it spreads the weight of the cargo evenly all across the tank top or tween deck top,
but this advantage is a side benefit, the main reason is protection from sweat. And to some
extent from heat from the boiler spaces in the engine room. Dunnage is thus primarily for the
prevention of sweat damage to cargo. the permanent dunnage of the ships side is known as
SPAR Ceiling or CARGO BATTENS. It consists of timber about 150 mm X 50 mm fitted over the
side frames. It is usually fitted horizontally into cleats on the frames. There is a vertical distance
of not more than 230 mm between the battens. On some ships the spars are fitted vertically
and this gives better protection to the cargo as well as it suffers less damage and is this more
long lasting. Spar ceiling may also be fitted on the bulkheads at the ends of the compartment;
this is especially the case where the bulkhead is the engine room bulkhead.