SHIP SWEAT AND CARGO SWEAT

D.N. Sirimanne
What is ship sweat and cargo
sweat?
 Sweat
 When a ships travels from port A to port B, where there is a
climate change between both these ports.
 When the air is humid, moving from a warm tropical zone
to a cold winter zone, or from cold winter zone to warm
tropical zone the difference can cause changes which
can cause sweat on the cargo (moisture on the cargo).
 Such cargo which tends to absorb moisture from the air
are more in risk, cargo like steel bars, rolls, plates can get
damage by corrosion.
Cargo sweat

 Cargo sweat forms when the ships loads cargo in cold region and
then cargo is transported to hot region.
 When warm and moist air enters into the cargo hold and condenses
on the exposed surface of colder cargo, the air starts cooling and
water droplets starts depositing on the surface of the cargo.
 Vessels carrying products like timber, sugar, tabacco, cotton,
coffee, cocoa etc. have a natural moisture inside them, and have
the tendency to increase the cargo sweat, thus resulting in damage
of cargo.
 Dew point:- cargo sweat forms when the temperature of the cargo is
less than the dew point of the air which surrounds the cargo.
Dew point!

 When the air cooled below saturation, it becomes saturated with

water vapor and condenses to form water, this water is called as
dew.
 When cooled at constant pressure and temperature when relative
humidity is achieved 100%, the air can’t hold more water in the form
of gas.
Ship sweat
 Ship sweat is form when the ships loads cargo in hot region and then cargo
transported to colder region.
 When warm and moist air comes in contact with cold surface of the vessel, the
air starts cooling resulting in the formation of ship sweat (condensation), the
sweat on the plates of the cargo hold can drip down to cargo.
 Cargo can be damaged by the water droplets dripping from the overheads
(underside of hatch cover) or from ship’s side or tank top of the hold where the
cargo is loaded.
 The damaged cargo is not acceptable by the receivers at the discharge port.
 Ship sweat can also formed when the cargo inside the hold is hot and during
transportation the ship enters cold territory, the sea water which is cold can air
resulting in the formation of ship sweat.
 Ship sweat mostly occurs underside of the hatch covers, tank top, side
bulkheads of the cargo holds.
Humidity and Relative Humidity

 Humidity is the amount of moisture or water present in the air in the

form of water vapors.
 Relative Humidity is the percentage of the moisture against the
highest possible level of moisture in the air at a specific temperature.
Three Degree Rule

 The Degree Rule – At the time of loading regularly cargo

temperatures should be recorded.
How to prevent ship sweat and
cargo sweat?
 Ventilate the hold-
 During Voyage if the atmosphere dry bulb temperature at least 30C
cooler than the average temperature of the cargo when loaded.
 Dew point of the air contained inside the cargo hold is higher than the
dew point of the atmosphere.
 If the vessel contains hygroscopic products and travels from hot
climates to cold climates.
 During night air temperature is low and more chance of ship’s sweat
occurrence.
 Do not ventilate the hold-
 If the dry bulb temperature of the air is less than 30C cooler than the
average temperature of the cargo when loaded.
 If the dew point of the air inside the cargo hold is lower than of the
atmosphere.
 During rough weather, as rain and salt water spray can enter into cargo
hold and ventilation can spread it, so until weather improves ventilation
should be kept on hold.
Hygroscopic cargo

 Hygroscopic cargo- the cargo which contains moisture naturally.

 Example of Hygroscopic cargo- Plant products, grain, flour,
tobacco, which absorb and release water within the cargo.
 The excess water can further spoil the cargo by spreading moisture
in the cargo.
Non-Hygroscopic cargo

 Non-Hydroscopic- The cargo which has no water content in it, but

such cargo can also get spoil in the moist environment.
THANK YOU!