Bulk Carrier Guide

for Cargo Hold Cleaning

––– MARPOL Annex V Compliant Products

To Protect Your Ship And Cargo.
BULK CARRIER GUIDE FOR CARGO HOLD CLEANING
Chemical Recommendations
The table below lists common trade names for various dry Always refer to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes
bulk cargoes. It shows recommended Drew Marine cleaners (IMSBC) Code for hazards associated with each cargo carried.
for residue removal of those cargoes and cleaning procedures MARPOL regulations, as well as national, and local regulations,
for cargo holds with epoxy-type hard coatings. govern the disposal of both cargo residues and cleaning additives.
Bulk Other Cleaning Recommended IMSBC Code
Cargo Names Procedure Cleaner Clean-Up Notes

Aluminum smelting Aluminum dross, aluminum salt slags, Water shall not be used for cleaning
aluminum skimmings, spent cathodes, spent 6 N/A
by-products potliner because of danger of gas.

Ammonium nitrate based fernitric acid Check bilge wells and scuppers to remove
Ammonium nitrates 1 Water
ammonium salt any residue blockage

Ammonium sulfate, diammonium sulfate, Except in cases where the same cargo is to be loaded, cargo
Ammonium sulfate 1 Water spaces shall be thoroughly cleaned/washed out to remove all
sulfuric acid, sulfuric acid diammonium salt traces of cargo, and then dried.
KATHAROCARE HCHF Check bilge wells and scuppers to remove
Anthracite Anthracite coal, hard coal 3 or EDGE any residue blockage
Barium nitrate Barium dinitrate, barium salt of nitric acid 1 Water No special requirements
AMEROID RSR or
Bauxite 4 or 5 No special requirements
DESCALE IT1
KATHAROCARE HCHF Check bilge wells and scuppers to remove
Bituminous coal Coal 3 or EDGE any residue blockage
KATHAROCARE HCHF Check bilge wells and scuppers to remove
Brown coal briquettes Lignite, brown coal briquettes 3 or EDGE any residue blockage

Calcined petroleum coke Pet coke 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

or EDGE

Castor beans Castor meal, castor pomace, castor flake 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF After discharge, the cargo spaces shall be thoroughly cleaned
or EDGE and washed to remove all traces of cargo

Thoroughly sweep prior to washing holds. Pay attention to

Cement 4 or 5 AMEROID RSR or bilge wells and framework. Fixed bilge pumps should not be
DESCALE-IT1 used to pump cargo spaces because cargo may make bilge
systems inoperable.

Cement clinkers 4 AMEROID RSR1 See cement

Chromite ore Chrome ore 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

or EDGE
KATHAROCARE HCHF Prior to washing out the residues,
Clay China clay, Kaolin 3 or EDGE the bilge wells shall be cleaned
KATHAROCARE HCHF Check bilge wells and scuppers to
Coke 3
or EDGE remove any residue blockage

Copra dry 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

or EDGE
Diammonium hydrogen phosphate, DAP, After discharge, particular attention
Diammonium phosphate phosphoric acid diammonium salt 1 Water
shall be made to bilge wells of cargo spaces

Dolomite 4 or 5 AMEROID RSR or No special requirements

DESCALE-IT1

Fish meal 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

or EDGE
Fluorspar Fluorite, calcium fluoride 2 ENVIROMATE 2000 No special requirements

Fly ash 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF Thoroughly sweep prior to washing holds.

or EDGE Pay attention to bilge wells and framework.
Granulated slag 4 AMEROID RSR1 No special requirements
Green delayed Green delayed petcoke, green 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF See footnote 2
petroleum coke2 coke, raw coke, sponge coke LAC or EDGE

Gypsum Hydrated calcium sulfate, calcium sulfate 4 AMEROID RSR1

Prior to washing out residues, decks & cargo spaces to be
dihydrate, gypsum stone shovelled & swept clean; washing out cargo is difficult

Hot Briquetted iron DRI, Direct Reduced Iron, HBI 4 AMEROID RSR1
Iron ore 4 AMEROID RSR 1
Iron ore pellets 4 AMEROID RSR 1
Hosing with seawater should be avoided
No special requirements
No special requirements
BULK CARRIER GUIDE FOR CARGO HOLD CLEANING

Bulk Other Cleaning Recommended IMSBC Code

Cargo Names Procedure Cleaner Clean-Up Notes
Limestone Calcium Carbonate 4 AMEROID RSR1 No special requirements
KATHAROCARE HCHF
Maganese ore 3 or EDGE No special requirements

Magnesia (deadburned) Magnesium oxide, magnesite deadburned 4 AMEROID RSR1 No special requirements
KATHAROCARE HCHF
Magnetite Iron black 3 or EDGE Not addressed

Met coke Metallurgical coke 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF Not addressed

or EDGE
Millscale - iron ore 4 AMEROID RSR1 Not addressed
Mono ammonium MAP, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate 1 Water After discharge, particular attention shall be
phosphate ADP paid to the cargo space bilge wells.
Nickel Ore Nickel Concentrate 6 KATHAROCARE NOR No special requirements

Potassium chloride Muriate of potash, potash muriate, 1 Water After discharge of cargo, the cargo spaces & the bilge
potassium monochloride, Sylvite wells shall be swept clean & thoroughly washed out

Peat moss 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

or EDGE

Pencil pitch2 Coal tar pitch prill 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements
LAC or EDGE

Petroleum coke2 Pet coke, calcined pet coke 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements
or EDGE

Phosphate rock Phosphate rock calcined, 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

phosphate rock uncalcined or EDGE

Pig iron 4 AMEROID RSR1 Prior to washing out resides of this cargo, the bilge
wells of the cargo spaces shall be cleaned.
Mildly corrosive cargo. After discharge,
Potash Potassium carbonate, carbonate of pot- 1 Water the cargo spaces and bilge wells shall be
ash, pearl ash thoroughly swept clean and washed to
remove all traces of cargo.
KATHAROCARE HCHF
Pyrite Iron disulfide, iron pyrite 3 or EDGE No special requirements

Quartzite 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

or EDGE
KATHAROCARE HCHF
Safflower seed Seed cake 3 or EDGE No special requirements

Salt Sodium chloride, salt rock 1 Water No special requirements

Seed cake Various names 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

or EDGE
Soda ash Sodium carbonate, soda, disodiumcarbonate 1 Water After discharge, cargo spaces to be swept clean

Soya beans Soya, soy beans, seed cake 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements
or EDGE

Sulfur Formed, solid 1 Water Wear proper personal protective equipment. Holds shall be
washed using only fresh water following discharge.
Cargo spaces/structures shall not be swept. Wash only
Crushed lump and coarse grained (note: with fresh water to remove all residues. Spaces must be
Sulfur UN 1350 Fine grained or flowers of sulfur, shall not 1 Water thoroughly dried. Wet dust may form highly corrosive,
be carried in bulk) dangerous sulfurous acid. Wear proper personal protec-
tive equipment.

Sunflower seed Seed cake 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

or EDGE

Superphosphate Triple superphosphate, 1 Water After discharge, particular attention shall be paid to the
granular superphosphate cargo space bilge wells.

Talc Hydrated magnesium silicate 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

or EDGE

Urea Carbamide 1 Water After discharge, cargo spaces shall be swept, washed
out and dried.

Vanadium ore 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

or EDGE

Wheat 3 KATHAROCARE HCHF No special requirements

or EDGE

Zinc ashes 7 N/A Sweep twice. Water shall not be used for
washing because of danger of gas.
BULK CARRIER GUIDE FOR CARGO HOLD CLEANING

Cleaning Procedures
PROCEDURE 1 PROCEDURE 6
A. Sweep and muck out all residues if recommended under IMSBC. A. Sweep and muck out all residues.
B. Pre-wash the cargo hold with cold sea water or fresh water B. Pre-wash the cargo hold with cold sea water or fresh water & allow to dry.
and allow to dry. C. Depending on the amount of residue, apply a 10-50% solution of
KATHAROCARE NOR with suitable chemical application equipment.
For certain cargoes, IMSBC only recommends use of fresh water.
D. Contact time can vary depending on residue level.
C. Rinse with fresh water, if possible, and check results.
E. Rinse with fresh water. Use hot water if possible, and check results.
D. Repeat if necessary. F. Repeat the procedure if necessary

PROCEDURE 2 PROCEDURE 7
A. Sweep and muck out all residues. A. Sweep and muck out all residues.
B. Pre-wash the cargo hold with cold sea water or fresh water. B. IMSBC Code indicates water shall not be used for cleaning of the cargo
C. Depending on the amount of residue, apply a 5-10% solution of space, which has contained this cargo, because of danger of gas.
ENVIROMATE 2000 with suitable cleaning equipment.
D. Contact time can vary depending on residue level. IMPORTANT NOTES
E. Rinse with fresh water. Use hot water if possible, and check results. Drew Marine assumes that personnel responsible for carrying out cleaning operations
are familiar with the safety and discharge regulations and recommendations pub-
F. Repeat the procedure if necessary.
lished in IMSBC Code, MARPOL Conventions, SOLAS Convention, ISM Code, other rel-
evant guides, as well as local port restrictions and laws that pertain to such operations.
PROCEDURE 3
A. Sweep and muck out all residues. Our recommendations are not intended to interfere with the judgment of the Mas-
ter, Chief Mate, or Chief Engineer in the operation of the vessel. They are meant to be
B. Pre-wash the cargo hold with cold sea water or fresh water. used as an application guide, with the understanding that circumstances on board,
C. Apply a 2-3% solution of EDGE* OR 10-25% KATHAROCARE HCHF such as residue levels, available cleaning equipment, temperature, and time allotted
with suitable cleaning equipment. for cleaning, etc., will vary with each cargo and each vessel. The recommended proce-
D. Contact time can vary depending on residue level. dures are designed to achieve the optimum results and are based on over 80 years of
E. Rinse with fresh water. Use hot water if possible, and check results. cleaning experience. As with all cleaning procedures on board, proper safety guidelines
F. Repeat the procedure if necessary. must be followed, and proper personal protective equipment must always be worn.
* For longer contact time, via a higher foaming solution, a 10% solution of EDGE can be
applied to clean tenacious stains. For exceptionally dirty cargoes, such as sticky coals or
For optimum cleaning results, especially for particularly dirty cargoes, we recom-
some petcoke products, a highly alkaline cleaner, such as LAC, may be required to remove mend the use of our CHEMO Cargo Hold Application Sets. Our low-pressure applica-
stains. In these cases, apply a 5% solution of LAC. Allow cleaning solution to soak. Rinse tion sets are ideal for applying temporary, protective coatings as well as for apply-
with water. Check results. ing chemical cleaning solutions to clean cargo holds. As with any cleaning, if suitable
equipment and water pressure are not available, the cleaning solution’s contact time
and concentration may have to be increased in order to achieve desired results. For
PROCEDURE 4 surface preparation and cleaning we also recommend our CHEMOjet high pressure
A. Sweep and muck out all residues. water jetting units with sandblasting adaptable system, electric driven. We offer sev-
B. Pre-wash the cargo hold with cold sea water or fresh water. eral units at various working pressures. All CHEMOjets are equipped with Spray Gun,
C. Apply AMEROID RSR (20% solution depending on residue to HP Hose Extension, Adapted Electric Cable Extension, Flat Nozzle, and Jet Water Filter.
remove) with suitable equipment. Drew Marine is a global leader providing technical
D. Allow solution approximately 20 minutes to penetrate and solutions and services to the marine industry. We offer a
dissolve stains/deposits. comprehensive line of advanced marine chemicals, and equip-
E. Do not allow AMEROID RSR to dry on surfaces. ment. Supported by a worldwide network of service engineers,
and global supply chain delivering to more than 900 ports, our
F. Rinse thoroughly with cold fresh water, if possible.
portfolio of specialized products and services includes:
G. Repeat the procedure if necessary.
Water Treatment • Fuel Treatment • Tank and Hold Cleaners
PROCEDURE 5 General Maintenance & Sealing Products
If residues/deposits are heavy, we recommend using DESCALE-IT. Accommodation Cleaners • Welding & Refrigeration
A. Sweep and muck out all residue. Engineered Systems & Products
B. Pre-wash the cargo hold with cold sea water or fresh water. Onboard Test Kits • Analytical Services
C. Apply DESCALE-IT (10-30% solution depending on residue to
remove) with suitable equipment. Unmatched Marine Knowledge and Experience
D. Allow solution to soak approximately 15 minutes to penetrate and Drew Marine leads the industry with innovation, responsiveness,
dissolve deposits. and cost-effective solutions. Established over ninety years ago,
Drew Marine is known worldwide for technical expertise and
E. Do not allow DESCALE-IT to dry on surfaces.
practical experience that are unmatched in the industry. Our tech-
F. Rinse thoroughly with cold fresh water, if possible. nical support services includes:
G. Repeat the procedure if necessary. Engineering solutions • Applied chemistry • Training
1
When using acid based cleaners, be sure to add acid to water. Do not add water to acid. Water and fuel analysis and recommendations
2
For certain dirty cargoes, such as green delayed petcoke, sticky coals, and pencil pitch,
even if exceptional cleaning of cargo holds has been carried out when the vessel is under- Contact your local Drew Marine representative for more
way, a final cleaning by shoreside labor is often required before a sensitive cargo, such as
grain, can be carried. These dirty cargoes often contain pitch and resins, which can be very
details about our products and services.
difficult to clean if the correct cleaning equipment and appropriate water pressure are not
available onboard.
BULK CARRIER GUIDE FOR CARGO HOLD CLEANING
Drew Marine supplies a complete suite of chemicals and
equipment for your dry bulk cargo operations. The following cleaners are
recommended for cleaning specific cargo residues in accordance with the
recommendations listed in this guide and are in compliance with MARPOL
Annex V Amendments.
AMEROID RSR: a liquid combination of an acid, an emulsifier and a
passivator for removing rust stains, scale, and light cement residues.
DESCALE-IT: a liquid acid scale remover for removing heavy cement
residues and scale.
EDGE: a multi-purpose, heavy duty cleaner specifically formulated to
meet the marine industry’s requirements for cleaning action, safety and
environmental considerations.
ENVIROMATE 2000: a water-based cleaner formulated to meet the
marine industry’s strict requirements for safety and performance.
KATHAROCARE HCHF: Alkaline based heavy duty cleaner with high
foaming effect.
KATHAROCARE NOR: Alkaline based cleaner for removal of nickel
ore residues.
KATHAROCARE FA: Foaming agent for use with alkaline cleaners to
enhance contact time on vertical surfaces.
LAC: a liquid alkaline cleaner with a combination of fast-acting detergents,
wetting agents and alkaline cleaners blended in a water-based carrier.
In addition to our cleaners, we also provide easy-to-use equipment
to monitor pH levels in bilges and neutralizing chemicals for acidic bilge
water. Our bulk carrier offerings are listed below.
For more information on our products, applications and proven
experience, please contact your Drew Marine representative.

ORDERING INFORMATION
PCN
CLEANING PRODUCTS APPLICATION
25 L 200 L 210 L
• Acid based cleaner to remove rust stains, scale,
AMEROID RSR 0091488 0091421 N/A
and cement residues
DESCALE-IT 9511404 N/A N/A • Acid based cleaner to remove heavy cement residues and scale
EDGE 0089400 N/A • Alkaline based heavy duty cleaner
ENVIROMATE 2000 5482401 N/A • Mildly alkaline based general cleaner
LAC 0057407 N/A • High alkaline based cleaner to remove difficult resins and pitch stains
KATHAROCARE HCHF N/A N/A 9812422 • Alkaline based heavy duty cleaner with high foaming effect

KATHAROCARE NOR N/A N/A 9811424 • Alkaline based cleaner for removal of nickel ore residues
• Foaming agent for use with alkaline cleaners to enhance
KATHAROCARE FA 9813404 N/A N/A
contact time on vertical surfaces

EQUIPMENT/PRODUCTS PCN SIZE APPLICATION

DREW BARRIER COAT 8663404 25 L • Effective temporary cargo hold barrier coating to mitigate cleaning of difficult cargos
• True rust inhibitor/passivator
• Used as a pre- coating preparation before painting or touch-ups
DREWTAN RC 1259408 25 L • Passivates surfaces to prevent flash rust and loose scale formation
• Beneficial for maintaining hospital and grain clean standards
• Use for spot maintenance
GC 0007402 25 L • Concentrated alkaline liquid to be used as a neutralizing agent for acidic bilge water
SEA-MATETM OG • Tenacious, water-resistant, high performing, NLGI 2 and calcium sulfonate-based
0040543 18 kg
Premium 2 grease for deck gear and wire rope
Sodium Hypochlorite 3029403 25 L • Bleaching solution to remove stains
pH Tester 30 1AA8884 1 ea. • Pocket-sized monitor for measuring pH in bilges

Use DREW BARRIER COAT Prior to Loading Certain Dirty Cargoes
We recommend the use of DREW BARRIER COAT prior to
loading certain dirty cargoes, such as cement, iron ore dust, and coal.
DREW BARRIER COAT is a cargo hold coating that mitigates stains or
corrosion from forming on the bulkheads, and speeds required cleaning
after unloading dirty cargoes. As a result, its use will expedite cleaning
operations. For more information on its application and use, contact
your Drew Marine representative. DREW BARRIER COAT should be ap-
plied using low-pressure sprayers, and treated surfaces must be al-
lowed to dry 1.5 to 2 hours prior to loading cargo.
Rely on Drew Marine Welding Products
Drew Marine provides welding and cutting products and gases specifi-
cally designed to meet the highest standards of the worldwide marine
industry and to perform under the most rigorous shipboard conditions.
Safety is always a prime consideration. From the nozzle mixing design
of our cutting attachment, to the recommended flashback arrestors and
backfire valves, no welder should be without. All products are designed
to perform safely and reliably under the toughest conditions of shipboard
use and supported with parts and service through Drew Marine in all
major ports.
–––

OUR VISION
Drew Marine is the most trusted brand and preferred global resource for marine 
solutions that enhance the longevity and operating efficiency of ocean vessels.

OUR MISSION
To sustain the superiority of the Drew Marine brand by bringing environmentally
and technologically superior products and services for the benefit of vessel 
owners and operators while increasing shareholder value.

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2020 Drew Marine • All Rights Reserved • Cargo Hold Cleaning Guide - 0321