Hold Cleanliness Survey

marine cargo ship surveyors

Hi marine cargo surveyor. :). It was about three months with no posting, as I have faced busy days.

Previously, we have discussed topics about Draft survey : Terms of ConductDraft Survey : Procedures and Calculation, Draft Survey : Specimen of Calculation, How To Conduct Bunker Survey, and Bunker Survey Calculation. Appreciated every feedbacks and comments around the posts.

In this posts, I will generally introduce about cargo hold cleanliness survey. The hold cleanliness survey is conducted to ensure the cargo hold condition before loading by inspected whether the hold is ready to load the nominated cargo or not.

During surveying, the surveyor should be ensure the following conditions:

  • Inspections must be carried out during daylight hours only,
  • The Cargo Hatchcover is fully opened,
  • Use of manlifts (where available) to enable proper access to all areas of holds.
  • Appropriate high powered hand held lighting and extendable mirrors should be used to assist in inspections.
  • Free from ANY previous cargo residues
  • Free from loose rust, scale or paint.  Painted surfaces must be properly applied and cured
  • Dry and clean
  • Free from odours
  • In all ways in a suitable condition, fit and safe to receive and preserve the intended cargo
  • Particular emphasis on previous cargo residue on overhead beams, hatch-end beams, hatch joints and hinges, frame brackets, pipe brackets, ladder ways, manhole covers etc
  • It is recommended that where practical, chalk should be used to mark the sides and ends of holds after a section has been inspected to ensure that no part of the superstructure is missed with the movement of the man-lift up and down or sideways for cleaning purposes.
  • Hatch covers should be opened and closed at least 3 times each prior to cleaning, to shake down any remnants of past cargoes.  This action is extremely important if any of the past 3 cargoes have been Agricultural products, specifically grain.

Although not part of a vessel cleanliness inspection it is requested that the following is also checked and reported on:

  • All bilge covers, access covers, tank-top covers should be inspected and properly secured
  • Bilge wells should be clean and dry with pumps in good working order
  • Tank-tops should be free from protrusions, container fittings, pad eyes and the like
  • Hatch covers must be demonstrably watertight with all seals and sealing faces in position and properly maintained

This document is designed as a GUIDE ONLY and covers minimum requirements which should be used by load-port surveyors in conjunction with the surveyor’s own experience, expertise and common sense in order to avoid cargo contamination and loss.

If necessary, this authority includes:

(a)        Ability to delay loading of the vessel so inspection is performed in daylight hours

(b)        Calling for extra ship’s lighting to assist with inspection

(c)        Insisting on provision of mechanical man-lifter to facilitate inspection where available

(d)        Interrupt loading after sufficient cargo loaded to enable “walk over” inspection when cargo will subsequently fill hold

As ……………….. surveyor, it is very important that no indication verbally or in writing is given to the suppliers, owners, agents, masters or their appointed surveyors that you are taking over their responsibility for presenting the vessel ready for loading.

As ……………….. surveyor, any certificate or statement should indicate that you are only certifying that the holds were inspected and found to have been presented clean, dry and apparently grain free in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Charter Party, as stated by the Master

Surveyors

Sources : www.ukpandi.com – UK P&I – New Standards of Hold Cleanliness

PS: For additional references you could download the following material :
The Standard Club: Bulk Cargoes – Hold Preparation and Cleaning

 

Regards,
Surveyors

Author: Faisal Yusuf

Hi, my name is Faisal Yusuf, but you can call me Surveyor. I live in Jakarta, Indonesia and work as a surveyor.

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12 Comments

  1. SIR,

    I AM FROM INDIA.
    I AM WORKING AS A MARINE CARGO SURVEYOR ( OIL AND CHEMICALS ) LAST 8 YEARS NOW I WANT TO APPLY FOR THE CERTIFICATE SO CAN YOU PLEASE SUGGEST ME THE CARGO SURVEYOR INSTITUTE IN A DISTANCE MODE..

    THANKS AND REGARDS
    DINESH

  2. Dear Ali Saifullizan,

    Terimakasih sudah berkunjung ke sini dan kasih komen.

    Salam,
    Surveyors

  3. isi olahan yg bagus… keep your good work…

  4. Dear Tunde Douglas,

    Thanks for your appreciation.

    Regards,
    Surveyors

  5. I like this forum. I know it help me to be a better Marine Cargo Surveyor

  6. merci pour les renseignement

    si possible, nous transmettres des modèle de condition survey

  7. Dear Murali,

    Thanks you, this is a good issue.

    In my opinion: since you have done the right thing with the hatch cover testing, and proved that they are work normally.
    Attached the last examination certificate aprroved by class surveyor that still validate is needed. (ship must have)

    When the rain coming, does the ship’s crews do the right procedures during closing the hatch?
    Useful Source for hatchcovers : http://www.standard-club.com/docs/MG-HatchCoverMaintenance.pdf

    As the surveyor that has generally witnessed and tested at the time of survey, and the hydraulic system are working well.
    In the next seconds everything could be happened, there is no guarantee for this. Surveyor has no obligation to take responsible
    if the hatchcover fails in operation then. The investigation towards the hatch covers failure needs to carry out later.

    Feel free to drop comments if any others opinion.

    Regards,
    Surveyors

  8. Thank you very much for well intended guidelines. I would like to share with you and the esteemed readers, a peculiar situation I was confronted with when I was assigned with inspection work on board M.V. “AL JABER XV” (U.A.E.Flag, IMO No: 8812758) way back in 2006. As you have indicated in one of the points, I requested the Chief Officer of the Vessel to show me the working of the hatch covers, (mainly to ensure that they are in good working condition.) which he readily agreed and was done. Two days after the loading (of Indian White Crystal Cane Sugar) began, it suddenly started raining. When the Chief Officer ordered immediate closure of all the hatches, two of the hatches could not be closed as the hydraulic system failed. As a result, two layers of stowage in both hatches ( about 37 metric tones) were damaged. In this situation, all I could do, as a buyer nominated surveyor, was to notify my Head Office to take up the matter with the buyers. I handed over a letter of protest to the Master faxed a copy of it to my Head Office, to save my own skin. What would be your recommendation in this type of situation? Please be in touch. With warm regards,
    Murali.

  9. Welcome you return!
    Could you attach some documents such as: report, survey report,… need for hold cleanliness.
    Thank you very much.

  10. Would like to kjeep the contact

  11. Thank you for your time and for your good intention !

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