Agreement in principle on mandatory weighing
of containers
The 17th session of the IMO Sub-Committee on Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers (DSC 17) was held from 17 to 21 September 2012.
25 September 2012
Mandatory weighing of containers
Caused by a number of accidents involving containers losses and container stack collapses, Denmark had together with a number of countries and industrial interests, submitted a proposal on mandatory weighing of loaded containers. This should ensure improved agreement between the weight information provided by the shipper in the freight documents and actual conditions.
The proposal was well received though concern was expressed about the practical implementation, including the acquisition of the necessary weighing facilities, not least in the less developed part of the world.
Following intense negotiations, a working group established during the meeting agreed on a proposal to amend SOLAS with a view to introducing mandatory weighing of all (loaded) containers. According to the proposal, the container weight should be established either by weighing the entire loaded container or by weighing the individual units loaded into the container, any securing gear, etc. and subsequently adding the net weight of the container (the accumulated weight).
For reasons of time, the working group did not, however, manage to finalise the associated guidance, which was to lay down more detailed guidelines on the approval of weighing facilities and the approval of systems for determining the accumulated weight of a container, respectively.
At the subsequent presentation to the joint Sub-Committee, some countries therefore considered the proposal of the working group (too) complex. These countries were of the view that, without the associated guidance, it would be too premature to submit the proposal for further consideration by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC). Consequently, the Sub-Committee decided to establish a correspondence group to continue work on the proposal and the associated guidance until the next Sub-Committee session.
Training in enclosed space entry
Every year, international shipping experiences a number of tragic deaths among seafarers when they die during inspection, work, etc. in spaces with insufficient oxygen content, respectively high concentrations of dangerous gases. Typically, these accidents involve several deaths since other crewmembers – as a kind of automatic reaction – come to the rescue of a colleague without thinking about their own safety, including the use of the necessary protective equipment.
In order to create greater awareness about the dangers related to the entry into – and work in – enclosed spaces, the Sub-Committee agreed that crewmembers who are, as a part of their work or as members of the ship’s emergency preparedness, to enter enclosed spaces must train enclosed space entry and evacuation at least every second month. In addition to ships covered by the SOLAS Convention, the the intention was to include high-speed craft and MODU units in the requirement.
The Sub-Committee also agreed that all ships covered by the SOLAS Convention should be fitted with oxygen meters. Furthermore, the Sub-Committee proposed that it was authorised to assess the need for additional measuring equipment – so-called multi-measuring instruments – which can also identify various hazardous gases, etc.
Now, the proposals will be forwarded to the Maritime Safety Committee for approval.
Solid bulk cargoes
Also at DSC 17, the handling of iron ore fines and similar bulk cargoes capable of becoming liquid under unfortunate circumstances was debated intensely. The problem of the safe handling of these ship cargoes was not new, but with the entry into force of the mandatory International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code a platform had (now) been established for laying down common guidelines on the safe carriage of these cargoes.
The problem was further made topical by a number of sudden losses of bulk carriers – especially in the Far East area – where the main reason was ascribed to such circumstances.
When cargoes of iron or zinc ore fines are loaded containing much liquid– for example because they have been stored under the open sky or because the loading takes place in tropical rains – the vibrations of the ship and the effect of the weather on the ship may subsequently lead to the accumulation of large amounts of liquids in parts of the cargo. At some point, the accumulated liquids will cause the cargo to become unstable and to slide to one of the sides of the cargo hold. In the worst case, this will rather quickly cause the ship to list significantly, thus causing a loss of stability and ultimately loss of the ship.
Prior to the meeting, a correspondence group had tried to lay down guidelines on the carriage of these cargoes. A number of countries had also submitted information about new research in this field, just as they proposed separate safety measures.
Due to the extent of the specific proposals, the complexity in the determination of globally useable guidelines and the recognition that a number of research projects in the area had not been finalised, the Sub-Committee decided to continue working on regulations on the safe handling of these cargoes in a correspondence group until the next Sub-Committee meeting. It was decided to maintain the interim international guidelines on the carriage of these ship cargoes until mandatory guidelines are available.
Danish Maritime Authority press release