BULK CARRIER HOLD CLEANING PROCEDURE
Preparation to be done prior to using the hold cleaner :-
Preparing Cargo Holds for loading Grain depends on the previous cargo.
1. Cargo Holds must be thoroughly cleaned and dry and trace of previous cargo in frames, beams, girders, and other structure.
2. There should not be any loose rust and or paint scale anywhere in the Cargo Holds, Bulkheads, upper and lower hopper spaces, underneath of Hatch Covers and tank top.
3. There should not be traces of live & dead insect & weevils.
4. Bilge covers should be cleaned of any cargo residues and have enough drain holes. Bilge cover needs to be grain tight but not watertight.
5. Bilge well should be cleaned of previous cargo dray and odor free.
6. Bilge suction should be operational at all the times.
Equipment/Items necessary for Hold Cleaning
The following equipment/items necessary for Hold Cleaning:
S/L
Item
Quantity
1
High Pressure Hold Cleaning Gun (Air pressure Combi - Gun/Toby Gun ), with sufficient deck wash down hoses Hoses (Fire Hoses must not be used as wash down hoses as they are the part of the ships safety equipment)
1 No.
2.
Wash down hoses, 20 meter length, 45 mm dia complete with coupling for ship’s fire main
6 Nos.
3.
Plastic jet nozzles suitable for above hoses
4 Nos
4.
Submersible (Wilden) Pump with spares
1 Number or 2 if cleaning in remote
anchorage
5.
High pressure fresh water machine with extended handle & 30 meter of pressurised hose
1 No.
6.
Sufficient fresh water to complete a high pressure water rinse for all holds
100 M/T for 5 hold
vessel
7.
Telescopic Ladder to extend approx. 5 meters
3 Nos.
8.
Long Handle Steel Scrappers
8 Nos.
9.
Long Handle rubber squeegee complete with 1 meter rubber blade
6 Nos.
10.
Heavy duty brooms suitable for Hold Cleaning
12 Nos.
11.
Corn brooms with handle
8 Nos.
12.
Heavy duty mops
6 Nos.
13.
Spare Mop Heads
6 Nos.
14.
Galvanized roller winger, mop buckets
4 Nos.
15.
Turks heads, round head 4”
6 Nos.
16.
Steel Hand Shovel, 6” wide, suitable for digging out hold bilges
6 Nos.
17.
Soogee cloth, 25 Meter length, width approximately 30 cm
3 Nos.
18.
Burlap, 50 Meter length X 1 Meter wide
1 Roll
19.
Duct tape, grey, Industrial strength, 20 meter length X 45 mm diameter
6 Nos.
20.
Chemical Spray Pump( Kew Gun/if previous cargo was coal)
1 No
21.
Transparent plastic, reinforced garden hose, complete with male and female plastic coupling for each sections
4 Nos.
22.
Portable Halogen lights, 500 watt, to illuminate holds during cleaning. Each lamp to be complete with 50 meters of cable and have a waterproof plug fitted
4 Nos.
23.
Spare Halogen Bulbs for above
10 Nos
24.
Aqua Tuff or other cleaning agent (if previous cargo was coal) for 5 holds
500 Liters
25.
Telescopic Ladder to extend approx. 5 meters
3 Nos.
26.
Muriatic Acid/Hydrochloric Acid (if previous cargo was Cement) with protective equipment
6 Nos.
27.
Rags
200 Kg
Procedure For Removal of Cargo Residue :-
Air Blow from top using high pressure air to reach all accessible corners. Cargo to be swept, scrapped & collected in a drum. Attention to be given
• Australian ladder and its platforms and stanchions
• Beams and girders under cross decks
• Frames, beams, girders, and other structure
• Large pipes holding brackets behind the pipes
Application of Metal Brite for Removal of Loose Rust and Paint Scale :-
RXSOL METAL BRITE is a liquid cleaner formulated to remove rust and dirt stains from metal, wood, tile and painted surfaces. METAL BRITE is safe on brass, cooper, aluminium, stainless steel and chrome. It will effectively clean, brighten, and protect metal surfaces from rust.
§A sharp hand scraper shall be used to take off the peeling rust & paint scale
Special attention to following areas:
• Australian ladder and its platforms, hand rails and stanchions
• Australian ladder and its platforms and stanchions
• Beams and girders under cross decks
• Frames, beams, girders, and other structure
• Large pipes holding brackets behind the pipes
• Hatch coamings and under hatch covers
• Booby hatches & cover
Metal Brite application for Tank top loose rust
§ Tank top should be free of loose rust and cargo residue
§ Any rust which can be scraped by hand scrapers should be removed.
§ The tank top should be rinsed with fresh water
Bilge Cleaner used for cleanliness of cargo hold bilges
BILGE CLEANER is a specially formulated, free from chlorinated hydrocarbons, tank cleaner and degreaser, based on low odor solvents, emulsifiers and surfactants. The following procedure must be follow while cleaning.
• Hold bilges must be cleaned thoroughly to remove all residue, rust particles and cargo stains etc.
• The filter (Rose Box) must be cleaned thoroughly
• The bilge well sections shall be washed with continuous running of sea water to remove all odour and later rinsed with fresh water.
Step for Cleaning of Hold
• Operating the water jet is most effective which should first start from upper platform of Australian ladder for removing all cargo residue from flanges of beams and girders under cross decks.
• Safety of crew when working aloft on these ladders is important specially when working at sea and with ship movement.
• Aluminum extension ladders to be used for reaching upper areas of the holds.
• There are some types of Aluminum light weight ladders available for the ship’s crew to reach high areas for close inspection and cleaning.
• Tower extension ladders with extended platform are the best and most effective.
• After cleaning rinsed the Holds with High pressure fresh water machine
Cement Remover :- It is highly concentrated and powerful penetrating agents materials which is effectively react with cement to loosen the bonding strength .
Hold Cleaning Procedure after discharging Cement
To avoid cargo residues sticking inside the Holds after cleaned, a thorough cleaning is extremely necessary, more residues removed during dry cleaning, the easier will be chemical washing.
Air blowing is the most effective means of dry cleaning, if the local regulation permits. If the air blowing is not allowed, sweeping can be carried out which will time consuming & less effective.
After dry cleaning, the holds are to be chemically washed with Muriatic Acid/Hydrochloric Acid using designated cleaning kit.
The Chemicals must be applied starting at the hatch coaming and must be on the surface for 15 - 30 minutes to allow maximum efficiency but not to dry out. When working with chemical all personnel involved must wear full “Personal Protective Equipment”.
After Chemical washing the holds are to washed with Sea Water and rinsed with Fresh Water (depending on the next cargo).
Hold cleaning after discharging Cement Clinker
After discharging Cement Clinker, the cleaning procedure will depend on the next Cargo. If the loading “Grain” then the tank tops/upper & lower hopper spaces must be thoroughly swept before washing with chemical, washed with sea water and finally rinsed with Fresh Water.
Aquatuff High Foam is a heavy duty alkaline cleaner with good foaming qualities specially formulated for cleaning cargo holds on bulk carriers and OBOs. The dense foam created prevents the cleaning solution from running off vertical surfaces and thereby enhances the cleaning efficiency. It is water based and is safe to the environment, containing only biodegradable ingredients.
Hold cleaning after discharging Coal
After discharging Coal or pet coke, which leave staining, it is often necessary to use heavy - duty alkaline detergents, which are applied as an emulsion, need time to take effect and are rinsed away with seawater.
Aquatuff High Foam is a heavy alkaline cleaner with good foaming qualities which is specially developed for cargo hold cleaning.
If using chemicals for cleaning, reference should be made to the safe data sheet concerning safety precautions and handling.
Disposal of Cargo Residues
While disposing Cargo residues and Wash down water, the Chief should ensure that MARPOL 73/78 are strictly followed. MARPOL 73/78 Annex V requires that all ships of 400 grt and above have an approved Garbage Management Plan and a Garbage record book. An amendment that come into force in August 2006 stipulates that cargo residues are treated as garbage. Cargo residues that remain onboard after discharge and thus included in the definition of garbage, need to be disposed oc outside Special Areas (as set out in MARPOL 73/78) and far away from the nearest last mandated by the MARPOL regulations (it is float - outside of 25 nautical miles; if it sinks - outside of 12 nautical miles).
The Garbage Management Plan should include minimization of cargo residue wash - down water and its discharge. Any cargo residues and wash - down water disposals discharges should be recorded as Garbage Category 4 in the Garbage Record Book, and the entries should include start and stop positions.
Washings containing Hold cleaning Chemicals
These chemicals could be in themselves be pollutants. If the substance falls within Annex 1 (Oil) or Annex II (Noxious Liquid Substances), then then the washing will have to be disposed to the Annex requirements.
Cleaning holds within, or close to port limits may also require local port regulations to be followed with respect to the disposal of hold washings. Always to check with local Ship’s Agent.
It may be necessary to retain washing onboard or dispose ash ore using road tankers or to approved facilities. Only approved companies should be used for the disposal of hold washings, and the correct paper work and receipts should always be retained for a minimum of two years.
Discharges Zones:
• All discharges into harbor and ports are prohibited
• If a marine mammal is within 0.50 nautical miles of the ship, no discharge of cargo residues shall be made.
Causes of Failure of Hold Inspection
• Ship’s crew completed a very quick salt water wash.
• No chemical wash was undertaken.
• No hard scraping of the bulkhead was completed.
• Staining from the previous cargo.
• Cargo dust residues.
• Deposits of previous cargoes in hard to reach places, flaking paint and scale.
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