How do you avoid materials' cross-contamination in a bulk carrier hold?

Cross-contamination of dry bulk cargo is a serious concern. When it occurs it can render the contents of a cargo hold unusable thus undercutting the financial viability of a voyage. Therefore the extent to which you are able to avoid materials’ cross-contamination in a bulk carrier hold means the difference between earning and not earning. Considering how important an issue this is, preventing cross-contamination becomes a priority. Cargo ship hold protection is one way to address this concern.

In the dry bulk shipping industry cleanliness standards go through 5 grades and reach as high as “hospital” level. At this top level, cargo holds are required to be free of paint flakes, rust scale, infestations and all previous cargo residues. Even a single flake of prohibited material will result in a failed inspection. Therefore it behooves owners and operators to avoid cross contamination as necessary to avert fines, costly delays or the need to hire expensive in-shore labour to correct issues.

For dry bulk carriers, hold protection protects the ship from damage caused by corrosive cargos, makes it easier to wash away greasy residues from dirty cargos and helps avoid materials' cross-contamination.

The application of hold protection before loading helps to prevent damage to the hold, bilge and hatch covers. Thus contamination from flakes, scales and stubborn residues will be held to a minimum. A diligent, thorough cleaning of the hold after unloading the cargo will wash away contaminants and previous materials and prepare the hold for its next cargo at the required level of cleanliness.

RBM HoldSolutions® provides a series of products for protection and cleaning of cargo holds in marine carriers. For more information, please contact us at 1-604-531-8333 or use our contact page.