Should you change your cargo hold cleaning and maintenance routine in winter?

Cargo hold cleaning and maintenance in winter requires the same expertise, diligence and adherence to best practices as at any other time of the year. However there are a few additional things to be aware of when dealing with the extremes of temperatures occurring over the winter season.

The potential for problems is heightened when there is a disparity between the temperature of the cargo and the surrounding environment. This can happen whether it is the cargo hold itself, or the incoming air or ballast water. Temperature fluctuations happen when moving from warm to colder waters, and vice versa. They also occur when taking on certain types of cargo.

For example, when warm cement is loaded into a cold cargo hold, or is loaded when the air temperature is lower, as would be expected in winter time, water vapour in the air condenses. This is known as the dew point. And just like the dew point makes the grass slick with moisture at dusk or dawn, the same reaction produces condensation on surfaces inside the cargo hold.

This extra moisture reacts with the cement dust coating the cargo hold. When it dries, it hardens to form cement–a stubbornly difficult material to clean. It’s crucial that hold-cleaning crews have access to the best solutions, the appropriate equipment and enough time to perform a thorough cleaning.

Additionally, evaporation takes longer in lower temperatures, even with adequate ventilation. Therefore, extra time will be required to allow colder surfaces to dry for all cargo hold cleaning procedures.

Winter is coming to our main office, located in British Columbia, Canada. If you have any questions or concerns about this article, our products or services, we’d love to hear from you. We can be reached by mail, phone, or the email listed here.