Chief officers final inspection prior bulk cargo hold survey
The Chief Officer must always carry out a full and final inspection of all cargo holds before presenting them for shipper’s final approval and acceptance, to ensure that all cleaning work has been carried out as per his instructions and to his satisfaction, and that he is satisfied that the cargo holds are in a suitable condition for the carriage of the next commodity and presentation to the shippers.
The relevant Management Office must be advised immediately of any expected problem with regard to the holds, passing inspection.
1.On completion of hold cleaning, the chief officer should carry out a ‘surveyor’s inspection’ in this way:go down the vertical ladder, stopping to inspect the underside of the upper deck and the hatch end coaming as soon as they become visible. Look all round, using a strong torch if necessary, to check that all horizontal surfaces are clean. Proceed down the ladder, inspecting the bulkhead on each side and the adjacent parts of the ship’s sides
2.from the tank top, climb accessible pipe guards and inspect surfaces for residues and rust scale. Check behind frames, pipes and pipe guards. Walk around the sides and ends of the tank top, inspecting the bulkheads and ship’s sides. Walk over the tank top, listening for indications of loose rust scale
- climb the sloping ladder slowly, inspecting all visible surfaces. Stop at the top, inside the hold, to inspect the underside of the upper deck and the hatch end coaming
- check the insides of any deck houses for grain and insects. Be aware that some crews have been known to collect grain residues in sacks to sell at subsequent port calls. Storage of that sort will almost certainly attract insects
5.If insects are found in grain residues in a hold, clean the residues as thoroughly as possible. Spraying the area with a good-quality insecticide may solve the infestation. Representatives of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service will have a problem if insects or rodents are found in cargo hold.
6.be aware that washing a hold will tend to lift hard scale, the effect not being noticeable until the water has dried. Rust scale should not require chipping to remove, before a hold is accepted for grain
7.open and close hatch covers several times before starting to clean, to shake off residues and loose rust as much as possible
8.pay particular attention to hold number one. This is often the most difficult to clean because of its shape and additional structural members. Most surveyors will start a grain survey in that hold, and if it passes, less attention may be given to the remaining holds
9.check bilge wells are dry . It is customary to cover bilge well cover strainer plates with burlap and cement around the perimeter, or there may be a bolt down system.
10.Bilge line testing : One of the most important tasks in hold preparation is to ensure that the bilge wells, lines and valves are in a clean and operational condition.
The bilge lines must be tested by a competent person to ensure that the non-return valves are functioning correctly and not allowing any flow back of water into the holds. The bilge high-level alarms must also be tested and confirmed as operational.