North P&I Club launches poster campaign to help cut liquefaction losses

The ‘A’ rated 170 million GT North of England P&I Club has launched a new poster to help seafarers identify ore types as part of its campaign to cut the risk of further losses of ships and crews carrying ore cargoes that may liquefy at sea.

North’s loss-prevention manager Andrew Glen, who has been involved in recent international efforts to improve safety with nickel ore cargoes in particular, says, ‘A common problem faced by seafarers is trying to work out whether an ore cargo about to be loaded on board matches that described by the shipper. The new poster campaign aims to help them with identification.’

Entitled Ore Cargo Types, the poster provides a quick visual reference for seafarers on the typical particle size and appearance of the main types of ore cargo – fines, concentrates, pellets, lump ore and lateritic ore. The latter includes nickel ore cargoes, liquefaction of which has led to the loss of five ships in the past 18 months along with the lives of 66 seafarers.

‘The poster contains scaled colour photographs of each ore type along with a brief physical description, including liquefaction behaviour and categorisation under the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code,’ says Glen. ‘If there is any doubt that the cargo being offered is not what was expected, seafarers should be instructed stop loading and seek expert advice.’

The new poster is part of part of North’s Cargo Wise loss-prevention poster series and has been distributed to all dry cargo ships entered in the Club. It follows publication last month of a Club Circular requiring all Members planning to load nickel ore from ports in Indonesia and the Philippines to notify the Club before doing so.

Writing in the latest issue of North’s loss-prevention newsletter Signals, Glen says the notification process will ensure the Club can provide Members with detailed safety information on the carriage of nickel ore. ‘Although it is considered improbable that risks can be completely excluded, it is hoped that this information will enable Members to more accurately determine appropriate precautionary measures in advance of agreeing to load this cargo.’

Longer term North intends to use the notifications to identify organisations that are not following the requirements of the IMSBC Code, thus helping to focus future loss-prevention efforts of industry and regulators. Similar Circulars have been issued by all other Clubs in the International Group of P&I Clubs.

A copy of the new ‘Ore Cargo Types’ poster and latest ‘Signals’ newsletter accompany this release.  This release, the poster and the newsletter can be downloaded from North’s website at www.nepia.com.

North is a leading marine mutual liability insurer providing P&I, FD&D, war risks and ancillary insurance to 125 million GT of owned tonnage and 45 million GT of chartered tonnage, with 4000 ships entered by 400 Members worldwide. It is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK with regional offices in Athens, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore. The Club is a leading Member of the International Group of P&I Clubs (IG), with over 13% of the IG’s owned tonnage. The 13 IG Clubs provide liability cover for approximately 90% of the world’s ocean-going tonnage and, as a Member of the IG, North protects and promotes the interests of the international shipping industry.