Vessel Owners Warned of Dangers of Shipping Indonesian Coal

Following a number of recent incidents the mutual insurance company The London P&I Club has issued a warning related to the carriage of Indonesian thermal or ‘steam’ coal.

Indonesian coal has a propensity to self-heat and/or emit methane, and if uncontrolled, self-heating can lead to cargo fires, and an accumulation of methane can explode.

Cases recently reported to the club have highlighted the need for thermometers and gas sampling equipment to be regularly serviced and calibrated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

“Care should be exercised in interpreting methane measurements carried out in the low O2 concentrations often found in unventilated cargo holds. Typically, manufacturers advise that methane readings will be meaningless if the O2 level falls below 10 per cent. But the club has seen evidence of ships’ staff relying on methane readings even when O2 levels have fallen to negligible levels (one per cent or less),” London Club Loss Prevention Manager, Carl Durow, said.

“In order to obtain meaningful information, measurements should be made via an approved sample point,” Durow said, adding that the atmosphere in the space above the cargo should be regularly monitored.

The International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code stated that coal with such characteristics should not be loaded if the temperature of the cargo exceeds 55ºC, and that the atmosphere in the holds is monitored at least daily on passage. The oxidisation process that can lead to self-heating can be detected by checking the hold atmosphere for rising levels of carbon monoxide (CO) and falling oxygen (O2) levels, while methane levels can be measured directly.

The IMSBC Code recommended that the ship carries a means of measuring cargo temperature, and requires that the ship is fitted with gas sampling ports, and carries an instrument capable of measuring O2, CO and methane, The London P&I Club writes.