MIN 660 (M) Solid Bulk Cargoes - Safe Carriage of Bauxite
Published 31 March 2021
© Crown copyright 2021
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/min-660-m-solid-bulk-cargoes-safe-carriage-of-bauxite/min-660-m-solid-bulk-cargoes-safe-carriage-of-bauxite
Notice to all ship owners, ship operators, terminal operators, port authorities, classification societies, agents, charterers, shippers, consignors, training providers, masters, officers and crews of merchant ships and all other parties involved in the transportation of solid bulk cargoes by sea.
This notice should be read with MIN 652 and replaces MGN 547
This MIN expires 31 December 2021
Summary
This Marine Information Note (MIN) is to update industry on the safe carriage of bauxite and follows on from previous International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) guidance on the possible dangers of liquefaction associated with the carriage of bauxite.
1. Background
1.1 It is known from experience, including casualty investigations, that certain solid bulk cargoes may become fluid under the stimulus of compaction and vibration during a voyage and as a result adversely affect vessel stability. Such cargoes generally contain a certain proportion of fine particles and a certain amount of moisture and may liquefy if shipped with a moisture content in excess of their transportable moisture limit.
1.2 Since 2011, the IMO has regulated the transportation of solid bulk cargo through the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code. Awareness of the properties of cargoes and the potential risks arising from their carriage by sea is continually developing. Over the past decade, increasing emphasis has been given in the IMSBC Code to the risk of liquefaction following a number of high-profile casualties.
1.3 The IMSBC Code draws attention to solid bulk cargoes with the potential to liquefy by classifying them as Group A and details the various measures to be taken when carrying those cargoes, including suitable sampling and testing methods to calculate the transportable moisture limit (TML).
2. Bauxite and the issuance of Circular CCC.1/Circ.2
2.1 Investigations following the loss of the Bahamas-registered bulk carrier BULK JUPITER in 2015 suggested that the cause may have been liquefaction of its cargo of around 46,400 tonnes of Bauxite. At the time, the classification of Bauxite according to the IMSBC Code was Group C (i.e. cargoes which are neither liable to liquefy nor to possess chemical hazards).
2.2 Following discussions amongst concerned Member States and Non-Governmental Organisations, the IMO’s Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC) Sub-Committee issued Circular CCC.1/Circ.2 to warn industry of the potential risks posed by moisture in the carriage of Bauxite cargoes and to advise masters to approach the carriage of certain Bauxite cargoes in the same way as Group A cargoes. The MCA drew stakeholders’ attention to this IMO circular, and the important safety information within, in Marine Guidance Note MGN 547.
3. Amendments to IMSBC Code – new Bauxite cargo schedules
3.1 In 2017 the IMO superseded CCC.1/Circ.2 with CCC.1/Circ.2/Rev.1. This revised Circular updated industry on the progress made on the safe carriage of Bauxite under the IMSBC Code and included annexes of draft textual amendments to the IMSBC Code covering (1) a revised test procedure to calculate the TML of Bauxite, (2) a new schedule for Group A Bauxite cargoes (“BAUXITE FINES”) and (3) a revised schedule for Group C Bauxite cargoes (“BAUXITE”).
3.2 The MCA recently issued MIN 652 to advise of the amendments (05-19) to the IMSBC Code which become mandatory on an international basis from 1 January 2021 having been available for voluntary use since 1 January 2020. Since these amendments (05-19) to the IMSBC Code included the textual changes related to Bauxite cargoes and are now mandatory, MGN 547 is no longer required and has been withdrawn.
4. Future Considerations – Dynamic Separation and the definition of Group A cargoes
4.1 As a result of the work carried out by the Global Bauxite Working Group (GBWG) and others in relation to the carriage of Bauxite under the IMSBC Code, the newly introduced IMSBC Code schedule for Group A Bauxite cargoes (“BAUXITE FINES”) includes the term “dynamic separation” under the Hazard section.
4.2 Although the potential for some cargoes to undergo dynamic separation is linked to their moisture content and transportable moisture limit, it is nevertheless considered to be a distinct phenomenon from liquefaction. Dynamic separation can lead to the formation of a liquid slurry (water and fine solids) above the solid material, resulting in a free surface effect which may have an effect on stability.
4.3 Further work on the phenomenon of dynamic separation in some Group A cargoes is underway within the IMO.
More Information
Cargoes, Safety and Pollution Prevention
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Bay 2/23
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
Tel: +44 (0) 203 817 2000
Email: Cargoes@mcga.gov.uk