Cargo Handling

The IMO SOLAS and MARPOL conventions include regulations for the handling of cargo in packed form classified as dangerous or harmful for the environment with links to the IMDG code (International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code).

This course introduces the basic safety concepts of tanker operations. It covers the safety legislation applicable to tankers and the means of compliance with such requirements. Personal safety is also covered including personal routines and hygiene.

In this course, we introduce the processes and control measures required for loading and discharging chemical cargoes on chemical tankers.

Oil cargo spillages are a large MARPOL concern and usually avoidable if correct procedures are followed. This course is based on a case study and explains the hazards and risks of oil cargo operations with respect to the human element and discusses ways to limit the impact of poor management of the operations.

When the vessel is loading cargo, it is important to not only load the maximum amount but also to comply with the provisions of the International Convention on Load Lines - 1966. Failing to comply with the provisions of the convention can lead to huge fines for the ship and also cause unnecessary delays. (This course will teach ship officers how to correctly use the load lines to ensure the maximum cargo is loaded onto the ship in compliance with the convention.)

A ship-to-ship transfer occurs when cargo such as oil or gas is transferred from one ship to another. Oil tankers and gas carriers keep growing bigger and bigger, and for economic reasons or due to draft restrictions, sometimes these vessels do not go alongside in port but instead do an STS transfer. Unfortunately, this comes with the risk of causing pollution or fire accidents in the case of cargo leakage into the open sea. Extreme coordination, proper equipment, and approval for the performance of such operations are required, hence the importance of proper training.

Determining the ship's stability is essential for its safe navigation. Ship stability calculations require ship officers to extract the values of hydrostatic parameters from the hydrostatic tables. This course will familiarise you with the contents of the hydrostatic tables and teach you the correct method of extrapolating data from them. Ship officers responsible for ship stability calculations or officers training to do so in the future will highly benefit from this course.

The Ship Inspection Report Program (SIRE) is a standard assessment used by tanker owners and operators in order to identify any operational deficiencies in their fleet or their ship. VIQ, Vessel Inspection Questionnaire, is a document within the SIRE, which offers and ensures ships' safety by means of additional safety precautions for all tankers. Chapter 12 of the VIQ covers Operations in Ice and Polar Waters. In this course, we will discuss this chapter and common observations that are found by vetting inspectors with regard to operations in polar waters.

This course covers the MARPOL regulations for Annex 1 as well as the means of compliance onboard ships with these regulations.