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P&I club warns over nickel ore liquefaction from Philippines cargoesP&I club warns over nickel ore liquefaction from Philippines cargoes

The West of England P&I Club is warning on nickel ore liquefaction from cargoes loaded in the southern Philippines following a severe list a Malaysian Bulk Carriers (MBC) vessel on Friday that left one seafarer dead.

Marcus Hand, Editor

July 22, 2015

1 Min Read
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In a circular to members the club said that two vessels, including MBC’s Alam Manis, had experienced nickel ore cargo liquefaction after loading in Surigao in the Philippines.

The liquefaction of nickel ore and bauxite cargoes has claimed the lives of seafarers in recent years, mainly on vessels trading between Indonesia or the Philippines and China.

“Club correspondents Pandiman, Manila have advised that nickel ore from Surigao and Dinagat has a particularly high clay content. Samples may appear to be satisfactory when subjected to a ‘can’ test but may prove to be unsafe when sent to an independent laboratory for testing,” West of England P&I said.

“In order to comply with the provisions of the IMSBC Code the moisture content of the material must be less than the TML (Transportable Moisture Content) which can only be determined by testing the product in a laboratory.”

The club said that in addition to appointing a cargo surveyor when loading at Surigao as is required under its rules, cargoes be tested at an independent laboratory irrespective of cargo declarations and test certificates from shippers.

It is currently the monsoon season in the Philippines increasing problems with liquefaction. Seatrade Maritime News understands surveyors in the Southern Philippines who reject cargoes where the moisture content is too high face being threatened by shippers.

About the Author

Marcus Hand

Editor

Marcus Hand is the editor of Seatrade Maritime News and a dedicated maritime journalist with over two decades of experience covering the shipping industry in Asia.

Marcus is also an experienced industry commentator and has chaired many conferences and round tables. Before joining Seatrade at the beginning of 2010, Marcus worked for the shipping industry journal Lloyd's List for a decade and before that the Singapore Business Times covering shipping and aviation.

In November 2022, Marcus was announced as a member of the Board of Advisors to the Singapore Journal of Maritime Talent and Technology (SJMTT) to help bring together thought leadership around the key areas of talent and technology.

Marcus is the founder of the Seatrade Maritime Podcast that delivers commentary, opinions and conversations on shipping's most important topics.

Conferences & Webinars

Marcus Hand regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars.

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