- Fire fighting equipment both on board and ashore should be correctly positioned and ready for immediate use.
- Hoses should be in a good condition and properly fitted and rigged so as to prevent strain and stress beyond design limitations.
- Remote operating controls for such valves should be identified in order to avoid inadvertent opening.
Cargo loading and unloading operations of seagoing chemical carriers involve numerous critical procedures that need to be precisely monitored, says an article published on chemical tanker guide website.
Are fire hoses and firefighting equipment on board and ashore positioned and ready for immediate use?
Fire fighting equipment both on board and ashore should be correctly positioned and ready for immediate use. Adequate units of fixed or portable equipment should be stationed to cover the ship’s cargo deck and on the jetty.
The ship and shore fire main systems should be pressurised, or be capable of being pressurised at short notice. Both ship and shore should ensure that their fire main systems can be interconnected in a quick and easy way, using the international shore fire connection if necessary.
Are cargo and bunker hoses /arms in good condition, properly rigged and appropriate for the service intended?
Hoses should be in a good condition and properly fitted and rigged so as to prevent strain and stress beyond design limitations. All flange connections should be fully bolted and any other types of connections should be properly secured.
It should be ensured that the hoses/arms are constructed of a material suitable for the substance to be handled, taking into account its temperature and the maximum operating pressure. Cargo hoses should be properly marked and identifiable with regard to their suitability for the intended operation.
Are scuppers effectively plugged and drip trays in position, both on board and ashore?
Where applicable all scuppers on board and drain holes ashore should be properly plugged during the operations. Accumulation of water should be drained off periodically. Both ship and jetty manifolds should ideally be provided with fixed drip trays; in their absence portable drip trays should be used.
All drip trays should be emptied in an appropriate manner whenever necessary but always after completion of the specific operation. When only corrosive liquids or refrigerated gases are being handled, the scuppers may be kept open, provided that an ample supply of water is available at all times in the vicinity of the manifolds.
Are unused cargo and bunker connections properly secured with blank flanges fully bolted?
Unused cargo and bunker line connections should be closed and blanked. Blank flanges should be fully bolted and other types of fittings, if used, properly secured.
Are sea and overboard discharge valves, when not in use, closed and visibly secured?
Care should be taken to ensure that sea and overboard discharge valves are closed and visibly secured as an important pollution avoidance measure on ships where cargo lines and ballast systems are interconnected.
Remote operating controls for such valves should be identified in order to avoid inadvertent opening. If appropriate, the security of the valves in question should be checked visually.
For previous question please check ship& shore checklist article.
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Source: chemical tanker guide
