Checklist for Planning stowage
on Chemical tankers
By Capt Rajeev Jassal
www.myseatime.com
Read more blogs at: www.myseatime.com/blog
Step 1: Study the voyage order properly
Idea is not to miss any important information as chemical tankers voyage instructions can have
enormous amount of information that is easy to miss. If it suits you, take a print out of the voyage
instructions and highlight the important sections.
Step 2: Check if you have proper shipping names of all the
nominated cargoes
You can check this from chapter 17 and 18 of the IBC code. If the cargo appears in IBC code, it is
the proper shipping name. If it doesn’t it is a trade name.
Step 3: Check if the cargoes appears in the cargo list of
certificate of fitness
If any cargo do not appear in the COF, vessel cannot load this cargo. Be sure to check that you are
looking the cargo as proper shipping name and not for trade name in the COF.
Step 4: Check if the cargo is compatible with cargo tank
coating
Pay attention to any note mentioned against the cargo in the coating manual. If coating manual
says the cargo is not compatible, it should not be loaded as it can damage the coating as well as
cargo.
Step 5: For heated cargoes, check if vessel is capable of
heating the cargo to the required temperature
Even if vessel is capable of doing this, discussion with chief engineer is a good practice.
Step 6: Check if vessel has safety equipments, toxic gas
detectors, antidotes etc required for the cargo
The requirements can be found in chapter 14 of the IBC. Follow instructions in Chapter 17 of IBC
code and your company’s SMS manual.
Step 7: If nitrogen blanket is required, check if ship or shore
N2 arrangements are in place
Some cargoes require blanketing with high purity, low dew point nitrogen. In these cases even if
vessel has a N2 generator, Nitrogen in bottles is required to be onboard.
STOWAGE PLANNING
Do not stow incompatible cargoes adjacent to each other
Check USCG compatibility chart for all the cargoes. Note down any incompatible cargoes.
Do not exceed the load density of the tank
Keep in mind the load density of the cargo tank while planning the stowage of high density cargoes
such as Sulphuric acid.
Do not stow temperature sensitive cargoes adjacent to heated
cargoes
Check any requirement for limitation on maximum adjacent temperature. If yes, do not stow this
cargo adjacent to the heated cargo. You can find such requirement from Milbros / Miracle software
and in voyage orders.
Do not exceed draft, trim, stability & strength limits
Check on each leg of the voyage and for each cargo. This can be a time taking job but be sure of
it. Do not exceed stability and strength limits at any stage of each leg. Also check your drafts and
trim is OK for each leg of the voyage.
