Background
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC/Circular.488 – Containers and Cargoes – (Adopted on 6 June 1988) - Carriage of GrainGuidance on interpretations and equivalences - 15 Stowage factor - Background

Background

 For the purposes of calculating the stability of a ship carrying bulk grain, the regulations in part B, section I(A)(e)(1), defines “STOWAGE FACTOR" as the volume per unit weight of grain cargo. This terminology is different from usual merchant shipping practice whereby the stowage factor makes allowance for “broken stowage", i.e. the fraction of the hold volume which is not occupied by the cargo for various reasons such as interference of structure, shape of cargo units, etc. This difference in meaning for a commonly used shipping term has, from time to time, caused problems in the grain trade with regard to its correct application. The grain heeling moment is the product of a weight multiplied by a distance. The weight under consideration is the weight of a solid mass of grain which shifts laterally across the ship. The weight of this mass is not reduced by any lost volume due to “broken stowage" within the mass. The following guideline is intended to emphasize the stated intention of this regulation.

Parent topic: 15 Stowage factor
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