3.2 Loading instrument
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC/Circular.1108 – Guidelines for Assessing the Longitudinal Strength of Bulk Carriers During Loading, Unloading and Ballast Water Exchange - Annex - Guidelines for Assessing the Longitudinal Strength of Bulk Carriers During Loading, Unloading and Ballast Water Exchange - 3 Information to be provided - 3.2 Loading instrument

3.2 Loading instrument

  3.2.1 The input/output format of the loading instrument should, as far as practicable, be easily comparable in information and format to the loading manual so that the operators will easily gain familiarity with the loading calculations.

  3.2.2 The loading instrument should readily provide any information that may be obtained from the loading manual by incremented calculation reflecting the operation scenario in a clearly presented format.

  3.2.3 A simple and straightforward user manual written in the same language as the loading manual should be provided. The user manual should contain the approved test conditions and be written in a language with which the ship’s officers responsible for cargo operations are familiar. If this language is not English, the ship should be provided with a manual written also in the English language.

  3.2.4 For each occasion when the ship is loaded or unloaded or ballast water is exchanged at sea the sequence of the operations should be checked using the approved loading instrument.

  3.2.5 Where applicable, the loading instrument should also be capable of performing calculations for break bulk cargo and loading of different grades of cargo in the same cargo hold.

  3.2.6 The sequence should be built up step by step from commencement of cargo loading to reaching full deadweight capacity. A step occurs each time the loading equipment changes position to a new hold. Each step should be documented. In addition to longitudinal strength, the local strength of each hold should be considered.

  3.2.7 For each loading condition a summary of all steps should be included. This summary should highlight the essential information for each step such as:

  • .1 how much cargo is loaded into each hold during the different steps;

  • .2 how much ballast water is discharged from each ballast tank during the different steps;

  • .3 the maximum still water bending moments and shear forces at the end of each step; and

  • .4 the ship’s trim and draught at the end of each step.


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