Nickel ore: risk of liquefaction

This news alert highlights the liquefaction risk associated with nickel ore cargoes and explains why early contact with London P&I is important when Members are considering carriage from any port.

Industry reports on the recent total loss of a bulk carrier off Taiwan suggested that the vessel was carrying nickel ore from Indonesia. The sinking led to a significant loss of life, and surviving seafarers reportedly described how the vessel lost stability and capsized before going down.

Worrying reports on a second recent total loss, and on the circumstances in which a bulk carrier with stability problems was deliberately beached, also indicated that each of those ships was carrying nickel ore.

London P&I has twice used its StopLoss bulletin to stress the care that must be taken when loading nickel ore in Indonesia and the Philippines because of the risk of liquefaction and the practical difficulty of establishing whether cargo offered for shipment is safe to carry. The relevant articles are included in StopLoss issues 42 and 46, which can be downloaded here.

Two recent cases handled by London P&I underline that those earlier warnings are likely to remain relevant for the foreseeable future.

In the first case, a Member contacted London P&I soon after receiving orders from a time charterer to load nickel ore in New Caledonia. London P&I arranged for an expert to travel to New Caledonia and, with the Master's assistance, all of the cargo presented for shipment was rejected as unsafe. As there was no realistic prospect of the cargo drying in the short term, the voyage was cancelled.

In the second case, nickel ore was being loaded in Indonesia when the Master followed advice to carry out can tests. The Member contacted London P&I to report the Master's concerns. With help from the local Correspondent, digital photographs of the can test were sent to an expert in Singapore, who confirmed that the cargo being loaded was very unlikely to be safe for carriage.

With the co-operation of the time charterers, the cargo was discharged.

The latest casualties tentatively linked to liquefaction are a stark reminder of the dangers associated with nickel ore. London P&I encourages Members to make early contact with the Club if they are considering carrying nickel ore from any port.