Indian iron ore fines - strong recommendation that all Members contact the Club if carriage is considered
11 September 2009
The London P&I Club has received news of two very recent incidents in which bulk carriers have faced severe stability problems within hours of departure from a port in India at which iron ore fines had been loaded.
In one case, the ship is reported to have capsized and sunk. In both cases, the preliminary reports attribute the loss of stability to liquefaction of the iron ore fines cargo.
Given the ongoing concerns about the safety of this commodity, all Members are strongly recommended to contact the Club if carriage of iron ore fines from India is being considered.
The Club and the listed Correspondents in India have very close contacts with surveyors and technical experts who can help assess whether the cargo offered for loading is safe for carriage.
The risk of liquefaction of these cargoes has been covered in earlier loss prevention advice from the London P&I Club including StopLoss 48, a copy of which is attached for ease of reference.