Loss Prevention Advice
GUIDANCE ON THE CARRIAGE OF GRAIN AND SEED CARGOES (COURTESY SWEDISH P&I CLUB AND BRITANNIA P&I CUB)
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Fuel consumed on board a ship requires heating to pump it from its storage to its settling or service tanks. However, some cargoes are extremely heat sensitive and therefore heating of tanks adjacent to cargo holds should be done with caution.
The International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code (IMSBC) identifies the following as heated ship structures: steam pipes, heating coils, top or side walls of heated fuel and cargo tanks, and bulkheads of machinery spaces. A heated ship structure is where the surface temperature is liable to exceed 55°C.
That said, certain types of agricultural cargo suffer heat damage even at lower temperatures of around 40°C to 55°C. When steam is supplied to fuel oil tanks, the temperature within the tank rises and heat is either transferred by a conduction process or radiated from the tank to the adjacent cargo holds.
A significant number of claims have been linked to heat-sensitive agriculture products such as soya bean, wheat, maize, corn, barley, sunflower pellets, canola, bananas, flower bulbs, soybean meal and fish meal. Processed cargoes have an even higher moisture and oil content, making them more susceptible to microbiological activity and self-heating, which can lead to severe heat damage with the feed cargoes.
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The latest maritime intelligence brief highlighted the growing influence of non-state actors and the persistent weaknesses in key maritime routes.
According to Dryad Global, the global maritime security environment continues to shift rapidly, with recent incidents underscoring both the expanding reach of non-state actors and the enduring vulnerabilities in strategic waterways.
Missile attack on M/T Scarlet Ray in the upper Red Sea
On 31 August 2025, the Liberia-flagged tanker Scarlet Ray was targeted by a missile off Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. The vessel, managed by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping and linked to Israeli interests, escaped damage, but the incident represents the first confirmed Houthi attack in the Upper Red Sea.
Until now, this northern section of the Red Sea was considered a lower-risk transit route compared to Bab el-Mandeb and the southern corridor. However, the attack, claimed by Houthi leadership in direct response to Israeli airstrikes in Yemen, confirms that the group’s operational reach has expanded, likely supported by Iranian-supplied ballistic missiles and drones.
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A Maltese-flagged oil tanker was attacked by pirates off the coast of West Africa on the evening of 28 August.
The vessel, sailing from Lomé, Togo toward the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was approximately 56–58 nautical miles south of Lomé when a small craft approached, and seven armed assailants attempted to board. The crew responded by retreating to the citadel, and were reported safe.
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The recent technical update, Increasing Trend in Cat fine Content of VLSFOs from Singapore Port that highlights the risks of increased aluminium and silicon cat fines in VLSFO bunkers being stemmed in Singapore.
Shipowners should ensure that onboard fuel cleaning systems are functioning efficiently to reduce cat fines to recommended levels and minimize the risk of engine damage.
Measuring the cat fine content in fuel samples before and after the purifier provides a good indication of the efficiency of the onboard fuel treatment system.
Given the trend of higher cat fine content, evaluating the efficiency and the overall performance of the fuel treatment system is recommended.
Full advisory at the following link.
https://www.american-club.com/files/files/Viswa_Update_Catfine_Content_VLSFO_081225.pdf