Loss Prevention Advice
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Bulk carriers make up more than 40% of the world’s fleet capacity, making it essential to closely monitor trends and recurring issues associated with these cargo types, Britannia Club highlighted in its ‘Bulk Carrier Claims Review 2025′.
As explained, the Club has reviewed claims data of the years 2021 – 2024 for all bulk carriers carrying bulk or breakbulk cargo. This period was focused on to avoid the distorting impact of the COVID pandemic and to obtain the most recent claims data available.
The results showed that the most common claim types are:
- shortage
- physical damage
- contamination
- wet damage
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Automatic backflush filters are intended to safeguard engines by maintaining clean fuel and lubricating oil, however, the recent claims indicate that when they malfunction, they can instead become a significant cause of engine damage.
Automatic backflush filters are widely used in fuel and lubricating oil systems to continuously remove contaminants using fine wire mesh candles. Unlike traditional filters, they clean themselves through a pressure-triggered backflush process that allows uninterrupted engine operation by switching between filter chambers.
However, failures have been reported where the fine mesh disintegrates during use, allowing metal fragments to enter the lubrication system and cause severe damage to engine bearings.
Differential pressure concerns
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Following recent tragic incidents involving coconut oil and its derivatives, NorthStandard P&I Club draws attention to a critical but often underestimated risk in the maritime industry: toxic gas generation in cargo tanks carrying vegetable oils.
As explained by Manish Nayyar, Senior Loss Prevention Executive at NorthStandard, contrary to common perception, vegetable oils—particularly coconut oil and its derivatives, pose significant atmospheric hazards in enclosed spaces. Understanding these risks are crucial for safe operations. In particular:
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) Generation: CCNO contains higher levels of impurities and has lower stability compared to refined products. When heated or agitated, it can release carbon monoxide—a colorless, odorless, and deadly gas.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): CFAD contains medium-chain fatty acids (capric acid C10, lauric acid C12) that vaporize when heated or agitated, creating flammable atmospheres and displacing oxygen.
- Oxygen Displacement: Vaporization and chemical reactions can rapidly deplete oxygen levels, creating asphyxiation hazards—even when initial readings appear safe.
- Dynamic Atmospheric Changes: Safe pre-entry readings do not guarantee continued safety. Cargo movement (circulation, heating, stripping) can release trapped gases, transforming a “safe” atmosphere into a lethal one.
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Dangerous goods quick reference guide regarding flammable substances and outlining dos and don’ts on handling those Class 4 cargoes.
Class 4 dangerous goods include flammable solids and substances that can ignite spontaneously or emit flammable gases when in contact with water. These pose risks such as property damage, cargo damage, injury, environmental harm, insurance invalidation, and potential criminal prosecution.