Nickel ore bulk liquefaction a handymax incident and response

Nickel ore liquefaction has a direct correlation between the parameters of moisture content (MC) within the cargo and the response motion of the ship steering through its encountering weather condition at seas. The focus parameter of the potential onset of liquefaction is the amount of moisture content within the cargo. Therefore, having a moisture content below the transportable moisture limit (TML) before loading is the suggested mandatory standard of IMSBC1 code for the transport of solid bulk cargoes which may liquefy. When cargo with an unsuitable/unsafe moisture content exceeding the threshold of its transportable moisture limit is loaded on board, ship's vibration and motion at sea may result in liquefaction taking place. In the worst case, the ship may develop a severe list due to cargo shift and capsize. Understanding that there is an inadequacy of scientific research works on the subject of remediation effort in liquefaction at seas and availability of closed form solution in this discipline. A response plan developed for a handymax bulk carrier liquefaction incident, with the objective to reduce the risk of capsizing and reclaim its stability by redistributing her homogeneous stowage loading on board into alternate loading is presented herein for information.