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| WORLD FERTILIZER |
NOVEMBER 2016
instructions but record parameters on a daily basis
throughout the voyage.
Areas of concern and solutions
The condition of the fertilizer on board the vessel upon
arrival at the discharge port will significantly affect the
quality and speed of discharge operation. For cargoes
that retain their free-flowing properties, it is important
to ensure that the weather conditions are monitored
carefully during the discharge operation, especially
during the rainy season, at discharge ports. Timely
opening and closing of hatches in order to minimise
moisture absorption is important during the discharge.
It is important for the terminal operator to have
access to trained manpower and correct handling
equipment in order to ensure the optimum discharge
speed is achieved, which is crucial in most circumstances
for the product to reach the end-user in a timely fashion
– and it is in this area that investment is often lacking.
For example, suitable mechanical trimming equipment is
required, often early on in the discharge, to ensure that
there is enough constantly free-flowing bulk product in
the hatches for the grabs to collect. This is why, from the
start of the operation, it is absolutely imperative that the
stevedores try and work the hatches evenly during the
discharge operation, making sure that cargo is not taken
by the grabs solely from the area in the middle of the
hatch. It may seem easier and quicker but it can create
walling of the commodity along the bulkheads of the
vessel if the product is not completely free flowing. With
regards to the cost implication, this is cumulatively the
most costly mistake seen in the discharge of fertilizers.
If the fertilizer has lost its free-flowing properties
upon arrival at the port of discharge where cargo handling
facilities and equipment are limited, the discharge
operation could potentially become a protracted affair
causing major problems for the participants, including the
terminal operator and to all stakeholders in the chain. It is
therefore important to employ external surveyors to
observe, test and record any degradation of the cargo.
Independent surveyors, which are available in every
country, should be backed up by equipment, such as
properly calibrated weighbridges, to protect the interests
of both the supplier/shipper and the receiver. There is
often evidence of trucks being overloaded with the tally
not reflecting this, which then results in a short landing
claim by the receiver. Alternatively, the receiver may not
receive the contracted amount if the bagging equipment
is over-weighing the cargo with each ’50 kg’ bag having an
actual weight of 49 kg. In a 15 000 t shipment, this could
equal a loss of 300 t to the receiver when the bags are
each 1 kg underweight. It is therefore important to use an
accountable bagging supplier that provides weight
guarantees.
The type of equipment used, from grabs through to
conveyors through to hoppers, also plays a large role in
efficiency. Put simply, it is important that the equipment
is suitable for the job. Many types of fertilizers are highly
corrosive to handling equipment, therefore use of
high-grade stainless steel for surfaces that make contact
with the fertilizer increases the lifespan of handling
equipment and assists in maintaining high performance
levels during the discharge operation of fertilizers and
ultimately reduces overheads in the long run. For
example, a mobile bagging machine that has weighing
systems made from mild steel will quickly slow and the
weight accuracy will deteriorate due to corrosion of the
intricate parts. While mild steel is a cheaper material to
buy, it is more costly in the long run.
It may still be necessary to crush lumps of fertilizers on
top of the bulk cargo hoppers in order to maintain cargo
flow even after using mechanical trimming equipment in
the holds. Such practice not only affects the speed of the
discharge operation significantly but is also undesirable as
having personnel on top of the hoppers during the
discharge operation is not a safe practice. Safety is, of
course, the highest priority to any operator and achieving
international best practices in HSE can be problematic in
the developing world and much time and effort has to be
allocated to ensuring that strict adherence to safety policy
is maintained to protect all involved.
If the fertilizer is directly bagged after passing
through the bulk hoppers, non free-flowing cargoes will
also affect the weight accuracy of the bags produced
outside of the normal parameters of +/- 0.5% on average.
Receivers rely on delivering accurately weighed,
good-quality fertilizers to end-users, therefore it could
be negatively affected as a result of the problems
mentioned.
Finally, if the cargo is delivered indirectly, it is
important that the storage facilities that are used have
the adequate protection from the elements and possible
contaminates and standards of trucks are monitored to
maintain the quality of the bulk or bagged cargo.
Essentially, the alignment of all parties in the chain, while
not always possible or practical, remains the best
protection against lengthy and costly operations. The
transfer of information from the supplier to the vessel’s
master to the onward parties is of utmost importance
and can mean the difference between a success and a
failure in promoting increased crop yields in developing
countries where food can often be in short supply.
Figure 3.
Handling methods need to adapt to the issues.
