SELF-HEATING OF CARGO

Taylor Marine were appointed on behalf of the ship owner’s P&I Club to investigate the nature, cause, and extent of alleged discolouration to a cargo of Soya Bean Meal (SBM) in bulk carried on board a 23,263.00 gross tonne bulk carrier.  Our team attended on board the vessel to undertake a thorough investigation, following which it was found that approximately 20 – 30 metric tonnes of cargo had suffered localised self-heating.  Further analysis found the relative humidity at the surface of the cargo exceeded 65% and was therefore above the safe transportable moisture content of SBM.