Issue 10/11 February 2011 TO ALL MEMBERS Sent by fax/email CARRIAGE OF NICKEL ORE FROM INDONESIA AND THE PHILIPPINES PRECAUTIONARY PRE-LOAD SURVEYS Members are referred to the Association’s Bulletin of December 2010 and the International Group Circular of January 2011 relating to the safe carriage of nickel ore cargoes. In a number of recent incidents ships entered in the Association have been presented with nickel ore cargoes for carriage that have had moisture contents in excess of the TML and therefore were unsafe for carriage. In at least one case the shippers sought to persuade the Owners and Master to consent to the carriage of the cargo, applying extreme pressure. Fortunately, with the assistance of surveyors and experts appointed by the Managers, this was resisted and the ship sailed without any cargo being loaded. The Managers continue to recommend that Members fixing long term charters consider listing nickel ore as a prohibited cargo. Where nickel ore is to be loaded then the Managers continue to recommend that a surveyor be appointed on behalf of the ship to assist the Master and, where possible, to take samples for testing at an independent laboratory. Given our ongoing concerns and recommendation that precautionary pre-load surveys be carried out, fees incurred will be paid directly by the Association for the foreseeable future. Please provide timely notice to the Managers of any survey requirements, to enable the appointed surveyor sufficient opportunity to travel and investigate the cargo to be loaded well in advance of any cargo loading operations. Bulletin