24 maritime news articles about Cargo Liquefaction
In December 2025, a general cargo vessel carrying clay from Lumut sent a distress signal off Malaysia’s east coast after developing a heavy list. While all crew were safely evacuated, the incident serves as a reminder of the serious stability risks associated with bulk clay cargoes.
With Indonesia's export restrictions on nickel ore and a recent decline in exports from the Philippines, shipping activity for nickel ore to the South Pacific islands, including the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia, has increased.
Home Publications Articles Nickel Ore Liquefaction: The Risk That Still Sinks Ships Nickel Ore Liquefaction: The Risk That Still Sinks Ships Risk alerts Antony Thomas Published: April 15, 2026 Contact author Download article pdf Nickel ore is often called the deadliest cargo in the dry bulk shipping industry, being res
Home Publications Articles Soyabeans: Moisture Content, Self Heating and Cargo Damage Soyabeans: Moisture Content, Self Heating and Cargo Damage As global soyabean demand continues to surge, particularly on long voyages from the Americas to Asia, the shipping industry has seen a trend in cargo damage claims linked to m
Despite being categorized as a ‘Group C’ cargo in the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code, Gard’s recent experience in South Africa suggests that chromite ore may exhibit Group A properties including the potential to liquefy.
Gard has recently been notified of new incidents where solid bulk cargoes classified as Group A, liable to liquefy, have been loaded with moisture content in excess of the transportable moisture limit (TML). Gard reminds Members to remain vigilant when loading such cargoes and to have a low threshold for contacting th
Inaccuracies in cargo declaration as well as shippers’ insistence on loading in rain are conditions found in Pepel, Sierra Leone and members are advised to be diligent in protecting against liquefaction.
Iron Ore Fines Cargoes exported from Sierra Leone have been identified as an area of increasing concern due to a lack of regulatory oversight at loading port...
Circular issued by International Group clubs Members are referred to previous circulars and the risks arising from the carriage of mineral ores from certain jurisdictions, including possible liquefaction of such cargoes and the lack of a regulatory oversight at the loading ports. Iron ore fines are of increasing
A vessel loading a cargo of cement grade bauxite at Linden in Guyana, arrived at the discharge port in the US with parts of the cargo consisting of fine particles showing significant signs of high moisture content.
Members and masters are advised to take extreme caution when loading nickel ore in the region of Indonesia and the Philippines.
Amendments to the IMSBC Code will enter into force on 1 January 2019. In this article, Penelope Cooke of Brookes Bell LLP explains how the upcoming amendments will affect vessels carrying coal cargoes.
To assist our members, masters and their crew in identifying the hazards and safeguarding against bulk cargoes which may liquefy during carriage, we now launch a new edition of our pocket guide. Since first publishing this guide in 2013, there has been a continued focus on such cargoes and revisions of int
Liquefaction risks of nickel ore cargoes from Indonesia and the Philippines have been a long-standing prominent issue which require constant vigilance and review by shipowners and charterers. Since 2010, the liquefaction of nickel ore cargoes has caused the capsize of seven vessels.
As set out in our Circular dated 25 November 2016 the Association has come across various claims arising out of soybeans with excessive moisture content being loaded in Brazil and discharged in China. This circular aims to provide an update on loading/storage conditions at Brazilian ports, especially in Santos and Par
As advised in the Club’s recent news article SOLAS – Amendments to the IMSBC Code (Amendment 03-15) - Reminder, a new schedule for Iron Ore Fines, and a new tes
Introduction High value South American soybean claims continue: soybean carriage advise revisited 2016 The Association has recently experienced a number of high value cargo claims in respect of soybeans loaded in South America, mainly Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, all of which were discharged in China. This article w
Safe carriage of mill scale and mill scale fines - new IMSBC schedule becoming mandatory in 2017 Introduction Mill scale and mill scale fines (herewith referred to only as mill scale) are brittle flakes consisting mainly of iron oxides, derived as by-products from steel manufacturing. The product can be reused as a fe
We refer to the enclosed circular issued by DNV GL, which is an excellent summary of the dangers and challenges involved when carrying cargo which may liquefy. The circular is also dealing with issues related to structural strength of bulkers and the effect liquefying cargo may have on the hull.
Members will be aware of the issues involving bulk mineral cargo liquefaction, which have recently been associated with bauxite cargoes originating from South Asia. New regulations have come in to force in Malaysia which members need to take note of.
The Association has, for several years, been repeatedly advising about the risks of liquefaction that may come with the shipment of bulk mineral ore cargoes. In the light of a recent tragic event, Intercargo has also renewed its own warnings to the Industry.
The Association has been alerted to the risk of possible liquefaction of cargoes of bauxite that may originate from Malaysia and Indonesia. Members are advised to urgently consider this issue if they are fixed or are planning to fix a vessel for such a voyage.
Members are reminded of the web bulletin of 12 March 2012. Members are now advised that BIMCO has prepared a further update on this issue.
Information received with thanks from BRAZMAR Marine Services Ltda. , Brazil Dear Sirs, In the last few weeks we have witnessed an exponential increase in the number of cases involving the liquefaction of bauxite cargoes deriving from the Amazon bay region (especially Trombetas).