Bulk Carrier Loading Plan and Pour Sequence
Planning a solid bulk loading: the SOLAS VI/7 loading plan and booklet, the loading instrument, pour sequence and intermediate conditions, and the ship to shore interface.
A bulk carrier loading plan sets out the order, tonnage and rate for each pour so that the ship reaches her intended condition without exceeding a structural or stability limit at any point along the way. SOLAS regulation VI/7 requires the loading booklet and an agreed loading or unloading plan lodged with the port State, and gives the master the right to suspend operations where the ship’s limits are exceeded or are likely to be.
The full article will cover the inputs to the plan, including the declared cargo density, the permissible tank top loading, the hull girder shear force and bending moment envelopes, the deadweight and draft targets and any alternate hold loading restriction under SOLAS chapter XII.
It will give proper weight to intermediate conditions, which is where plans usually fail: the governing case is frequently a partially loaded state rather than the completed condition. It will also cover the ship to shore interface under the BLU Code, the ship and shore safety checklist, deballasting coordination and the reasons a plan is amended mid-operation.