Sampling of solid bulk cargoes
The IMSBC Code sections 4.4 to 4.7 sampling regime: who samples, the stockpile subsampling scale, the airtight container rule and the example standards.
Sampling is where most IMSBC disputes begin, because every certificate the master relies on rests on samples the ship usually did not see taken. The Code sets out the regime at sections 4.4 to 4.7.
Section 4.4.3 requires the shipper to facilitate access to stockpiles for inspection, sampling and subsequent testing by the ship’s nominated representative, which is the ship’s principal check on the paperwork. Section 4.4.6 requires moisture samples to be placed immediately in suitable airtight, non-absorbent containers with a minimum of free air space. Section 4.4.7 requires an internationally or nationally accepted standard procedure. Section 4.4.8 restricts stationary stockpile sampling of unprocessed mineral ores to cases where access to the full depth of the stockpile is available and full-depth samples can be extracted.
Section 4.6 covers concentrate stockpiles specifically. Subsamples are drawn approximately 50 cm below the surface under 4.6.3, and the scale at 4.6.4 is one 200 g subsample per 125 tonnes up to 15,000 tonnes, per 250 tonnes from 15,000 to 60,000 tonnes, and per 500 tonnes above that. Section 4.6.1 preserves automatic sampling of equal or superior accuracy. Section 4.7 lists example standards for information, among them ISO 3082:2017, ISO 1988:1975 and ASTM D2234/D2234M-17. The full article will cover each provision, the surveyor’s practice and the evidential weight of a ship-attended sample.