What are Loading manual precautions to avoid excessive longitudinal stress during cargo operation?

Some vessels (e.g. tankers and bulk carriers) are provided with an approved ‘Loading Manual’ containing information that enables the responsible officer to perform operations as:

  • loading and unloading,
  • ballasting and de-ballasting,
  • transfer of cargo,
  • ransfer of ballast, and
  •  bunkering,

within the given stress limits. The format of the loading manual and the information contained may vary according to the ship’s type and her shipbuilding yard. The loading manual may be included in the trim and stability booklet. A type approved cargo/stability computer and an approved software may be used for stress calculations.

SUMAN KUMAR