Bulk carrier collided with chemical tanker, resulting in 500m3 paraffin spill

On November 1st, a chemical tanker and a bulk carrier collided near the Strait of Gibraltar, resulting in approximately 500 cubic meters of paraffin leaking into the water.?Paraffin was observed floating near the Port of Algeciras in Spain.

At the time of the incident, the bulk carrier was navigating eastward through the Strait of Gibraltar and subsequently collided with the chemical tanker northeast of Ceuta.?Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the starboard side of the tanker was severely damaged. The collision caused damage to one of its cargo holds, from which the paraffin flowed into the sea. Since paraffin is biodegradable and solidifies rapidly at ambient temperatures, the estimated harm to the marine environment is minimal.

Chemical tankers?refer to liquid cargo vessels specifically designed to transport toxic, flammable, and strongly corrosive liquid chemicals. The transported products also include petrochemical products, coal tar, derivatives of carbohydrates, and so on. Chemical tankers?are generally similar to product tankers but are equipped with temperature control systems and venting systems. Special chemical tankers?may also have segregated ballast tanks, inert gas protection systems, and stainless steel bulkhead linings. Due to the special nature of the cargo carried by chemical tankers, to prevent or reduce the potential damage caused by hull damage, not only are the locations of the cargo holds regulated based on the degree of danger and environmental damage of the cargo, but the size of the cargo holds is also divided into three levels. Level I is the most hazardous, with cargo holds required to be less than 1250 cubic meters, Level II is the next, needing to be less than 3000 cubic meters, and Level III has no specific restrictions on the size of the cargo holds.

Maritime Transportation of Dangerous Goods and Storage Tips

Regarding the maritime transportation of dangerous goods, it can generally be divided into nine categories in international transportation.

Category 1: Explosives. These chemicals can undergo a violent chemical reaction under external influences, such as heat, pressure, impact, etc.,?producing a large amount of gas and heat in an instant, causing a sudden increase in surrounding pressure and resulting in an explosion that damages the surrounding environment.

For the transportation of these dangerous goods, it is essential to ensure that the cargo is stored in a dry, cool environment and secured to prevent shaking and impact.。

Category 2: Compressed and liquefied gases. These chemicals, when heated, impacted, or subjected to strong vibrations, can have a sharp increase in pressure inside the container, leading to container rupture and explosion, or causing gas cylinder valve loosening and gas leakage, resulting in?fire or poisoning accidents, such as liquefied gas cylinders.

When transporting compressed gases and liquids, the pressure vessels containing the products must be securely fixed on specialized shelves to prevent shaking and regular checks of the container valve seals?to prevent accidents.

Category 3: Flammable liquids. These chemicals are liquids, liquid mixtures, or liquids containing solid substances with a closed cup flash point of ≤61°C, excluding liquids whose dangers are included in other categories. These substances are easily volatile at normal temperatures, and their vapors can form explosive mixtures when mixed with air.

The transportation of flammable liquids must pay attention to sealing the environment to prevent the evaporation of liquids and the resulting dangers.

Category 4: Flammable solids, self-igniting chemicals, and chemicals that are liable to spontaneous combustion when wet. These chemicals refer to chemicals that undergo a violent chemical reaction when in contact with water or when damp, releasing large amounts of flammable gases and heat, with some able to burn or explode without an open flame.

For these products, it is important to keep the storage area dry and cool.

Category 5: Oxidizers and organic peroxides. These dangerous goods refer to substances in a high oxidation state, with strong oxidizing properties, prone to decomposition, and releasing oxygen and heat. This includes organic compounds containing peroxy groups, which may not be combustible themselves but can cause the combustion of combustible materials, and can form explosive mixtures with loose powdery combustible materials, and are sensitive to heat, vibration, or friction.

When transporting these dangerous goods, it is important to secure the cargo to prevent shaking during transportation to avoid accidents.

Category 6: Toxic substances. These goods refer to items that, after entering the body and accumulating to a certain amount, can interact with body fluids and tissues through biochemical or biophysical changes, disrupting or destroying the body's normal physiological functions, causing temporary or persistent pathological states, and even endangering life.

The transportation of toxic and harmful dangerous goods must be sealed and safe?to prevent the evaporation of toxic and harmful liquids and their inhalation by humans.

Category 7: Radioactive chemicals. These chemicals refer to chemicals?with a radioactivity level greater than 74×10^4 Bq/kg,?such as thorium nitrate, luminous powder, etc., and radioactive items such as radium and uranium.

When transporting these radioactive dangerous goods, it is essential to ensure they are sealed and safe before transportation.

Category 8: Corrosives. These chemicals are corrosive and can cause burns to human tissue and damage to items like metal. They cause visible necrosis upon contact with the skin within 4 hours, or at a temperature of 55°C, the uniform annual corrosion rate of the surface of 20-number steel exceeds 6.25mm/a.

When transporting these items, most are packaged in glass jars, so it is important to handle them with care, ensuring they are securely and safely fixed.

Category 9: Miscellaneous. These dangerous goods are mainly magnetic items, with anesthetic, toxic, or other similar properties that can cause maritime personnel to become irritable or uncomfortable, affecting the correct execution of shipping tasks and endangering shipping safety.

During transportation, these items must be?demagnetized and sealed.

In August of this year, a bulk carrier loaded with a large amount of potentially explosive fertilizers encountered a severe storm after setting sail, causing serious damage to the hull, propeller, and rudder when it ran aground. The damaged vessel tried to seek refuge in Europe, first arriving at the anchorage of Troms?, Norway, in early September, but was ordered to leave. The ship then requested permission to dock at Klaip?da, Lithuania, but was also refused due to the dangerous cargo.?The ship finally anchored in British waters in the last week of September and finally docked at Great Yarmouth Port on October 28.

This shows that ships transporting dangerous goods need to fully understand the port conditions before sailing. Different ports have different regulations and requirements for the transportation of dangerous goods. Understanding these regulations can help ensure that the transportation process complies with legal requirements and avoid fines or other legal consequences.

E-PORTS is a third-party platform with rich port and shipping resources. It systematically studies and sorts out the latest charts, relevant laws and regulations, navigation management, pilotage, special navigation requirements, and regional natural environment information involved in the main port waters of the world, combined with navigation practice.?E-PORTS can propose targeted suggestions and precautions?for entering and leaving the port, greatly improving the efficiency of vessel arrival and entry. For more information, please call 400-9208810?for consultation.

Note: Specific information may vary depending on the situation of each port.