DR JH BURGOYNE & PARTNERS LLP
Consulting Scientists and Engineers
Forensic Investigations of Fires Explosions and other incidents
What happens when things go
wrong!
Dr Chris Foster
FIG UK
Fire Information Group UK
Mind the gap seminar
11 June 2014
How We Can Assist
• At the Load Port
• During the Voyage-remote advice
• On-Site Technical Assistance – Live Incidents
Information support
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Relevant extracts from IMDG and IMSBC Codes
Urgent need for hazardous properties of materials.
Urgent need for historical data.
Urgent need for contact details of technical
representatives of manufacturers
CONTAINERISED CARGO
WHAT IS THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM?
• It has been estimated that in 2012 the number of
loaded containers moved was about 200 million.
• Based on the above estimate, around 10-20 million
TEU’s of declared dangerous boxes were shipped in
this period.
Types of incident
• Leakage of toxic or hazardous liquid
contents.
• Evolution of toxic or flammable vapours.
• Spontaneous decomposition of unstable
chemical.
• Fire and explosion.
Possible causes
• Failure to control manufacturing process and
implement effective quality control.
• Failure to correctly categorise hazardous
properties – UN Manual of tests and criteria.
• Failure to use the correct packaging/receptacle
• Carelessness during stuffing – package damage,
discarded smokers’ materials.
• Incorrect stowage
Managing the problem
• Port assistance – dependent on location, and
degree of co-operation!
• Self-help at sea – consultation of IMDG Code,
MSDS and ship managers.
• Guidance from specialists via international
chemical emergency agencies and P&I insurers.
• Salvage assistance.
• Air and sea pollution issues
Some examples
Anhydrous dimethylamine
(IMDG 2.1)
• Liquefied flammable gas carried in dedicated,
pressurised tanktainers.
• Harmful by inhalation, strong ammonia like smell.
• Severe irritation of eyes, skin and mucous
membranes.
• Risk of serious damage to eyes
Circumstances
• Crew heard a bang, later discovered to be operation of
pressure relief valve (prv).
• Strong ammoniacal smell noticed in the area.
• Possible repeated operation of the prv
• P&I requested crew be given specialist guidance.
• Enquiries of shippers confirmed tanktainer not overfilled.
• Advice to crew wearing full protective equipment to fix
spray cooling over tanktainer.
Stains on
external
surfaces of
tanktainer as
evidence of
leakage from
prv
Further management activities
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Cargo in surrounding area identified.
Electrical services in area isolated.
Fans for hold ventilation confirmed to be explosion proof.
Situation under control, deviation unnecessary.
Tanktainer removed on to floating barge for inspection and
reloaded for delivery to receivers in Japan.
Tanktainer being loaded onto a barge in Singapore
Inspection of tanktainer on a barge in Singapore
“TJOPTRFA DOPXOD” !!!
Container of “TJOPTRFA DOPXOD” after catastrophic
decomposition on board ship.
Container of “THIOUREA DIOXIDE” (IMDG 4.2) after
catastrophic decomposition on board ship.
Yellow Sulphur
deposits on hold
surfaces
“THIOUREA D.E”.
“THIOUREA D”
One Chinese
manufacturer renamed
thiourea dioxide to
disguise its true identity
Cargo manifest
showed this
container of
thiourea dioxide
was stuffed with
toys
Organic peroxide (IMDG 5.2)
• Fire followed by explosion in container of organic
peroxide when vessel in roads awaiting berthing at
discharge port.
• Crew established effective boundary cooling.
• Local tugs assisted, but resources limited and LOF
signed with Smit Salvage
A few minutes after the fire was first seen
Four hours after the fire was discovered
Fire hoses lashed into position by the ship’s crew
Ship’s fire hose jets appearing above the containers
Tug’s powerful monitor in use
Holes cut into containers during final extinguishing operations
Holes cut into containers during final extinguishing operations
Some Examples (Bulk Cargoes)
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Coal, Charcoal
DRI, HBI, Scrap Metal & Turnings
Ferrosilicon
Fishmeal & Grain Cargoes
Cotton, Woodpulp
Milk Powder, Tobacco
Pet Coke, Bulk Chemicals
Fertiliser
Fertilizer Cargo undergoing decomposition to produce
copious quantities of highly toxic fumes.
As the decomposition progresses the accommodation is
engulfed in the toxic cloud.
Non-Bulk Chemical Cargoes
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Sodium Cyanide
Sodium Hydrosulphite
Epichlorohydrin
Calcium Hypochlorite
Blowing Agents
Reactive dyestuffs
Testing hold atmosphere with Draeger tubes
Chemical Specific Gas Detector Tubes
Inspection team in full chemical suit & BA sets
I feel a healthy salvage
operation coming on!!
It was necessary to discharge all drums from the
ship
Tank barge being prepared alongside vessel to provide
decontamination and storage facilities for cargo and waste
Damaged drums are decontaminated and placed in
oversized plastic drums.
Undamaged drums are
decontaminated…….
…and stored on the
barge under cover.
MV “NEDLLOYD RECIFE”, Brazil
Headlines
• “Scientist sounds alarm over misdeclared goods” [Lloyds List April
2007]
• New concerns over misdeclared boxes [Lloyd's Loading List, 23
February 2010]
• Insurers push for box verification in wake of MSC Flaminia [Lloyd’s
List 2012]
• “WACKETT: A question of misdeclaration” [Lloyd's Loading List]
• “Eugen Maersk fire revives concerns about misdeclared cargo”
[Lloyd's Loading List, June 2013]
• Incident Notification System reveals cargo mis-declaration and
packing issues [Container Owners Association, News 29 July 2013]
WHAT CHECKS ARE UNDERTAKEN?
•MSC.1/Circ.1442 (2012) provides guidance and
procedures for the inspection of CTUs carrying
dangerous goods.
• Of the 170 IMO member states, only a handful per
year have reported on systematic inspections over
the last decade!
Summary of Member State Reports 2012
Country
No. Inspected
No. Deficient
% Deficient
% documentation
%Packaging
Belgium
859
304
35.39
50
12.5
Chile
3,223
76
2.36
24
12
Germany
7,990
3,220
40.30
48
11.5
Netherlands
955
229
23.98
45
23
Rep. Of Korea
4,394
400
9.10
88
3
USA
(Coastguard)
25,645
2,381
9.28
42
16
USA (NCB)
27,977
2,142
7.66
TOTALS
71,043
8,752
12.32
Summary of Member State Reports 2012
Country
No. Inspected
No. Deficient
% Deficient
% documentation
%Packaging
Belgium
859
304
35.39
50
12.5
Chile
3,223
76
2.36
24
12
Germany
7,990
3,220
40.30
48
11.5
Netherlands
955
229
23.98
45
23
Rep. Of Korea
4,394
400
9.10
88
3
USA
(Coastguard)
25,645
2,381
9.28
42
16
USA (NCB)
27,977
2,142
7.66
TOTALS
71,043
8,752
12.32
Information published by the Cargo Incident Notification System
Misdeclared or Undeclared
Hazardous Cargoes
Ignorance, Incompetence or Deceit?
Possible motives
• Avoiding higher freight charges
• Circumventing restrictions on the
carriage of the material
The Potential Cost?
• Total Loss of 11,000 TEU vessel >$2bn
• Loss of Life