IMO Sub-Committee finalizes draft amendments related to bauxite shipping

The Sub-Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reviewed the report of a Correspondence Group on Evaluation of Properties of bauxite and coal in light of their potential to liquefy.

The Sub-Committee noted that a Global Bauxite Working Group (GBWG) has been established by the Australian, Brazilian and Chinese bauxite research groups, with the aim of ensuring that industry research on the behaviour of bauxite during shipping is aligned, globally applicable and peer reviewed. Having noted that the GBWG report would be finalized and submitted for peer review in March 2017, the Sub-Committee established a Correspondence Group on Evaluation of Properties of BAUXITE and revision of the existing individual schedules for SEED CAKE to, inter alia, consider the draft report and the final report of the GBWG prior to consideration by the Sub-Committee at its next session.

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Whilst the work on bauxite continues, the Sub-Committee agreed that the circular CCC.1/Circ.2 on Carriage of bauxite that may liquefy, which the Sub-Committee had approved at its previous session, should remain in effect. CCC.1/Circ.2 warns shipmasters of the possible dangers of liquefaction associated with carriage of bauxite, following consideration of findings from the investigation into the loss of the 10-year-old Bahamas flag bulk carrier Bulk Jupiter, which was carrying 46,400 tonnes of bauxite when it sank rapidly with 18 fatalities in January 2015.

In the meantime, having noted the concern regarding the continued loss of life at sea in connection with cargoes that may liquefy, the Sub-Committee finalized draft amendments to paragraphs 4.5.1 and 4.5.2 of the IMSBC Code to emphasise the responsibility of the shipper for ensuring that a test to determine the transportable moisture limit (TML) of a solid bulk cargo as well as sampling and testing for moisture content are conducted, for submission to MSC 97 as an urgent matter, with a view to approval and subsequent adoption by MSC 98 together with the next set of amendments to the IMSBC Code.