运镍货轮为何出事?     

2010.12.27

上星期世界所有航运新闻和什志均大幅报导有关3艘运镍货船的沉没和44名海员遇难的不幸事件.

报导中的3艘货轮有很多相似之处, 它们均为巴拿马旗, 中国船东或管理公司, 装货港为印尼, 卸货港是中国, 所装之货都是镍矿砂石, 沉没地点为中国外海或附近和大批中国海员失踪和遇难.

出事船只细则:

船籍                    船名                        货物                装货地     沉没日期     喪生船员

Panama           Jian Fu Star                Nickel ore           印尼         10.27                  13

Panama            NASCO Diamond    Nickel ore           印尼          11.10                  21

Panama            Hong Wei                  Nickel ore           印尼          12.03                 10S

“Jian Fu Star”           (1981)                 45,108-dwt      China Master Shipping, Hong Kong         

“NASCO Diamond” (2009)                 56,800-dwt      Nanking Ocean Shipping, Nanking

“Hong Wei”                (2001)                50,149-dwt      Xin Jia Hong Shipping, Fuzhou                  

国际干散货船东协会(Intercargo)秘书长 Mr.Rob Lomas (7日)发出通知,警告船东避免雨季之中在印尼装载镍矿砂石(Nickel ore),  因装货港设备简陋未能提供充分服务而导致2个月之中有3条货轮沉没,44名船员遇难.

出事原因: 

1. Mr.Lomas 说“我们组织……从船东那里非常惊讶地发现，一些出口国家较为粗糙的装货条件可能是引发事故的原因。被归因于镍矿的液化，当矿石与一定数量的雨或水蒸气相遇便会发生液化。矿石的变化可能会引起船只稳定性方面出现问题，而导致10月27日“建富星”号倾覆，造成13人死亡。两个星期后“南远钻石”号在良好天气之下倾覆。上周五“宏伟”号货船翻船。”

Liquefaction of nickel ore cargo may have been a factor in the sinking of a supramax carrier in non-threatening weather conditions.

2.  Mr.Lomas又说: 令人遗憾的是一些船东可能没有相关的经验或智识去解读 IMSBC公约中之条例和可能接收受一些不安全的货物.

Sadly, some shipowners may not have the relevant experience or knowledge in interpreting the IMSBC Code and may accept cargoes which are unsafe.

货物-镍矿砂石 (Nickel ore)

Nickel ore cargoes consisting of a mixture of very fine clay-like particles and larger rock particles of various sizes, are unstable cargoes, and below is a list of the problems in summary associated with the carriage of this cargo: (图)

• Properties of nickel ore – Not homogenous in form, unlike other mineral concentrates. Variations in physical consistency and moisture content. Nickel ore is known to have moisture content as high as 40%. Hence, the tendency to liquefy is significantly increased and, as shown in the above casualties, a ship can capsize within minutes as a result of liquefaction leading to instability of the ship. 
• Different methods of mining that could contribute to the greater inconsistency of the cargo in terms of moisture content and physical characteristics. Hidden moisture content when stockpiles are exposed without adequate cover during the rainy season, and this can reach very hazardous levels, can be well above the transportable moisture limit, TML.
• Difficulties analyzing the flow moisture point, the transportable moisture limit and moisture content as tests developed in the IMSBC Code are primarily developed for homogenized metal concentrates.
•No proper facilities for analyzing material accurately.
• Inaccurate shipper’s documentation verifying the moisture content and TML

Members are hereby advised to contact their own P&I club for assistance and guidance if ships have been fixed to transport this  cargo or members are contemplating fixing such shipment.

保险公司警告信:

一般来说船东对承载货物之风险都有 P & I Club保单.P & I Club 在他们公司的网站也都刊有大量资料提供船东们参考和如何避免或减少风险.

鉴于一连串运镍船的沉没, ” 宏偉” 轮之P & I Club 保险公司, West of England于 12月1日发出通告给船东们提及有关装运镍矿砂之危险性和必需谨慎行事. (原文如下):

On December 1, ”Hong Wei”’s P & I Club West of England asks its members to notify it whether vessel is on nickel ore cargoes so that an independent assessor could be appointed to tedst the moisture content.It told members: ”Members who plan to fix or charter a vessel to load nickel ore from ports in Indonesia, New Caledonia or the Phillippines should contact the managers at the earliest opportunity so that a local surveyor can be appointed to establish the location of the cargo prior to arrival and provide assistance to the Master during loading by monitoring the moisture content of the cargo”.But by that time 2010.12.01 the ”Hong Wei” had already set sail from Indonesia with a Nickel ore cargo before sinking off Taiwan on 2010.12.03.

但非常不幸的当船东接到这份通告时 ”宏偉” 轮己从印尼开出在前往中国途中, 并于12月3日沉没.

结论:

与铜矿砂一样镍矿砂也属于半危险货物种类之灰色地帶,所以 IMO并没把它列入 IMDG(危险货物)公约, 而在 1980 发行一本 IMCO Code of safe practice of solid bulk cargoes (BC Codes) 提议装运这类货物之前最好是做个 TML 测检,但就因它不是公约可不必执行,所以有些公司根本就不知道它的存在或疏忽不理而铸成大错.

在笔者工作的30年 (1970-2000) 之中曾经3次代表买家进行铜矿砂(Copper concentrate)含水份 TML之检查, 其中对含水份超标之货物绝不手软一概退回, 仅容合格的货物装上船以确保安全. 在上述那段年份铜矿砂买家多为美国和日本商家, 他们从美国,南美洲和菲律宾买货但在装货之前都请 NCBsurveyor验船师在国内外各出产地做近百次之检验, 在 NCB同仁坚持 IMO BC Codes之下, 所有航次均能平安无事.

镍矿砂是近年来才开始大量出产的货物它的性质和半危险性跟铜矿砂一样, 处理妥善时并无危险性可言否则它可在数秒钟之内令船倾翻.

据报导香港中国镍矿公司 (China Nickel Resources Holdings) 已 与挪威 Torm 公司签订一份5年合同, TORM 公司负责把 650万吨之镍矿砂石和煤炭从印尼运往中国, 如用 Handysize 型货轮去装运就需120航次. 虽然我们不清楚其中究竟有多少吨镍矿砂石.但如船东和船长们接到这种合约吋必需依照 2011年1月1日开始生效之 IMSBC公约条例严格把关货物含水份之检测如有疑问或异议时应立即去电P & I Club 要求遗派 surveyor 前往装货港监督工作, 方能确保船舶, 货物和船员的安全.