Amendments to the International Code for the Safe Carriage of Grain in Bulk (“Grain Code”) have been adopted by IMO Resolution MSC.552(108). These amendments introduce requirements and guidance for a new filling type not covered by the existing code. Find out more about the amendments in this statutory news.
Relevant for ship owners and managers of bulk carriers as well as design offices, shipyards, suppliers and flag states.
Background to the amendments
Currently, the Grain Code offers three official loading patterns for grain in each cargo hold:
• Full hold, trimmed ends
• Full hold, untrimmed ends
• Partly filled hold
For a partly filled hold, the grain surface is assumed to be “trimmed” to an approximate even surface at any loading level, also when the hold is near full. This implies that the space underneath the deck, fore and aft of the hatch, socalled ends, must also be trimmed for levels inside the hatch perimeter. As a result, the grain must be manually shuffled up under the end girders to reduce the void. This is illustrated in figure 1. (....)