No.

6/94

Edited by DSO-245

SHIP TYPE: Chemical Tanker

SIZE(GRT): 6500

BUILT YEAR: 1970

LOSS OF CHEMICAL TANKER DUE TO LEAKAGE OF SULPHURIC ACID CARGO

Course of Events
During unloading of a sulphuric acid cargo from a chemical tanker, a leakage of acid into one of the cargo pump rooms occurred. Attempts were made
to neutralize and remove the acid by water flushing and transferring the liquid to a cargo tank. However, the leakage continued and more water was
added. After some time the corrosive action of the acid-water mixture caused leakage of acid into the double bottom spaces. The acid ate its way
through the double bottom spaces and eventually through the cofferdam and into the engine room.
The vessel could not be saved and ended up as a total constructive loss.
Probable Cause
The cause of the leakage is not known, but failure of shaft seals of cargo pumps or leakage in suction piping are probable sources. The vessel had
cargo tanks and cargo piping made of stainless steel. The pump rooms were arranged with stainless steel floors, and the bulkheads had stainless steel
from the bottom up to a height of 1 m. Therefore a leakage of acid into the pump room should not have represented any immediate danger, since
stainless steel is resistant to sulphuric acid of commercial concentrations.
Stainless steel is not, however, resistant to all concentrations of sulphuric acid. At temperatures around 20C, concentrations between 25% and 82%
will corrode stainless steel. At higher temperatures the dangerous range widens, and at 60C practically all concentrations lower than 98% will corrode
stainless steel. When water is mixed with sulphuric acid, a chemical reaction producing heat takes place and the visible sign of this is generation of
smoke, which is actually vapour. What apparently caused an initially non-critical situation to develop into a total loss of the vessel, was that the acid
through dilution with water became extremely corrosive and could no longer be contained by the stainless steel.
Lessons to be Learned
Do not dilute acid leakages unless one is sure that sufficient dilution may be achieved rapidly (within minutes) and that the diluted acid may readily be
disposed of (to sea or to non-metallic containers). Such a decision may sometimes be difficult due to heavy vapourisation (smoke) caused by water
already present.
It is important that personnel on board are fully aware of the dangerous properties of chemical cargoes and that corrective actions are pre-planned for
typical hazardous situations.
Where chemical tankers are intended for carriage of acids, it is a requirement that arrangements for safely containing cargo leakages in cargo pump
rooms are provided. Furthermore, it is required that the bilge pumping arrangements for the pump rooms are acid-resistant.
It should therefore be fully possible to drain the pump room safely in the event of a limited acid leakage.

Casualty Information is published by Det Norske Veritas, Classification

Support.

prevention of similar occurrences in the future. The information included is not

necessarily restricted to cover ships classed with DNV and is presented,
without obligation, for information purposes only.

Det Norske Veritas

NO-1322 Hvik, Norway
Tel: +47 67 57 99 00
Fax: +47 67 57 99 11

Queries may be directed to

Det Norske Veritas, Classification Support, NO-1322 Hvik, Norway.
Fax: +47 67 57 99 11, e-mail: experience.feedback@dnv.com

The purpose of Casualty Information is to provide the maritime industry with

'lessons to be learned' from incidents of ship damage and more serious
accidents. In this way, Det Norske Veritas AS hopes to contribute to the

Det Norske Veritas AS. This publication may be reproduced freely on

condition that Det Norske Veritas AS (DNV) is always stated as the source.
DNV accepts no responsibility for any errors or misinterpretations.

www.dnv.com/maritime