EXPLAIN THE FORMATION OF SHIP SWEAT AND CARGO

SWEAT AND HOW TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM.

Introduction.

Good cargo handling practices are the most important aspect while transporting one

goods o cargo form one location to another. These practices are not only to make sure the cargo

arrives at destination safely but also to avoid any damages to the cargo. The proper care of the

cargo not only can avoid loss of property, it also can avoid advert cargo claim. Cargo damages

can be caused by several factors such as accident, flooding or rain water. One of the biggest and

common causes of cargo damage are the existence of moisture in cargo hold as the water vapor

in air will build up and forms water droplets and ruins the cargoes inside the cargo holds. This

kind of situation are known as sweats as when the condensation occur inside of the cargo holds

either on the ships structure or on the cargo itself. There are two kinds for sweats which are

known as SHIP SWEAT and CARGO SWEAT.

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Ship Sweat.

Ship sweat are forming when transferring the cargoes form warmer region to the much

colder region. Ship sweat are occur when the air inside the cargo holds cools down beneath its

dew point by the cold ships steel frame. When the cargoes from the warmer region loads into the

cargo hold of the ship, the ship and the cargoes are warm due to the surrounding climate. This

process ultimately warms the air in the cargo hold as the cargo holds hatch are closed and air

tighten. As the shipping of the goods went off to colder region, the temperature of the air and the

seawater drops. This changes of temperature also effecting the ships body. As the temperature of

the surrounding drops, the ships steel frame and cargo hold wall and hatch will get colder.

Condensation take place as the warm air inside of the cargo hold contacts with the cold steel

frames of the ship. Process of condensation will forms water droplets on the steel frames.

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Cargo sweat.

Unlike ship sweat, cargo sweat forms opposite of the ship sweat. Cargo sweat are formed

when transporting from the colder region to warmer region. The ships body temperature, the

cargoes and the air inside the cargo holds are colder due to effect of the climate. As the shipping

moves from the colder region to warmer region, the warmer air are ventilated inside of cargo

hold. These warm contacts with the cold surface of the cargoes and causing condensation to

happened. The warm air is cooled below its dew point by the cargo surface and forming water

droplets on the cargos surface.

Figure 1 showing the difference between Cargo Sweat and Ship Sweat.

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 Overcoming Ship Sweat and Cargo Sweat.
Ventilation of the ship, does it a necessary?

In order to overcome the condensation in cargo hold which causing sweats, one of the

techniques used are ventilation of the holds. The decision of either to ventilate or not ventilate

the cargo holds will require a very careful consideration from the Master of the ship and the

officers. The temperature of the holds must be monitor closely from time to time. The main

reason of temperature monitoring are to make sure the temperature of the air doesnt goes below

of the dew point of the air which going to causing condensation and ship sweating or cargo

sweating to transpire.

Process of ventilation of air in cargo holds are called Cargo Ventilation. To prevent

condensation occur, ships are equipped with ventilation system either it is a natural ventilation of

forced ventilation. The ventilation process not only prevent cargo sweat and ship sweat but also

can provide other benefits such as:

Supplying fresh air to the cargo.

Preventing of poisonous gasses build up.
Removing the smells of previous cargo.
Removing heats and moistures given out by the certain cargo.

General rules of ventilation.

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 For the ship moving from colder to warmer climate, it is best not to introduce any warm

air to the cargo. Introducing warm air to cargo can leads to cargo sweating. So in the process it is

best not to ventilate the cargo hold and lets the air in the cargo hold warms slowly as the ship

moving into the warmer climates.

If the ship moving from warmer to colder climate, best practice are to ventilate and

introduce cooler air form the surrounding to the cargo hold. This process reducing the risk of

condensation occur as the hot air in the hold contacts with cold ships surface.

Three Degree Rules.

During loading regular cargo temperatures should be recorded. Whilst on passage if the

atmosphere dry bulb temperature is at least 3C cooler than the average temperature of the cargo

when loaded then ventilate the hold, if the temperature of the atmosphere is less than 3C cooler

than the average temperature of the cargo when loaded, the do not ventilate the hold.

Reference.

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1. Steamship Mutual (December, 2009), The Problem of Sweat.

[https://www.steamshipmutual.com/Risk-Alerts/RA06ProblemofSweat.pdf ]
2. Raunek Kantharia (May 6, 2016), Why is Cargo Ventilation Important on Ships?
[http://www.marineinsight.com/marine-safety/why-is-cargo-ventilation-important-on-ships/ ]
3. Capt. Jack Isbester (1993), Cargo Ventilation, Bulk Carrier Practice.