A Study on the Safety Risks of Maritime Transport of Nickel Ore

In recent years, the maritime industry has been confronted with a troubling trend: the increasing frequency of nickel ore transport accidents at sea. These incidents have cast a spotlight on the urgent need to bolster the safety protocols governing nickel ore sea transportation and to mitigate the risk of self-sinking in nickel ore carriers. This paper conducts an in - depth study of the cargo characteristics of nickel ore by reviewing relevant domestic and foreign literature on nickel ore transportation in the past decade and the relevant regulations of the latest IMSBC Code. Combining with the author's experience in nickel ore transportation during the tenure as a captain, the paper carefully explores the causes of liquefaction, and examines the adverse effects of the free surface and cargo movement on the ship's stability. It concludes that the principal culprit behind the self-sinking of nickel ore carriers is the excessive moisture content of the nickel ore cargo, which surpasses the Transportable Moisture Limit (TML). This excess moisture precipitates cargo liquefaction within the ship's holds, giving rise to a free surface on the cargo and inducing cargo movement. These factors precipitously degrade vessel stability. When vessels laden with liquefied cargo encounter adverse maritime conditions—such as high winds and heavy seas—during transit, the risk of capsizing and sinking becomes perilously elevated. Based on the inherent challenges and risks in current maritime nickel ore transportation, this paper puts forward targeted countermeasures and emergency measures. That is, ships transporting nickel ore must strictly abide by the IMSBC Code and the relevant regulations of the ship management company regarding the transportation of flowable cargoes. These measures include controlling the moisture content of nickel ore before loading, ensuring the seaworthiness of the ship, formulating good cargo handling plans, establishing a reasonable transportation route, and developing emergency response measures to mitigate the risk of ship capsizing due to instability in emergency situations. These findings are intended to serve as a valuable compass for the safe operation of nickel ore transportation at sea, guiding industry stakeholders toward enhanced safety and risk management.