Increasing number of shipments of Nickel Ore from the Solomon Islands have caused concern over recent months.
The increase in shipments is in part due to increased investment in the region and with civil unrest in New Caledonia, another common region for Nickel Ore, Solomon Islands becomes the safer alternative.
Cargo experts Roxburgh report that the material has similar properties to the Nickel Ore exported from Surigao in the Philippines which includes a high proportion of clays which can lead to a high fine particle content, which, if in a large enough percentage, can cause handling and ship stability issues.
The cargo is known as a direct shipped ore, which means it has minimal processing before being loaded onboard. This can lead to an unknown range of cargo particle sizes along with sand, slit and clay being predominant in the loaded cargo. The presence of these three materials effects the way the cargo behaves at different moisture contents when the cargo is stressed. Cargo stress occurs both during the handling of the cargo ashore, on load, and also by the vessel’s motion at sea. It has been noted that due to the composition of the cargo it is prone to the retention of water if exposed to rainfall /or the material is inherently wet when extracted from the mine.
Roxburgh added that due to the high clay content, it is likely that the TML test method employed in the region, the flow table test, is inadequate to accurately assess the cargo. Previously issued test certification would also appear unrepresentative of the cargo consignments presented to Members for loading.
Members should remain vigilant and reject any portions of the cargo presented for loading that demonstrates a soft, wet, or sticky composition. If any can tests demonstrate that the material is significantly reducing in volume in the can, then loading should be suspended and the barge rejected. If water begins to emerge from the material at any time during loading /or can testing, then it indicates that the cargo could be unstable and liable to shift during carriage.
Roxburgh recommend Shippers provide evidence that:
Procedures are in place to prevent the exposure of the stockpiles to rainfall.
Each barge consignment presented for loading has been sampled and tested in accordance with procedures that comply with the guidance in /Circ /Rev.2, as it is likely that both the moisture content and TML of portions of the consignment will vary over time.
Additionally where possible, Members should request the following information from Shippers:
Particle size distribution of the cargo consignment overall with specific focus on the <1mm size ranges
Moisture content range for the consignment overall
TML result and confirmation of the methodology used
As-loaded bulk density
Photographs of the stockpiled material
Information on where samples were collected from i.e. conveyor, falling stream or stockpile
Methodology for sample collection
How many samples were collected and the sample size and were the samples homogenised
How many samples were tested for both moisture content and TML determination purposes
It should be noted that the IMSBC Code 2022 section 8 which covers the can test method is appropriate for use on this material from the perspective of noting the evidence of ‘fluid conditions’ only. This material will not drain readily and therefore water will often not be seen in a can test except at high degrees of saturation. It will however become less resistant to stress with increasing moisture contents, which can be noted by the ship’s crew as it will become softer and stickier.
Any concerns about trading in the region please get in touch with your usual contact in the club.
