(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) Despite detailed IMO recommendations setting out safety precautions for fumigating vessels’ cargo holds, casualty investigations continue to reveal critical gaps in training, gas monitoring, and risk awareness - leaving crews exposed to life-threatening hazards during in-transit fumigation.
Inadequate pre-loading and post-fumigation inspections – failure to properly seal the cargo holds, and test the gas-tightness of ventilation trunks, shared bulkheads, and electrical conduits, allowed fumigant gases to migrate into accommodation or work areas.
Limited awareness of ventilation dynamics – changes in ventilation system airflows created negative pressures in otherwise safe spaces, drawing fumigant gases inward.
Insufficient or ineffective gas monitoring – periodic gas checking regimes or equipment failed to detect residual or migrating gases.
Crew unfamiliarity with fumigant exposure symptoms – early signs of phosphine poisoning were mistaken for other illnesses such as food poisoning or seasickness, delaying appropriate response.
Unsafe entry into fumigated holds – crew or port workers entered without prior atmosphere testing and without using breathing apparatus. In these cases, reliance was often placed solely on gas-free declarations issued by fumigation personnel, without awareness that fumigant gases can remain trapped in pockets within the cargo stow.
The major hazards associated with Phosphine gas are:
Toxicity: Like all fumigant gases, Phosphine is toxic not only to animals but also to humans. Inhalation of fumigation gases may cause respiratory problems, nausea, and ultimately suffocation. Incidents causing illness and death of crew have occurred where phosphine generating fumigants have been used with crew remaining on board, as such procedures and precautions must be taken to prevent the gas entering the accommodations. Both types of phosphine-generating fumigants (i.e., aluminum phosphide and magnesium phosphide) are dangerous if not used correctly, e.g., if gas leaks into the accommodation areas or pockets of the gas remain in the holds.
Flammability: Some gases and other agents commonly used for fumigation are flammable in sufficient concentrations. Some fumigants can also ignite, catch fire and even explode when in contact with water. Phosphine gas is flammable when mixed with air at a concentration exceeding 1.8% to 2% by volume in air.
Build-up of pressure: Excessive build-up of Phosphine gas after reacting with moisture in the air and water in cargo such as wet logs, in an enclosed hatch entrance, can hasten the chemical reaction and build up excessive pressure in that space, causing the hatch cover to lift off with excessive force, when attempting to open it. It is therefore important that all the appropriate precautions are taken, and training provided to ensure the safety of the crew and other persons who may be on board during the cargo operation and fumigation.
It is therefore important that all the appropriate precautions are taken, and training provided to ensure the safety of the crew and other persons who may be on board during the cargo operation and fumigation.
The Owners, Operators, Masters and Crew of the vessels that require in-transit fumigation of cargoes should:
- Perform in-transit fumigation, in accordance with Regulation 3.6 of the IMSBC Code where applicable, based on the ‘Recommendations on the safe use of pesticides in ships applicable to the fumigation of cargo holds’ (MSC.1/Circ.1264/Rev. 1) and applicable sections of ‘Recommendations on the safe use of pesticides in ships’ (MSC.1/Circ.1358/Rev. 1);
- Take into consideration the hazards described above in the risk assessment for in-transit fumigation using Phosphides; and,
- Determine if alternate arrangements can be made where port restrictions prevent the qualified shore fumigator-in-charge to board the vessel or remove the fumigant residues.
For more information, the guide from GARD can be downloaded below:
Source: Gard
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