Shipping Corporation of India being premier shipping line operates around one-third of the Indian tonnage. It has evolved to be the largest Indian Shipping company since its establishment in October 1961.
Shipping Corporation of India delivers a wide range of services to the domestic as well as international trade.
Let’s try to understand the Lighterage operations by SCI:
What is Lighterage?
Lighterage is also termed as lightering is an operation primarily dealing with the transfer of wet and dry cargoes between ships of varying sizes. It is considered to be the cargo transfer operation on the coastal areas of the sea between the mother and the daughter vessel. The process is carried out within the port facility reducing the draught of vessels for entering the inland waterways.
Here are some lighterage procedures we need to focus on:
- Cargo Transfer Equipment:
Understanding the type of cargo transfer from one vessel to the other, compatible cargo equipment is kept ready for the operation. With the maximum loads tested and certified, cranes and derricks are placed in the working order. Wet cargo transfer pipes of the relevant size are used with the corresponding connector couplings of the appropriate length. The connector couplings are tested for the maximum liquid pressure limits.
The team involved in the operation must be aware of risks in transferring hazardous cargoes. These hazardous cargoes should be handled with the help of special equipment and protective gear.
- Mooring / Unmooring:
The STS experts support the ship masters to supervise the mooring operation since mooring the vessels requires a certain level of competence. It requires an expert team to safely manage the berthing / unberthing process. Appropriately sized tyre fenders are deployed on the mother vessel or the lighter vessel. This will avoid structural damages involved in ship to ship contact. During the STS transfer process, the rubberized tyre fenders prevent the accumulation of static between the vessels. In addition, fenders ensure a safe distance between the two vessels once they are tied up.
Mooring lines should have better construction, material, and be strong enough to captivate the forces generated during operation enabling a safe cargo transfer operation.
- Weather:
Decent weather conditions play a vital role for the successful accomplishment of all critical marine operations including lighterage service. Most of the times the cargo transfer operations are aborted indefinitely due to unsuitable weather conditions resulting in loss of time and money. The teams involved keep a constant check on the weather forecast and all the communication is recorded appropriately.
- Person In Charge:
Generally, the operation expert or STS Superintendent or sometimes the ship captain carries the lighterage operation. The process aims to appoint the person in charge for calculating the risks involved and safely accomplishing the cargo transfer operations. The STS expert is usually an ex-mariner coordinating for supervision, co-ordination, and authorization of events involved during the operations.
- Operational Checklists:
To successfully complete the critical operations the expert team follows all the guidelines and relevant operational checklists which are incorporated in the port management system. During the lighterage operation, it is vital to consider both the vessels have different operating procedures and should have a varied set of people handling the operation. Thus, all the personnel involved in the cargo transfer operations should be alert and unsatisfied to the common safety procedures on board.
- Communication:
Efficient cargo operations demand good and clear communication between the vessels. It is crucial to agree on the common mode of communication like via working marine VHF/ UHF frequencies, etc. Ensure the communication is clear, brief, concise, and well demonstrated for operations.
Essentials of Communications:
- Initial contact before approaching the operations
- Mutual agreement over communication channels
- Emergency contact point
- Emergency and ‘Abort’ commands
- Relevant international Sound and Day / Night Indications
- Safety messages transmitted through VHF during the operation
- Weather condition information
Wrap Up
Shipping Corporation of India delivers a wide range of services to the domestic as well as international trade. Lighterage is an operation primarily dealing with the transfer of wet and dry cargoes between ships of varying sizes. The above-mentioned procedures will help to safely carry the lighterage operations.