Transport Malta has issued investigation report regarding the explosion in cargo hold no.5 on board the Maltese registered conventional Supramax, geared bulk carrier, MV Agria following her departure from Rio Grande, Brazil on March 19, 2015.
The Incident
MV Agria arrived at Rio Grande, Brazil on 12 March 2015 to load her cargo. The vessel dropped her anchor at the outer roads, waiting for her turn to berth. The vessel was expected to load about 52519 mt of Brazilian milling wheat in bulk in all of her cargo holds.
On 16 March 2015 early morning, the pilot boarded the vessel and by 0348 (LT), Agria was safely moored starboard side alongside at Tegrasa Terminal.
A hose test was carried out on all five cargo holds and following a general inspection, cargo loading was eventually approved at about 0735 on the same day. Loading operations commenced an hour later, using shore equipment.
The operations were completed on 19 March 2015 at about 0600. Upon completion of the loading operations, a local fumigation company boarded the vessel in order to fumigate the cargo as per charter party requirements.
The entire fumigation process was carried out by the shore company and the ship’s crew members were not involved1 . In fact, the vessel was only responsible to provide electrical supply at the right voltage and power to the fans used during the fumigation process
The fumigation operation commenced at 0620 and was completed at 0820. The fumigant used was aluminium phosphide tablets. The applied dosage was in accordance with Fumigation Certificate No. 023/2015, dated 19 March 2015.
The Certificate was issued by the company responsible for the fumigation process. Crew members were instructed that no ventilation was allowed in the cargo holds for 288 hours (12 days). Following the fumigation process, the cargo holds were sealed and Agria prepared for the sea voyage.
The pilot boarded Agria at about 0830 and the vessel cast off the berth to commence its voyage to her discharge ports, namely Chittagong and Mongla in Bangladesh. The pilot disembarked at 1100 and full away on passage was rung at 1200.
Nine hours after the fumigation process had been completed, i.e. at about 1730, Agria experienced a minor explosion in cargo hold no. 5. Soon after the accident, the master notified the Company and activated the vessel’s contingency plan. All crew members were mustered inside the accommodation block and the air-condition system was set to recirculation mode to prevent any smoke from entering the living spaces. Cargo hold temperatures were recorded and monitored.
Inspections of the cargo holds were carried out by the crew members and on 22 March 2015, the vessel arrived at Rio Grande outer anchorage and dropped anchors in position 32° 19.5’S 051° 54.1’W. Following the necessary surveys, investigations and minor repairs, the vessel departed the area and resumed her voyage to Chittagong.
The ship did not sustain any structural damages as a result of the accident. Damages were limited to a number of hatch cover cleats, which were repaired before the vessel resumed her voyage (Figure 1). Moreover, it was estimated that about nine tonnes of cargo were damaged and had to be discharged from the vessel.
Cause of the explosion
The mechanical damage sustained by the cargo hatch cover cleats is consistent with the occurrence of a gas phase explosion inside the cargo hold. Although the crew members did not make reference to white smoke coming from the cargo hold, in view of the presence of PH3, it was concluded that the explosion was the result of ignition of this gas4 . A post– accident inspection of the area after the cargo hold was declared safe, revealed that the fan used in the ‘J-System’ was appropriately earthed. Moreover, the post-accident inspection did not identify potential sources of ignition inside the cargo hold since both the explosion-proof light and the switch were undamaged. It was therefore established that these two items were not the source of the ignition
Find out more by reading the investigation report
Source: Transport Malta