Odfjell Tankers has registered more than 200 cargo-related events – all of them categorized as unnecessary. Odfjell is striving to reduce any cargo-related incidents in the fleet, as these figures represent excessive, highly unwanted costs. We are operating in a dangerous industry, conducting critical operations every day, so an unwelcome event is also often an unsafe incident. A focus on cargo handling competence is therefore not only enhancing safety, but also directly reducing costs.
We are heavily regulated by procedures and instructions, but still these unwanted events occur. We forget to inert, or did not report prewash correctly, or wrongly connected the manifold. It may not be often, but one is one too many. An intensive Cargo Handling Course helps ensure that the personnel involved in cargo handling is provided with the best tools for the job, including proper training and competence.
In September, seasoned Captains and Chief Officer gathered to attend the pilot class of the new five-day Cargo Handling Course. The first day was the most theoretical, covering topics such as Chemistry, SOLAS, MARPOL and Inerting. On the second day, Special Products and Tank Cleaning were discussed, together with wall wash and sampling. The remainder of the day was spent on case discussions and reflections. Day three included sessions on Documentation and Tank Protection, while day four covered the specifications from our charterers such as FOSFA and KOSHER, followed by Planning and Preparation, and Pre-loading. The week ended with a walkthrough of the functionality and maintenance of Teledyne, followed by feedback and summary.
“The most positive thing I felt is that the group of 10-15 participants is suitable. The agenda and course content allowed enough time for discussions, and the training was conducted in more ‘casual’ spirits, giving the participants courage to raise questions and comments.”
Captain Glenn Skjelbred
This was echoed by Captain Jose Tupaz, Jr.:
“We had two-way communication between the facilitators and us: they learned from us, and we learned from them.”
Both captains saw the training as a way to further strengthen the relationship between ship and shore. As Captain Skjelbred put it: “I think it is very good that the training is being carried out by Odfjell Tankers together with Odfjell Ship Management. This will result in closer cooperation and a better understanding of both sides of the company.”
The contributions of Sylvia Kim, Controller from Odfjell Tankers Ulsan, Tord Sæle, Senior Advisor Quality Management, and Bjarte Høgelid, Senior Marine Superintendent, as instructors are greatly appreciated. We are also grateful for the nine participants who shared their knowledge and gave input on how we can build an effective course in cargo handling on board for our future Chief Officers.
We are currently re-designing the course based on the inputs of our participants, and we look forward to meeting the future participants of this course.
Towards safer and more efficient cargo handling.
Leif Gunnar Alvær
Project Manager Competence Development
