When a vessel's loading port is only a short voyage away from its discharging port, relying solely on the ship’s crew for a complete cargo transition is a significant commercial risk. For the Ultramax bulk carrier MV AQUALIBRA (5 holds, 63,948 DWT), a rapid turnaround was critical. The vessel needed to transition from carrying heavy coal in bulk to a pristine grain-ready condition within an exceptionally tight timeframe.
To ensure a guaranteed inspection pass without a single hour of off-hire time, Delta Maritime Agency mobilized its professional hold cleaning team to conduct intensive, round-the-clock hold cleaning en route from port to port.
The Strategic Advantage: Hold Cleaning En Route Swinoujscie - Liepaja
The voyage from the discharge port of Swinoujscie, Poland, to the loading port of Liepaja, Latvia, provided a limited window for holds washing and technical preparation. To maximize efficiency, our riding team commenced operations while the vessel was still in port. By the time the MV AQUALIBRA departed Swinoujscie, three out of the five massive cargo holds were already 90% cleaned.
This parallel workflow allowed the vessel to sail immediately toward its destination while our crew continued high-intensity holds maintenance at sea.
Navigating Unexpected Challenges: Uncovering Hidden Cement Residues
A major complication arose during the phase of coal cargo cleaning. Once the heavy layers of coal were cleared, our inspectors discovered old cement cargo residues deeply embedded between the frames, at the upper parts of the bulkheads, and across the underdeck spaces.
Because the strict international grain cleanliness standard implies the absolute absence of any previous cargo contamination, an immediate structural shift in the initial hold cleaning plan was required. To tackle the hardened cement, our professional high altitude cleaners adapted the technical workflow immediately, introducing acid treatments and specialized industrial scaling techniques to eliminate the contamination.
The 8-Stage Holds Maintenance & Cleaning Plan
To handle the dual contamination of coal and historical cement without halting progress, Delta Maritime Agency implemented a rigorous, 8-stage operational protocol:
- Dry Cleaning: Manual sweeping and lifting of all loose cargo residues of both small and large fractions.
- Chemical Application (Coal): Applying sodium hypochlorite directly onto all surfaces displaying coal cargo contamination.
- First Washout: Intensive pressure-washing to rinse away the sodium hypochlorite and loose soot.
- Chemical Application (Cement): Applying muriatic acid to break down the newly uncovered cement layers.
- Second Washout: Thorough rinsing to remove the dissolved muriatic acid and chemical runoff.
- HP Cleaning: Employing industrial high-pressure machines to deeply scrub heavily contaminated tank tops and frame corners.
- Fresh Water Rinsing & Drying: A final fresh water (FW) rinse of all holds and upper hatches, alongside bilge wells cleaning and full structural drying.
- Spot Touch-Up: Precision paint application over areas exposed to heavy abrasion to protect the coating and cover remaining thin cement stains.
Guaranteed Inspection Pass: Zero Stoppages, Total Compliance
By executing this adaptive 8-stage workflow, our team completely eliminated all coal and cement cargo residues. The operation was structured so that the holds preparation continued 24/7 without a single stoppage or delay to the vessel's transit. Upon arrival in Liepaja, the cargo holds passed inspection flawlessly, allowing the vessel to begin loading grain immediately.
Do not experiment with your business by relying purely on the ship's crew during tight vessel schedules. Entrust your holds cleaning and technical preparation to certified specialists. Feel free to contact our operations desk today to get a competitive quotation and ensure your vessel passes its inspection every single time.