Challenge: Tight turnaround between heavy coal and historic cement residues to grain-ready standards
Result: Passed inspection immediately upon arrival; zero off-hire time recorded
When a vessel’s loading port is only a short sea passage away from its discharge port, relying solely on the ship’s crew for complete hold preparation creates significant commercial risk.
For the Ultramax bulk carrier MV AQUALIBRA, a rapid turnaround was critical. The vessel needed to transition from carrying heavy coal in bulk to achieving a pristine grain-ready condition within an exceptionally tight timeframe.
To guarantee an inspection pass without a single hour of off-hire time, Delta Maritime Agency deployed a certified professional hold cleaning riding team to conduct intensive, round-the-clock maintenance en route.
In-Transit Hold Cleaning En Route
The short voyage from Swinoujscie, Poland, to Liepaja, Latvia, provided a narrow window for execution. By deploying our riding team directly in port, operations commenced while the vessel was still discharging.
By the time MV AQUALIBRA departed Swinoujscie, 90% of three cargo holds were already cleaned. This parallel workflow eliminated port delays and allowed the vessel to sail immediately toward its destination while hold preparation continued seamlessly at sea.
Tackling Hidden Cement Residues
A major operational hurdle arose during the initial cleaning phase. Once the heavy layers of coal were cleared, specialized inspectors identified old, hardened cement cargo residues embedded deep within the frames, upper bulkheads, and underdeck spaces.
Strict international grain cleanliness rules strictly prohibit any previous cargo contamination. To address this without halting operations:
Our team shifted from standard washing to high-altitude specialized cleaning.
Targeted acid treatment protocols were introduced alongside industrial scaling techniques to dismantle the hardened cement deposits without compromising hold coatings.
The 8-Stage Holds Maintenance & Cleaning Protocol
To handle dual contamination from coal and historic cement residues, Delta Maritime Agency executed a precise 8-stage operational plan:
Dry Mechanical Cleaning: Manual sweeping and removal of all loose bulk cargo residues (both coarse and fine fractions).
Chemical Application (Coal): Direct spraying of sodium hypochlorite across all surfaces affected by coal staining.
High-Pressure First Washout: Intensive pressure-washing to remove chemical agents and dissolved soot.
Chemical Application (Cement): Targeted application of muriatic acid to break down hardened, historical cement layers.
Second Washout: Thorough rinsing to clear all dissolved muriatic acid and chemical runoffs.
High-Pressure Deep Cleaning (HP): Utilizing heavy-duty industrial HP pumps to scrub heavily contaminated tank tops and frame corners.
Freshwater Rinsing & Complete Drying: Final fresh water (FW) flush of all holds, hatch covers, and bilge wells, followed by full structural drying.
Precision Spot Touch-Up: Paint application on high-abrasion areas to protect underlying steel coatings.
Zero Stoppages, Total Compliance
By executing this adaptive 8-stage process, our riding team successfully cleared both coal and cement contaminants while underway.
Zero Delays: Held preparation was finished before reaching the discharge port.
Immediate Pass: Upon arrival in Liepaja, all 5 cargo holds passed strict inspection on first attempt.
Grain Ready: The vessel immediately commenced loading grain without loss of hire.
Need Urgent Cargo Hold Preparation?
Don't risk off-hire delays on tight vessel schedules. Contact Delta Maritime Agency’s operational team today for custom quotations and technical hold cleaning solutions.