Section 8 Loading guidance information

8.1.1 Sufficient information is to be supplied to the Master of every ship to enable him to arrange loading and ballasting in such a way as to avoid the creation of unacceptable stresses in the ship's structure.

8.1.2 This information is to be provided by means of a Loading Manual and in addition, where required, by means of an approved loading instrument.

8.2.1 A Loading Manual is to be supplied to all ships where longitudinal strength calculations have been required, see Pt 3, Ch 4, 2 General. The Manual is to be submitted for approval in respect of strength aspects. Where both Loading Manual and loading instrument are supplied, the Loading Manual must nevertheless be approved from the strength aspect. In this case, the Manual is to be endorsed to the effect that any departures from these conditions in service are to be arranged on the basis of the loading instrument and the allowable local loadings shown in the Manual, see Pt 3, Ch 4, 8.2 Loading Manual 8.2.4.

8.2.2 The Manual is to be based on the final data of the ship and is to include well-defined lightweight distribution and buoyancy data.

8.2.3 Details of the loading conditions given in Pt 3, Ch 4, 5.3 Design still water bending moments 5.3.3 are to be included in the Manual as applicable.

8.2.4 The Manual is also to contain the following:

1. Values of actual and permissible still water bending moments and shear forces and, where applicable, limitations due to torsional loads.

2. The allowable local loadings for the structure such as the hatch covers, decks and double bottoms. If the ship is not approved to carry load on the deck or hatch covers, this is to be clearly stated.

3. Details of cargo carriage constraints imposed by the use of an accepted coating in association with a system of corrosion control, see Pt 3, Ch 2, 3.6 Application of coatings and alternative means of protection.

4. A note saying:

   'Scantlings approved for minimum draught forward of ...m with ballast tanks No... filled. In heavy weather conditions the forward draught should not be less than this value. If, in the opinion of the Master, sea conditions are likely to cause regular slamming, then other appropriate measures such as change in speed, heading or an increase in draught forward may also need to be taken.'

5. The maximum unladen weight, in tonnes, of grab that is considered suitable for the approved thickness of the hold inner bottom for bulk carriers and ore or oil carriers that are regularly discharged by grabs. This maximum unladen weight may differ for adjacent holds, see Pt 3, Ch 9, 8.2 Inner bottom plating and Pt 4, Ch 7, 8.1 General. This weight does not preclude the use of heavier grabs, but is intended as an indication to the Builders, Owners and operators of the increased risk of local damage and the possibility of accelerated diminution of the plating thickness if grabs heavier than this are used regularly to discharge cargo.

6. The design minimum cargo temperature in °C for ships other than liquefied gas carriers which are intended to be loaded with liquid cargo having a temperature below −10°C, see Pt 3, Ch 2, 2.4 Carriage of cold cargoes 2.4.1.

8.2.5 In addition to the requirements of Pt 3, Ch 4, 8.2 Loading Manual 8.2.4, the Manual is to contain the following information for bulk carriers (see Pt 3, Ch 4, 3.2 General 3.2.2), ore carriers and combination carriers of length, L, 150 m or above:

1. The cargo hold(s) or combination of cargo holds that may be empty at maximum draught. If no cargo hold is permitted to be empty at maximum draught, this is to be clearly stated in the Manual.

2. Maximum allowable and minimum required mass of cargo and double bottom ballast for each hold as a function of the draught at mid-hold position.

3. Maximum allowable and minimum required mass of cargo and double bottom ballast for any two adjacent holds as a function of the mean draught in way of these holds. The mean draught may be calculated by averaging the draught at the two mid-hold positions.

4. Maximum allowable inner bottom loading together with specification of the nature of the cargo, for cargoes other than bulk cargoes.

5. The maximum rate of ballast exchange, together with advice that a load plan is to be agreed with the terminal on the basis of achievable rates of exchange.

For bulk carriers for which it is required to undertake longitudinal strength calculations in the flooded condition, see Pt 4, Ch 7, 3.1 General 3.1.2, the Manual is also to contain envelope results and permissible limits of still water bending moments and shear forces for hold flooded conditions, see Pt 4, Ch 7, 3.4 Flooded conditions.

8.2.6 Where applicable, the Manual is also to contain the procedure for ballast exchange and sediment removal at sea.

8.2.7 Where alteration to structure, lightweight, cargo distribution or draught is proposed, revised information is to be submitted for approval.

8.3.1 In addition to a Loading Manual, an approved type loading instrument is to be provided for all ships where L is greater than 65 m and which are approved for non-uniform distribution of loading. The following ships are exempt from this requirement except as indicated in Pt 3, Ch 4, 8.3 Loading instrument 8.3.2:

1. Ships with very limited possibilities for variations in the distribution of cargo and ballast.

2. Ships with a regular or fixed trading pattern.

3. Ships exempt by individual Chapters in Pt 4 Ship Structures (Ship Types).

8.3.2 An approved type loading instrument is to be provided where a ShipRight SDA notation is assigned to a passenger ship, roll on-roll off passenger ship or roll on-roll off cargo ship. See also Pt 4, Ch 2, 2.1 General 2.1.5.

8.3.3 The loading instrument is to be capable of calculating shear forces and bending moments, in any load or ballast condition at specified readout points and is to indicate the permissible values. On container ships and other ships with large deck openings, (see Pt 3, Ch 4, 3.3 Exceptions 3.3.2) cargo torque is also to be calculated.

8.3.4 For bulk carriers, ore carriers and combination carriers of length, L, 150 m or above, the loading instrument is to be additionally capable of verifying that the following are within permissible limits:

1. the mass of cargo and double bottom ballast in way of each hold as a function of the draught at the mid-hold position.

2. the mass of cargo and double bottom ballast for any two adjacent holds as a function of the mean draught in way of these holds. The mean draught may be calculated by averaging the draught at the two mid-hold positions.

For bulk carriers for which it is required to undertake longitudinal strength calculations in the flooded condition, see Pt 4, Ch 7, 1.2 Application 1.2.2, the loading instrument is also to be capable of verifying that the still water bending moments and shear forces in hold flooded conditions (see Pt 4, Ch 7, 3.4 Flooded conditions) are within permissible limits.

8.3.5 If the approved loading manual utilises bulkhead correction factors for shear force distribution, then the loading instrument must also have the capability to account for the bulkhead correction factors.

8.3.6 The instrument is to be certified in accordance with LR's document entitled Approval of Longitudinal Strength and Stability Calculations Programs.

8.3.7 The instrument readout points are usually selected at the position of the transverse bulkheads or other obvious boundaries. As many readout points as considered necessary by LR are to be included, e.g. between bulkheads.

8.3.8 A notice is to be displayed on the loading instrument stating:

1. `Scantlings approved for minimum draught forward of ...m with ballast tanks No... filled. In heavy weather conditions, the forward draught should not be less than this value. If, in the opinion of the Master, sea conditions are likely to cause regular slamming, then other appropriate measures such as change in speed, heading or an increase in draught forward may also need to be taken.'

8.3.9 Where alteration to structure, lightweight or cargo distribution is proposed, the loading instrument is to be modified accordingly and details submitted for approval.

8.3.10 The operation of the loading instrument is to be verified by the Surveyors upon installation and at Annual and Periodical Surveys as required in Pt 1, Ch 3 Periodical Survey Regulations. An Operation Manual for the instrument is to be verified as being available on board.

8.3.11 Where an onboard computer system having a strength computation capability is provided as an Owner's option, it is recommended that the system be certified in accordance with LR's document entitled Approval of Longitudinal Strength and Stability Calculations Programs. For systems having a stability computation capability and installed on a new ship, see also Pt 1, Ch 2, 1.1 General 1.1.11. For systems having a stability computation capability and installed on an existing ship, it is recommended that the system be certified in accordance with LR's document entitled Approval of Longitudinal Strength and Stability Calculation Programs.

8.4.1 On container ships an approved onboard lashing program to calculate forces acting on the container stowage arrangement is to be provided, compying with Pt 3, Ch 14 Cargo Securing Arrangements. This may be an extension to the loading instrument covered under Pt 3, Ch 4, 8.3 Loading instrument. The ship will be eligible to be assigned the special features notation BoxMax, with one or more of the supplementary letters V and W. The notation BoxMax(V,W) may be supplemented with the letter L if the conditions for this notation are satisfied. BoxMax may be supplemented with the letter M if the conditions for this notation are satisfied.

8.4.2 Special consideration may be given to waiving the requirement for an onboard lashing program as required by Pt 3, Ch 4, 8.4 Onboard lashing program 8.4.1, e.g. For smaller container ships where the container securing arrangements are relatively straightforward.

8.4.3 For description of the BoxMax notation and its V, W, L and M features, see Pt 3, Ch 14, 1.2 Classification notations and descriptive notes.

8.4.4 To qualify for the notation BoxMax the following requirements must be satisfied:

1. The onboard lashing program is to be certified in accordance with LR’s Approval of Container Securing Programs.

2. Where alteration to the container stowage arrangements is proposed, the onboard lashing program is to be modified accordingly and details submitted for approval.

3. The operation of the onboard lashing program is to be verified by the Surveyors upon installation and at Annual and Periodical Surveys as required in Pt 1, Ch 3 Periodical Survey Regulations. An Operation Manual for the onboard lashing program is to be verified as being available on board.

8.4.5 To qualify for the aspects of the notation, i.e. V, W, L and M, the Surveyor is to verify upon installation and at Annual and Periodical Surveys as required in Pt 1, Ch 3 Periodical Survey Regulations that the individual features of the notation are implemented in the onboard lashing program. The Surveyor is also to verify that an Operation Manual for these aspects of the onboard lashing program is available on board.