Lloyd's Register Rulefinder 2020 - Version 9.
33 - Fix
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Assembly - IMO Resolution
A.866(20) – Guidance for Ships' Crews and Terminal Personnel for Bulk Carrier Inspections – (Adopted on
27 November 1997) - Annex - Guidance for Ships' Crews and Terminal Personnel for Bulk Carrier
Inspections - 6 Structural Features and Typical Damage - 6.4 Bilge Hopper/Double Bottom Tanks
6.4 Bilge Hopper/Double Bottom Tanks
6.4.1 When carrying out inspections of these tanks, particular attention should be paid to any
cracking, deformation or deterioration of coating.
Cracking in bilge hopper and double bottom tanks
6.4.2 Cracks might be found at the intersections of longitudinals and transverse members and at
other locations as follows:
.1 Intersections of longitudinals and solid floors
Cracks may be found in the side, bottom and/or tanktop longitudinals at intersections with
solid floors or bilge hopper transverses. Cracks also may be found in the floors or
transverses occurring at the corners of the slots cut for longitudinals.
.2 Cracking of longitudinals at areas of structural discontinuity
Longitudinals may be cracked at the ends of additional (partial) side girders provided in
the double bottom below cargo hold bulkheads or side walls of bilge wells for cargo holds
due to additional stress concentration caused by the structural discontinuity at those
connections.
.3 Bilge hopper transverse
Cracks may be observed in transverse webs in bilge hoppers initiating from the slot
openings for longitudinals and at the knuckled corners of the lower ends of the hoppers.
Figure 17 Cracking in tanktop/bottom longitudinals
Figure 18 Cracking at the end connection with side walls of bilge well; Cracking at the end
of an additional girder
Figure 19 Check points in bilge hopper transverse
Corrosion
6.4.3 Corrosion must be carefully watched in the inspection in water ballast tanks particularly in
older bulk carriers over 10 years of age. In general, the condition of the steel and protective
coatings will be in satisfactory condition much longer in the double bottoms than in topside
compartments. However, even double bottom tanks will deteriorate in time due to the continual
ballasting of the ship.
.1 Corrosion accelerated by heat
Since the late '70s, problems with heavy corrosion in double bottom water ballast tanks
adjacent to fuel oil tanks have appeared. In some cases, the corrosion was worse in areas
closer to the fuel oil tank boundaries. In those ships, fuel oil tanks were installed.
The fuel oil heating system was adopted following changes to the properties of fuel oil,
mainly an increase in viscosity. Due to economics, ship operators began to use low grade
bunker oil which needs heating in order to decrease the viscosity. In the beginning of this
trend, the temperature required in the fuel oil tanks was not high enough to accelerate the
corrosion of the steel in the adjacent spaces. However, in recent years, the grade of
bunker oil being used requires the temperature in the tank to be 80°C or more. Such
temperature can accelerate corrosion of the steel in the tanks, particularly in the vicinity of
the boundaries of the fuel oil tanks.
.2 Areas under suction bell mouths
Bottom plates are often eroded under the suction bell mouths in tanks. On drydocking of
an older ship, the bell mouths should be dismantled for examination of the condition of the
shell plates below the bell mouths.
Figure 20 Area where heavy corrosion by heat effect may be found (hatched areas)
Figure 21 Progress of corrosion in water ballast tanks adjacent to FOT
