Transporting steel products such as coils, profile sections, slabs, wire rods by sea is not without risk. These cargoes are sensitive to moisture, corrosion and mechanical damage and any contact with seawater can cause serious damage.
In the case of seawater, contact with chlorides can cause corrision and pitting corrosion which is sometimes difficult to detect. Pitting corrosion affects the thickness of the steel, making it impossible to use a product for its initial purpose. We regularly see that consignees try to prove the presence of chlorides on the steel by means of a silver nitrate test in order to substantiate a claim.
On a regular basis we arrange pre-loading steel surveys at IJmuiden, Antwerp and other ports for shipowners and charterers. Checking the quality of the cargo prior to loading is important, but there are more measures that can be taken as our parent company NNPC summarized in a comprehensive item on their website (September 2023).
During transport, there are a number of measures that can be taken to mitigate the risk of damage. These are explained in the following sections.
- The contract of affreightment
- Preparing the hold and hatch covers
- Loading
- Transport by sea
- Unloading
Visit the NNPC website (www.nnpc.nl) or contact us for more information or assistance.