Loading & unloading

The Council Directive 2001/96/EG establishing harmonised requirements and procedures for the safe loading and unloading of bulk carriers (the BLU Code) was incorporated in Swedish legislation through the Act (2003:367) on loading and unloading of bulk carriers, the Ordinance (2003:439) on loading and unloading of bulk carriers and the Swedish Maritime Administration regulations (SJÖFS 2008:4) on loading and unloading of bulk carriers. The BLU Code is also an annex to SOLAS VI/part B.

 

The purpose of the directive is to enhance the safety of bulk carriers calling at terminals in the Member States in order to load or unload the solid bulk cargoes. This is accomplished by the establishment of harmonised requirements for cooperation and communication between ships and terminals and through harmonised suitability requirements for ships and terminals.

 

The directive applies to all bulk carriers, irrespective of their flag, calling at a terminal for the loading or unloading of solid bulk cargoes and all terminals in the Member States visited by bulk carriers falling under the scope of the directive according to the definitions in section 3 of the directive.

 

To avoid subjecting ships carrying bulk cargoes to excessive stresses on the hull during loading and unloading, the vessels must have a document that gives the master the information necessary to avoid such high stresses.