LOADICATOR REQUIREMENTS, DOCUMENTATION, TESTING & ITS RECORDS

LOADICATOR REQUIREMENTS, DOCUMENTATION, TESTING & ITS RECORDS

Introduction
A loading instrument is an instrument, which is either analogue or digital, by means of which it can be easily and quickly ascertained that, at specified read-out points, the still water bending moments, shear forces, and the still water torsional moments and lateral loads, where applicable, in any load or ballast condition will not exceed the specified permissible values. A loading instrument comprises hardware and software. An operational manual is always to be provided for the loading instrument.

The requirement of loading instrument for bulk carriers is governed by SOLAS chapter XII, regulation 11.

New requirements for onboard stability instruments applicable to all tankers has become effective from 1st January 2016. MARPOL Annex I Ch.4, the IBC Code and the IGC Code have all been amended, requiring tankers to be fitted with a stability instrument capable of handling both intact and damage stability. The new requirement is retroactive and applies to both new and existing ships as follows:

• Ships constructed on or after 1st January 2016 – at delivery.

• Ships constructed before 1 January 2016 – at the first renewal survey on or after 1st January 2016, but no later than 1st January 2021. Ships carrying onboard stability instruments already approved and certified by a recognized organization, and capable of verifying both intact and damage stability to a standard acceptable to the administration, may continue to use such an instrument.

For Port State Control purposes, a Document of Approval issued by the respective flag Administration, or a recognized organization acting on its behalf, is required for confirmation of compliance.

 It should be noted that the stability instrument is not a substitute for the approved stability documentation, but serves as a supplement to facilitate stability calculations. Revised IOPP-B certificates for oil tankers and IBC and IGC certificates of fitness for chemical tankers and gas carriers reflecting the new requirements are issued from 1st January 2016 onwards. For existing ships, the old certificate does not need to be reissued until the first renewal survey on or after
1st January 2016 when the new requirement becomes applicable and compliance is verified.

Provision of approved Loadicators also applies to ships with large deck openings (such as container vessels) where, according to Class Rules, combined stresses due to vertical and horizontal hull girder bending and torsional and lateral loads have to be considered.

Documentation & Testing

There are two parts one must consider. The first relates to the documents and certificates a ship is required to have onboard with respect to Loadicators and second pertains to the testing requirement of the Loadicators.

Documents required for the Loadicator 
There are three main documents ship should have for it to be actually complying with Loadicator requirements. These are

1. Class certificate for the Loadicator: This certificate is issued by the class and gives the details of the Loadicator software as well as the hardware on which it is installed, including the details of the make, model and serial number of the computer. The Master and Chief Officer must ensure that the approved loading computer’s details match with the details in this certificate.

2. Class approved Loadicator Manual: This is the user manual of the Loadicator which is from the maker of the Loadicator software. A class approved copy of the user manual should be onboard. If there is a class change associated with the ship, it is important to ensure that approval stamp of the current classification society is endorsed on the manual.

3. Class approved Loadicator test conditions: These are usually in the form of a booklet specifically titled “test conditions for loadicator” with class stamp. These are usually provided during yard delivery of the vessel or after the loadicator is installed for the first time and approved by the class.

Testing requirements for the Loadicator

Testing by ship staff: The Loadicator is required to be tested periodically (interval to be as per SMS of the vessel, generally every quarter) by ship staff for its accuracy. The test procedure includes choosing a condition from the approved test conditions, entering the exact same data in the Loadicator and comparing the results with the approved test conditions. The important point to note is that the data need to be manually entered and not opened from a pre-saved file.

Annual testing of Loadicator in presence of Class: During annual class surveys, the Loadicator needs to be tested for its accuracy in presence of a class surveyor. The procedure of testing is the same as the quarterly testing but in here the class surveyor would ask for the print out of the test condition, stamp it and give it to the ship for retention.