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ABSTRACT

Ship's intact stability is one of the most important aspects that have to be taken into consideration when loading the ship as well as during the voyage. Despite the fact that many vessels left the ports with a proper intact stability, the experience proved that during the voyage, the stability has been lost. One of the factors that contributed to loss of intact stability was shifting of cargo during the voyage. In the present paper is examined the impact of cargo shifting on intact ship stability. Real case accidents involved losses of intact ship stability due to shifting of cargo are presented. Analytical equations of forces acting on a cargo piece during motion are explained.

Keywords: cargo, shifting, stability.

(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae omitted.)

1. INTRODUCTION

Transport is the most important link in economic relations. It is involved in creating of products and delivering it to consumers, provides the link between production and consumption, between different industries, between countries and regions. It affects the development of the economy as a consumer of petroleum products, grains, metal, timber, and many other products.

Every cargo transported has particular proprieties for loading, stowage and transport. These cargo proprieties can influence the nautical qualities and the seakeeping behaviour of ship. One of the nautical qualities, which is influenced, and in many cases affected by cargo proprieties, is the ship intact stability. Inability of acknowledge the proprieties of the cargo to be loaded, in many cases, is the result of dangerous situations, even to capsize.

Safe transport of cargo is not just a matter of safe stowage and securing of cargo, solely, but is strongly related with the design and construction of the ship, her outfit, as well as with the way the ship is being operated at sea in different environmental conditions.

According to the statistics, 10% of serious stability accidents of ships are caused by the shift of cargo. These kinds of accidents are quite common for general cargo vessels, container vessels, Ro-Ro vessels and bulk carriers.

Cargo shifting is a complex phenomenon. Usually it is caused by the motions of the ship and is largely influenced by the proprieties of cargo, lashings as well as operational aspects. During the voyage, a various number of different...

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