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Compliance with Loadicator Testing and its records

Written by Capt Rajeev Jassal on March 9, 2015
68
The requirement of loading instrument for bulk carriers is governed by SOLAS chapter XII, regulation 11. Even though there is no statutory requirement for loading computer onboard other ships, classification societies require all tankers of more than 100 meters to have type approved loading instrument. even otherwise so, Loadicator has rather been a necessity onboard ships. And once we have something onboard, it is duty of ship staff to ensure that it complies with its testing and record keeping procedures. There are two parts of the question. First relates to the documents and certificates a ship is required to have onboard with respect to loadicators and second the testing requirement of the loadicator.

Documents required for Loadicator

There are three main documents ship should have for it to be actually complying with Loadicator requirements. These are Class certificate for 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. Master and chief officer must ensure that the approved loading computer’s details matches with the details in this certificate. The certificate may even sometimes have the printer’s detail that is connected with the approved loadicator. If you do not find this certificate onboard, you should check in the class survey status report if the load...

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Comments (68)

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  • Shresth Srivastava March 15, 2016
    Thank you sir for this article on loadicator. I am preparing for my mates exam and this is really helpful. Thank You.
    4

    Rajeev Jassal May 7, 2016
    Glad that it helped you Shresth. Let me know if have any other question or if i can be of any help for your Mates Exam. All the best.

    viki June 1, 2016
    Rajeev Jassal sir thanks for your post , is there any possibility to check or to understand more regarding loadicator for container vessel as i am bout to give orals here in uk this week. Basically helping to know more about it by which i can carry out safe cargo operation on board

  • Mathew June 8, 2016
    Red to above testing procedure for loadicators, kindly confirm if we should enter 10% more or less than as mentioned in the test condition I order to check if the figures are changing accordingly...
    1

    Rajeev Jassal June 8, 2016
    That is not a requirement Mathew..but you need to use different conditions like full ballast and full loaded which will ensure that in any case..

  • Siva Chidhu June 16, 2016
    Sir please give more articles about bulk carrier
    1

    Rajeev Jassal June 16, 2016
    We are working on that Siva and you will get it very soon.

  • VISHWAJEET July 6, 2016
    Thanks sir for your valuable article, I m preparing for mate and find your notes too much helpful.
    1

    Rajeev Jassal July 6, 2016
    Glad that I could be of some help to you Vishwajeet.. Let me know if you any further help or if you have any question anytime.. All the best for your exams..

  • Sandeep July 8, 2016
    What is diff bet loadicator and loading instrument?
    1

    Rajeev Jassal July 8, 2016
    Both are the name for the same equipment...

  • prem July 13, 2016
    what should be done in case of loadicator failure in port ?
    1

    Rajeev Jassal July 13, 2016
    You can load the loadicator software in an alternate computer. If you mean online function of loadicator then it is not required to be online. We can manually feed the data into the loadicator every hour to check the stability.

  • RAM July 15, 2016
    offline mode - getting ullages from tanks - using ullage table - stability booklet - the software will it show all SF, BM everything
    1

    Rajeev Jassal July 22, 2016
    Yes.. It will show all the stability data even if the values are entered manually. In fact not all ships have online loadicator and ship staff have to enter values manually.

  • RAM July 15, 2016
    what abt tanks in engine room do we need to get that also or not. surveyor question is like "how will you load when loadicator fails ?" --- what we have to reply them sir kindly clarify
    1

    Rajeev Jassal July 22, 2016
    We need to clarify from the surveyor what does he mean by loadicator failing. If he meant online function of loadicator not working then we can input all the values manually. If he meant loadicator software crashed, then we can install the software again and use it. But if he meant that we cannot locate even the software CD then we can use manual calculation to calculate draft and GM by using Hydrostatic particulars from stability booklet for each stage of the loading operation. We will however not know SF and BM.

  • Prem August 1, 2016
    what are the loadicator alarms for bulk carrier ?
    1

    Rajeev Jassal August 4, 2016
    I have not been on bulk carrier so I cannot really comment on that but I do not think that Loadicator alarms on bulk carrier would be any different than other ships. The alarms for High SF/BM, alarms for intact stability not complying, alarms for overloading are the few that I can think of.

  • ankit vyas August 15, 2016
    its a page must to bookmark thank u sir
    1

    Rajeev Jassal August 21, 2016
    Thank you Ankit..

  • ankit vyas August 15, 2016
    sir what is sf correction table and where it is found onboard????????
    1

    Rajeev Jassal August 21, 2016
    I have never come across SF correction tables if you are referring SF as Sheer Force.

  • sagar das October 6, 2016
    helo sir. please provide IMO Guidelines for making a Loadicator, taking into acount the weather criteria. for example..if SF and BM shows 100%, on what calculation basis. sea and port conditions are based on what value of weather conditions, what wind force value, swell ht..etc...pls advise.
    1

    Rajeev Jassal November 11, 2016
    It is not the weather conditions that are taken into account for calculating the maximum permissible values of SF and BM. Also these guidelines are given by the IACS. These are some complex formulae. You can read these guidelines here.

  • Alaa Krdi November 2, 2016
    Question: is the loading master connected to VDR (Voyage Data Recorder)?
    1

    Rajeev Jassal November 11, 2016
    May or may not be. Will depend upon the ship owners but it is not a requirement to connect loading master to the VDR.

  • RAJINDER KUMAR November 16, 2016
    you sir for this article on loadicator. Sir I just want to know that how much is allowable SF. And BM and ship ..and and on what basis it is decided
    3

    Rajeev Jassal November 17, 2016
    We need to keep the SF & BM to less than 100% which is the maximum allowable limit. There are some complex calculations for deciding the maximum limit of the SF/BM. I have share these calculation link in one of the earlier comment on this blog. I hope that can be of some help.

    rayumand yazdani January 11, 2017
    where do v find the maximum limit of sf and bm? is it the stability booklet?

  • Philip Royal December 6, 2016
    I hope you will not mind me following up on a couple of the queries above, as I used to work as a Class Surveyor and now for a loading Computer supplier. For SF correction tables I suspect this means SF bulkhead correction factors assigned by Class. These should be stated in the loading manual and would be included in any self-respecting loading computer. As for the weather criteria associated with permissible SF/BM, Rules are generally based on 10year return North Atlantic seas for the wave bending component (Hs about 8m I think). Concerning stat/class requirements for onboard loading computers, since Jan 2016 it has been a requirement for tankers to have a means to check damage stability compliance and in effect this means they need a loading computer either at the next renewal survey or now, if a new ship. There are also new requirements due in 2017 concerning Type 4 systems for emergency response decision support so while the mandatory situations in regulations are currently ship-type and sized based the focus is on general provision for all ships in the near future. Hope this might support the earlier discussions.
    2

    Rajeev Jassal December 6, 2016
    Thanks for the great insight Philip..

    Mayank May 7, 2019
    Sir, can you please throw some light on how to check damage stability criteria by using Loadicator. Are loadicators certified by class for this function too or is it just an added improvised feature? Thanx

  • Vijay Sharma December 21, 2016
    Sir please advise.. wot does surveyor mean by asking type of loadicator onbd ur ship?? TIA
    2

    Rajeev Jassal March 13, 2017
    I am not sure what he would want to know by this question but all I can think of is "if the loadicator is on line or offline", does the loadicator has damage stability calculation in it" or he simply wants to know the make and model of the loadicator software.

    Alok Singh February 4, 2019
    Appreciate your effort Sir!!

  • GANESAN K March 5, 2017
    Very useful article....nicely explained...
    1

    Rajeev Jassal March 13, 2017
    Thanks Ganesan..

  • Mayur March 13, 2017
    I'm preparing for chief mates exam and this information is very easy and usefull to understand.. thank you for such great help.
    1

    Rajeev Jassal March 13, 2017
    Thanks Mayur.. Let me know if you come across any doubt while preparing for your exams..

  • Gopal Narayan November 17, 2017
    Is thereany allowable limit for the test condition. If the value after the comparison is more or less. What is acceptable Figure.
    2

    abhishek sinha February 1, 2019
    Please advise about this error tolerance limiy in test condition

    Mahesh Anand March 19, 2021
    Tolerance limits Table are provided in the Manual and depend on Class Requirement.Generally these are on "% " basis. Tolerance % = ((Base Value-Input Value)/Base Value)*100.

  • Mark Regis November 21, 2017
    Sir a very helpful info thanks a lot. But I have question. I am on board a vessel from Maersk and I found my certificate from loading compiter didnt mention anything about loading computer specification and I try to drop a mail to our Superintendent only to receive a negative reply that specification for loading computer will only be needed if I have only one computer onboard. Im ona container vessel. Please help me on this matter. Thanks
    0

  • Shiva January 28, 2018
    Hello Sir !! Appreciate your kind efforts for making this article. Just wanted to know the 5 DIFFERENT TEST CONDITIONS IN Loadicator ?? Thanks & Regards Shiva
    0

  • Imran Mushtaq February 17, 2018
    appreciate your kind efforts sir. kindly can you tell me how much is the difference allowed in weight ,draft or any other thing while testing Loadicator onboard.
    0

  • PARDEEP kumar February 18, 2018
    Sir what types of ship is provided with loadicator other than bulk carrier and tanker. Is there any regulation for that (their is for bulk carrier in chap 12 of solas) in solas
    0

  • moshiur February 28, 2018
    Good day sir, My question is what are the information I will get from Loadicator.. Thanks in advance
    0

  • Ankit April 20, 2018
    Sir how to go about loading if the loadicator fails for some reason?
    0

  • wisdom Agu May 23, 2018
    This is excellent and l must say this article and other of all the articles have been a lifesaver to many seafarers preparing for their various ticket upgrade including me. thanks a lot and keep up the good work.
    0

  • Maninder Jit Singh November 11, 2018
    appreciate and found it useful for mates oral.
    0

  • GURJINDER SINGH April 17, 2019
    Sir please advise the limitations of loadicator (as it is required for my mates orals). Thanks
    0

  • PRASHANT BAGAL March 5, 2020
    Excellent Information sir. Sir could you elaborate on Stability calculation without Loadicator.
    0

  • Deep singh March 13, 2020
    Please advise about this error tolerance limiy in test condition
    0

  • AMAR ANAND April 26, 2020
    thank you very much sir....for such a wonderful article
    0

  • Larry Dias May 27, 2020
    Inaccuracies between the draughts as calculated by the ship stability software and the draughts as read, despite dock water density being correctly input into the programme on each occasion. Briefly describe: (i) the possible causes of these discrepancies (ii) how they may be compensated for to ensure that the draughts as calculated by the software are the same as the draughts as read.
    0

  • Aung Myo Kyaw July 9, 2020
    According to MARPOL annex 1 Reg 28 , the loading instruments which was installed on Tankers should export both of Intact & Damage Stability conditions , but can we calculate both for Intact & Damage conditons in Loading instruments on ships other than tankers ?
    0

  • Johny August 23, 2020
    Dear Capt. Please can you explain what is different between C10 or C40 or C41 or C16 test condition on Loadmaster software.
    0

  • Wassim March 7, 2021
    Thank you for your article. I just want to ask you a question, what we do if there's a big difference between load conditions and our calculation ?!
    0

  • rabi September 17, 2021
    sir, is there any fixed interval for lodicator test ?
    0

  • ANDREAS K. October 19, 2021
    Is there any specific regulation or Flag/Class circular, that makes clear the testing intervals by ship's staff? other than SMS procedures? (usually SMS procedures are base on regulations requirements hence I can't find any Requirement for the intervals of testing by the crew). Thanks in advance!
    0

  • Akash July 5, 2022
    HI, sir can you please advise,how to order wire rope for anchor lashing, what should be length and swl etc.? TIA
    0

  • Amit kumar August 2, 2022
    Sir, under which certificate loadicator is mentioned, other than class cert for loadicator. Safety equipment or loadline certificate .
    0

  • ASIDERA, JUNIEVER October 27, 2022
    Good day sir, is there any specific statutory regulation restricting the loadicator to harbor condition calculation during cargo operation in port instead of practicing seagoing condition? Thanks
    0

  • Capt. Vipan Kumar May 2, 2023
    Well detailed on the subject. Appreciate.
    0

Capt Rajeev Jassal

About Capt Rajeev Jassal

Capt. Rajeev Jassal has sailed for over 24 years mainly on crude oil, product and chemical tankers. He holds MBA in shipping & Logistics degree from London. He has done extensive research on quantitatively measuring Safety culture onboard and safety climate ashore which he believes is the most important element for safer shipping.

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