Key data
| Stowage factor | 0.55–0.70 m³/t (typical 0.60)19.4–24.7 ft³/t (typical 21.2) |
|---|---|
| Form | Bulk |
| IMSBC group | C Cargoes that neither liquefy nor carry a chemical hazard. |
| Angle of repose | ~30 |
| BCSN | SAND |
ft³/t values are per metric tonne (1 m³/t ≈ 35.31 ft³/t). Stowage factors are indicative — see note below.
Description
Sand is shipped in bulk for construction, glassmaking and industry, in grades from coarse to fine. At around 0.60 m3/t it is a dense, deadweight cargo. Inert and low-hazard chemically, its carriage is about handling a heavy mineral, with the behaviour of fine, wet sand the one point to watch.
Stowage & loading
Holds are presented clean, and the sand is loaded by grab or conveyor and trimmed level, with weight spread over the tank top given its density. The moisture of fine grades is noted, since saturated fine sand can behave unstably, and dust is controlled with dry, fine sand.
Hazards & handling
The concerns are mainly physical: concentrated weight, and dust with dry fine grades. Fine, saturated sand can lose stability and shift, behaving somewhat like a cargo that may flow, so very wet fine sand is treated with caution. Coarse, drier sand is stable and straightforward.
Carriage & discharge
The cargo is largely stable; fine wet grades are watched for any movement, and the dense stow distributed to protect the structure. Discharge is by grab; dust is controlled with dry sand, and the residue is cleaned from holds on completion.
Key hazards
- Concentrated weight of a dense cargo
- Instability and possible shifting of fine, saturated sand
- Dust with dry, fine grades
Loading precautions
- Spread the dense load over the tank top
- Watch moisture in fine grades and treat very wet sand with caution
- Control dust with dry, fine sand
Stowage factors are indicative and vary with grade, origin, moisture and packing. Always verify against the shipper's cargo declaration and the applicable IMSBC Code schedule before fixing or loading. This is general information, not professional or safety advice.