Key data
| Stowage factor | 2.00–3.00 m³/t (typical 2.50)70.6–105.9 ft³/t (typical 88.3) |
|---|---|
| Form | Bulk |
| IMSBC group | B Cargoes that carry a chemical hazard in carriage. |
| Angle of repose | ~40 |
| BCSN | WOOD CHIPS |
ft³/t values are per metric tonne (1 m³/t ≈ 35.31 ft³/t). Stowage factors are indicative — see note below.
Description
Wood chips are shipped in bulk in large volumes to pulp and board mills. Light and very bulky at around 2.50 m3/t, they are a strongly measurement cargo that fills the holds well before the marks. A Group B cargo, their handling is governed by the gases their decomposition produces.
Stowage & loading
Holds are presented clean, and the chips are loaded by conveyor or grab and trimmed. The moisture and condition of the chips are noted, since wetter, fresher chips decompose and consume oxygen more actively, and the high stow is planned around the ship's cubic capacity.
Hazards & handling
The overriding hazard is the atmosphere: decomposing wood consumes oxygen and gives off carbon dioxide and toxic carbon monoxide, so holds and adjacent spaces can be oxygen-deficient and toxic and have caused fatalities. The chips can also self-heat, and the cargo is dusty.
Carriage & discharge
Enclosed spaces are treated as oxygen-deficient and toxic throughout, never entered without ventilation and testing, and temperatures are watched for self-heating. Discharge is by grab or crane; spaces are ventilated and gas-tested before entry, and dusty residue cleaned on completion.
Key hazards
- Oxygen depletion and toxic carbon monoxide and dioxide from decomposition
- Enclosed spaces deadly to enter without ventilation and testing
- Self-heating and dust
Loading precautions
- Present clean holds and note moisture and condition of the chips
- Treat all enclosed and adjacent spaces as oxygen-deficient and toxic
- Ventilate and gas-test before any entry and watch for self-heating
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.