Operational guide · Operational procedure

Heavy Lift Cargo and Project Cargo

Heavy lift and project cargo require reliable data and an engineering package consistent with the CSM and ship limits; Annex 13 authorises neither autonomous crew calculations nor a universal independent sea-fastening survey.

heavy liftproject cargoCSS Code Annex 13special cargoes

Operational Explanation

Annex 13 provides design assumptions and an assessment method for semi-standardised and non-standardised cargo. The arrangement must nevertheless be covered by the approved CSM or engineering/case-specific analysis prepared by competent personnel and accepted or approved as required. Deck/tank-top limits, stability, grillage, support and sea fastening remain part of the engineering package.

Regulatory Reference

SOLAS VI/5.6, approved CSM and CSS Code Annex 13 as revised by MSC.1/Circ.1623. Weather-dependent lashing, routing or speed restrictions are used only when formally provided in the CSM/engineering package with applicable limits and monitoring.

Scope of Application

Heavy lift, out-of-gauge and project cargo require assessment proportionate to mass, geometry, supports, CoG, structure and voyage. Approval/acceptance and independent survey depend on Administration, class, CSM, Company, contract, charterer or insurer; they are not identical universal IMO duties for every cargo.

Procedure / How to Complete It

Obtain reliable mass, dimensions, verified CoG, support and lifting points from the shipper.
Check deck/tank-top limits, stability, structural loads and compatibility with the approved CSM.
Have competent personnel prepare securing/sea-fastening analysis under Annex 13 and other applicable standards.
Obtain acceptance/approval and survey where required by documents and competent parties.
On board verify installation against drawings and calculations; stop on discrepancy.

Practical Example

For a turbine on deck, the engineering package checks supports, grillage, deck loads, stability, design accelerations and sea fastening. Weather or speed limits apply only if formally included. Crew verify installation against accepted drawings.

What Typically Goes Wrong

Industry analyses of the practical limits of the CSS Code in the transport of project cargo (for example, the case study on the grillage design for the sea transport of gas slug catchers) have highlighted how a literal application of the standard tables is not sufficient for atypical cargo configurations, requiring dedicated engineering analysis under the Annex 13 methodology rather than a rough extrapolation from the conventional tables.

Common Mistakes Mistake Library

Mistake	Consequence	How to Avoid It
Improvised onboard Annex 13 calculation	Structural assessment and acceptance process are missing	Use competent engineering and approved/accepted package
Forecast freely reduces design loads	Arrangement falls outside approved assumptions	Use weather-dependent limits only where formally prescribed
Independent survey treated as universal IMO duty	Requirement unsupported by the source	Check contract, insurer, Company, class and Administration

What the PSCO Checks

Consistency between approved CSM/engineering package and actual arrangement, cargo data, structural/stability limits, acceptance conditions and familiarisation. Design responsibility is not transferred to crew.

Operational Tips

Do not use estimated data where mass or CoG requires verification.
Do not reduce design loads from forecast alone.
Check the sea-fastening survey requirement in contract and applicable procedures.

Preparation checklist

Reliable cargo data and verified CoG
Deck/tank-top, stability and structural loads checked
Engineering analysis prepared by competent personnel
Acceptance/approval obtained where required
Weather-dependent limitations formally documented
Independent survey performed only where required
Installation matches drawings

FAQ

May crew autonomously design securing with Annex 13?

No. Use an arrangement in the CSM or engineering package prepared by competent personnel and accepted/approved as required.

May forecast reduce design loads?

Only within weather-dependent procedures and limits formally prescribed in the CSM/engineering package.

Is an independent sea-fastening survey always required?

No. Check contract, insurer, Company, class and Administration.

What did the 2020 revision do?

It introduced and clarified the criteria of the revised Annex 13; it is not a future proposal.

Heavy Lift Cargo and Project Cargo

Operational Explanation

Regulatory Reference

Scope of Application

Procedure / How to Complete It

Practical Example

What Typically Goes Wrong

Common Mistakes Mistake Library

What the PSCO Checks

Operational Tips

Preparation checklist

FAQ

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