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CDI Book: 3rd Edition "Chemical Tankers: A Pocket Safety Guide"
This pocket-sized book has been revised and updated to reflect current best practices and covers basic tanker safety practices for crewmembers who are serving on, or about to serve on, chemical tankers.

The book provides a good introduction and familiarisation to Chemical Tanker practice, terminology, and standards.

This book explores best practices on tankers carrying chemical and similar hazardous products and provides a good introduction to safe tanker practice, terminology, and standards. It is not a detailed operational guide but is aimed as basic safety information for seafarers of all ranks and positions. It is suitable for seafarers who may be re-joining a tanker after leave for example, or for a person with little or no experience on tankers, in particular cadets and new ratings. Ideally, it should be read to aid the familiarisation process whenever you join a chemical tanker.

The Guide features information necessary to carry out basic tasks safely and details potential hazards, what to do if a problem arises, and how to mitigate the risks through best practice.

Not all of the cargoes carried on chemical tankers are hazardous. However, most do have some level of safety and/or pollution hazard connected to them. The marine industry recognises this and, through design, regulation, and best practice, has controlled or removed many of the hazards.

A glossary of technical terms is included, with graphical representation of more complex concepts.

This book is listed as a “Publication required to be onboard” in the CDI Ship inspection questionnaire (SIR)

The book is available in both hard back and E-Book format direct from CDI's publishers: Witherby Publishing Group
CDI Best Practice: Dosing of Ship's Cargo Tanks
The scope of this paper is to:
  • Provide guidance to enhance procedural safety and does not intend to over-ride any International or National requirements, a company's Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) or Safety Management Systems (SMS).
  • Common industry practices have been taken into account and evaluated to provide best working practices and retain a safe working environment when dosing ship's cargo tanks.
This document can be accessed here:
CDI Best Practice: The use of Portable Electronic Equipment on Board Tankers
The scope of this paper is to:
  • Ensure that the carriage and use of portable electronic equipment is in accordance with recognised standards at all times.
  • To ensure that portable electronic equipment carried or used on tankers or at facilities is operated in a safe and effective manner, at all times.
  • To ensure a risk assessment includes identifying the hazardous certification of the equipment to be used, as well as ensuring the equipment's certification matches the area it is intended to be used in.
  • To raise awareness with ships crews working onboard tankers or at facilities regarding the classification of hazardous areas in relation to the portable electronic equipment to be used, including its carriage and operation and in what areas and when, such equipment may and may not be used.
  • To ensure the “risk assessment before use”, addresses any potential gaps between the current regulations in place and the modernity of the portable electronic device that is to be used.
  • To ensure that only portable electronic equipment certified for use in a hazardous area is used.
This document can be accessed here:
CDI Best Practice: Managing Electrostatic Hazards in the Collection of Liquids in Portable Containers
The scope of this paper is aimed at vessels crew, that may get involved in activities related to the collecting of liquids in portable containers and aims to raise awareness on risks and controls that do not exist in other maritime industry publications, to provide guidance:
  • regarding the different types of products,
  • their related conductivity,
  • the type of portable container required,
  • guidance regarding how to mitigate associated electrostatic risks when filling/transferring liquid substances into portable containers on board vessels.
This document can be accessed here:
Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy and Enhance Maritime Security in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea (BMP5)
Issued June 2018: The purpose of this publication is to help ships plan their voyage and to detect, avoid, deter, delay and report attacks. Experience has shown application of the recommendations in this publication makes a significant difference to the safety of seafarers.

Piracy-specific Best Management Practice (BMP), international navies and capacity building ashore have helped to suppress piracy. However, Somali piracy has not been eradicated and remains a threat.

The BMP contained in this publication mitigates the risk from piracy and other maritime security threats.

Regional instability has introduced other maritime security threats, which include:
  • Deliberate targeting of ships by extremist groups.
  • Collateral damage arising from regional conflict.
BMP piracy measures are effective, but differences in attack methods from other threats may require other forms of mitigation. For example, attacks carried out by extremists may be more determined, as they may be willing to risk their lives.

This new industry publication is available free of charge and be downloaded here:
BMP5.pdf (4Mb)
Global Counter Piracy Guidance for Companies, Masters and Seafarers
Issued June 2018: The purpose of this guidance is to protect seafarers, the ship and cargo and, to facilitate threat and risk assessment and planning for voyages transiting areas where the threat of attack by pirates and armed robbers exists.

This guidance consists of:
  • General advice and recommendations that are common to mitigate against attack by pirates and armed robbers;
  • Guidance on threat and risk assessment, planning and the implementation of self-protection measures; and
  • Appendix A providing information on other security threats and the fundamental requirements and recommendations to ensure that companies and ships can respond to those threats in a proportionate and dynamic way.
  • Annexes providing information on regions where there is a risk of piracy and armed robbery and where prior planning and preparation before transiting the region is recommended.

This guidance is complementary to other industry regional guidance and that issued by international regional organisations such as the Regional Guide to Counter Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia produced by ReCAAP ISC in collaboration with other regional organisations.

This new industry publication is available free of charge and be downloaded here:
Global Counter-Piracy Guidance.pdf (12Mb)
Best Management Practices to Enhance Maritime Security for Vessels & Mariners Operating Off the Coast of West Africa including the Gulf of Guinea (BMP WA)
Published March 2020: Industry organisations, supported by government and military organisations, have worked together to produce a new publication that will help mariners detect, deter and delay external threats to their safety. Best Management Practices to Enhance Maritime Security for Vessels & Mariners Operating Off the Coast of West Africa including the Gulf of Guinea (BMP WA) consolidates and enhances existing guidance for specific threats in this region.
The publication is free of charge and be downloaded here:

BMP West Africa.pdf (5Mb)
NEW 2018: “Chemical Tanker Operations for the STCW Advanced Training Course”
The culmination of almost 3 years work; this publication is a very comprehensive guide to chemical tanker cargo operations. It is an essential reference point for serving officers, chemical tanker ship operators and managers, as well as those undertaking advanced training as required by the STCW Convention.

“With a wealth of knowledge in chemical handling and transport, CDI's members felt it was essential to draw upon their collective expertise to produce a guide that would not only support the continuity of practical knowledge within the wider chemical tanker industry, but assist candidates studying for the Advanced Training for Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations (STCW) course”. said CDI's General Manager Howard Snaith. He went on to say, “CDI has worked closely with all stakeholders in producing this book, including chemical manufacturers, charterers and parcel tanker operators”.

The book is written as a practical sequential prompt, an aide-mémoire for serving officers and managers, and as a consolidated study guide for those undertaking the advanced training for chemical tanker cargo operations as required by the STCW Convention.

The book can be ordered direct from our publishers Witherby Seamanship, email : info@emailws.com
or telephone +44(0)1506 463 227, or by clicking here.
Linked Ship/Shore Emergency Shutdown Systems for Oil and Chemical Transfers
This information paper recommends an Emergency Shutdown (ESD) connection that will link ship and terminal ESD systems, so that manual activation by the terminal or ship will stop cargo transfer operations. The information paper recommends an electrical umbilical incorporating 5-pin twist connectors for universal adoption.

Linked Ship-Shore Emergency Shutdown Systems for Oil and Chemical Transfers.pdf
New CDI Publication: "Guidelines for Liquid Chemical Hose Management"
While the main focus of this NEW book is on the hoses used for the transfer of chemical products, the essential and frequently used range of service hoses for water, steam, air and nitrogen are also covered.
This guide will be a required publication in the new 8th edition CDI Ship Inspection Questionnaire for Chemical Tankers and LPG Tankers, which will be published in Quarter 1; 2015.

The book can be ordered direct from our publishers Witherby Seamanship, email : info@emailws.com
or telephone +44(0)1506 463 227, or by clicking here.
Ship to Ship Transfer Guide for Petroleum, Chemicals & Liquefied Gases
The Guide is aimed at providing advice for Masters, Marine Superintendents and others, such as STS service providers and transfer organisers, who may be involved in the planning and execution of STS operations. Particular attention is given to the effective planning of operations and aspects that include risk assessment, ship compatibility and the management of workloads to minimise fatigue.

The Guide contains recommendations on safety, minimum equipment levels and good operating practices, but it is recognised that if more stringent international, national or local regulations apply, they must take precedence. The guide is a required publication in the CDI Ship Inspection Reports (SIR's).

The obtain the guide please contact our publishers Witherby Seamanship www.witherbyseamanship.com email: info@emailws.com or telephone +44(0)1506 463 227

More details available here:
STS_emailer.pdf
CDI Best Practice Recommendation Regarding the use of Nitrogen
The objective of the paper is to set out the Chemical industries recommendation regarding the use of Nitrogen on sea going chemical tankers and to supplement safer ways of working within the industry, fully recognising the dangers of Nitrogen, both to people and ships.

This document is freely available to download here:
CDI-Best_Practice Nitrogen.pdf
Safety Data Sheets for Chemical Tankers ? An Information paper for Industry
This information paper has been compiled to assist anyone (Seafarers, Manufacturers, Shippers, Port State Control Officers, National and International Authorities) associated with the carriage of bulk liquid chemicals and other products subject to the international code for the construction and equipment of ships carrying dangerous chemicals in bulk – the IBC Code.

This document is freely available to download here:
SafetyData Sheets_ChemicalTankers_A4PaperSize.pdf