SEED CARGO

As of January 1, 2021, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has established that all bulk seed cargoes must be analyzed and certified by a laboratory accredited by the country's Maritime Administration, in order to be transported within the safety standards established by the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargo Code (IMSBC Code).

Based on this measure, one of the risks to be minimized is the potential danger of fire on board ships, which could be caused by this type of cargo when transported in bulk.

In relation to cargo samples, a series of characteristics must be considered in order to carry out the analysis and proceed with certification, such as assessing moisture and oil levels, and verifying the possibility of spontaneous burning during transport, among others. The analysis of this type of cargo must follow the procedures and requirements described in the Manual of the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Cargo, commonly known as the "Orange Book".

In the case of soybean bran, particular care must be taken to ensure that it does not exceed the maximum allowable parameters for oil content, as this condition could cause the cargo to self-ignite, and consequently cause damage to the integrity of the crew and the vessel.

For Brazil, this product is particularly relevant, since during 2020 it represented a significant source of resources for the national agricultural sector, since 16.9 million tons were exported to the world.

At the end of 2020, the Directorate of Ports and Coasts (DPC), as the Brazilian Maritime Authority, had to face an intense work as a fiscal agent to evaluate and subsequently enable laboratories that, in compliance with current regulations (IMSBC Code), could perform this type of analysis to bulk seed cargoes in various ports throughout the country.

Thus, even with the limitations imposed by sanitary measures due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the DPC was able to implement measures that had a positive impact on members of the maritime community and facilitated the flow of Brazilian exports, among which the following stand out:

• Creation of a group of auditors to analyze the documentation submitted and verify the constitution of the laboratories, composed of men and women from the DPC Technical Directorate.
• Technical visits and audits at the facilities.
• Continuous training of CPD representatives for audit visits, regularly integrating a new member to the team, with the objective of increasing the number of qualified auditors to achieve the certification of the laboratories in the required times.