Boatnerd Discussion Forum

There are very strict rules today reguarding cargo residue. Stone can be rinsed in most areas with the exception of a few marine sanctuarys around the lakes. Salt/Coal/Ore must be rinsed 12nm off shore. and no Pet coke and be rinsed in Canadian waters. It is a struggle now a days to rinse cargo from the deck, making it a saftey hazard in some cases. Thank you tree huggers

Any sand that landed on deck would either be shoveled into the hold or hosed over the side. If it was cold out it would go into large garbage cans for traction on the icy deck.

After the boat leaves port and the hatches are closed and clamped, any spillage on the deck is shoveled and washed over board into the lake. Other than settling to the bottom, there is no significant environmental effect. All natural waters are already saturated with iron so taconite pellets do not dissolve; col would tend to actually remove some organic contaminants from the water column, and the very small amount of salt would not cause a measureable change in water quality.

I noticed on more than a few loading photos that the deck around the hatch openings will be covered at times with cargo debris (coal, pellets etc.) I know these are usualy hosed off after loading, but where is it hosed off to? Into the hold? I assume there may be environmental safeguards in place to prevent the cargo from being dumped into the lake?