Communication is part of the operating plan
In bulk loading and discharge, communication is not just a way to pass along progress updates. It is one of the controls that helps the ship and terminal carry out a coordinated operation. The International Maritime Organization’s BLU Code was developed to help prevent accidents and ship losses associated with improper loading and unloading practices. It provides guidance for masters, terminal operators and other parties involved in handling solid bulk cargoes, alongside the applicable requirements of SOLAS and, where relevant, the IMSBC Code.
That makes clear, agreed communication useful from the first operational meeting—not only when something goes wrong. A workable arrangement answers three basic questions: Who can give an instruction? Who must acknowledge it? What happens if communication fails? The answers should be understood by the people directly controlling cargo equipment and the ship’s cargo operation, not just exchanged between office representatives.
This guide is an operational aid, not a substitute for the vessel’s approved procedures, the terminal’s rules, the BLU Code, or applicable national requirements. The aim is to make everyday instructions and changes easier to understand and verify. ([imo.org](https://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/safety/pages/blu-code-and-blu-manual.aspx?utm_source=openai))
Code of Practice for the Safe Loading and Unloading of Bulk Carriers (Resolution A.862(20)) · BLU Code and BLU Manual
Agree on contacts, channels and essential signals
Before cargo work begins, identify the shipboard officer and terminal representative who will coordinate the operation. Record the primary communication channel, a backup channel, and how either side can raise an urgent safety concern. If radio contact is part of the arrangement, confirm the channel and test it before relying on it. Keep the agreed method simple enough to use amid machinery noise, interruptions and shift changes.
Define a small set of unambiguous operational signals: start, pause, stop, resume, and emergency. Agree who may call a pause or stop and how the other side will acknowledge it. A safety-critical instruction should not be treated as received merely because it was transmitted. The receiver should repeat the instruction or its key details; the sender should confirm that the read-back is correct. If the message is unclear, stop to clarify rather than guess.
Language barriers can make routine ship-to-shore exchanges harder. IMO’s Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP) were developed to support standardized safety-related communications, including shore-to-ship and ship-to-shore exchanges, and to help reduce misunderstandings. Use plain, concise language; avoid relying on slang, vague expressions such as “a little more,” or a hand signal that has not been agreed. ([imo.org](https://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/safety/pages/standardmarinecommunicationphrases.aspx))
Make the plan and its limits easy to check
A useful pre-operation briefing turns the agreed cargo plan into shared reference points. Confirm the sequence of holds or cargo spaces, the equipment and transfer point in use, the expected rate or rate changes if agreed, and any planned pauses. Make sure both sides are looking at the same current version of the plan. If the sequence, equipment, or agreed operating conditions change, communicate the change and obtain acknowledgement before putting it into effect.
The communication arrangement should also identify conditions that require an immediate pause or escalation. Depending on the operation and applicable procedures, these might include loss of the agreed communication channel, an unexpected change in cargo flow, a concern about the ship’s condition, or a mismatch between the activity in progress and the agreed sequence. The master and terminal representative should follow their assigned safety responsibilities and procedures; a commercial target or desire to avoid delay should not turn an unclear instruction into permission to continue.
These points are consistent with the BLU Code’s focus on safe coordination between the ship and terminal during bulk cargo handling. Treat the briefing as a practical alignment exercise: it is an opportunity to find different assumptions before equipment is running. ([imo.org](https://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/safety/pages/blu-code-and-blu-manual.aspx))
Code of Practice for the Safe Loading and Unloading of Bulk Carriers (Resolution A.862(20)) · BLU Code and BLU Manual
Control pauses, restarts and shift handovers
A pause is only effective when both sides know cargo movement has stopped and understand what must happen before it restarts. When calling a pause, state it plainly, identify the relevant equipment or hold if applicable, and request acknowledgement. The person coordinating the shipboard operation and the terminal representative should establish the reason, the person responsible for resolving it, and any checks required before resumption. Record the time and the agreed status in the operation log or other designated record.
For a restart, do not rely on an old instruction or an assumption that the issue has cleared. Confirm that the reason for the pause has been addressed, the operating plan is still valid, and both sides are ready. Then communicate the restart clearly and obtain acknowledgement. If the responsible contacts or operating conditions have changed, re-establish the communication arrangement first.
At a shift change, hand over the current hold or cargo sequence, equipment status, any open concerns, and any restrictions or instructions that remain in force. A short written record can prevent a new team from acting on incomplete verbal context. Clear contacts, closed-loop instructions, and explicit pause-and-restart messages are modest habits, but they make it easier for ship and terminal teams to keep the same picture of the operation. ([imo.org](https://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/safety/pages/standardmarinecommunicationphrases.aspx))
BLU Code and BLU Manual · IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases