Life on Bulk Carriers: Dust, Hold Cleaning, and Why the Chief Officer Doesn't Sleep for Days

Greetings, bulk carrier sailors! The dry cargo fleet (Bulkers) is a classic of world shipping. Many start here and stay for life. But behind the apparent simplicity of transporting bulk cargo (coal, grain, ore, fertilizers) lies hellish work.

The scariest nightmare is hold cleaning. You carried coal, and the next cargo is grain. If an inspector finds even a gram of coal dust or signs of rust, the vessel gets detained, the company loses money, and the chief officer gets blamed. That's why during the voyage the entire crew descends into the holds: work at heights of 15–20 meters, with high-pressure hoses (Harry Guns), chemicals and brushes. And during loading, the chief officer barely sleeps—strictly controlling the Loading Plan so the ship doesn't break from uneven weight distribution.

Who went through bulk carrier school — what was the toughest hold cleaning you've experienced? How many times have you been detained by grain inspectors?