From 2015 to 2018, GCG led critical research into the moisture-induced instabilities of bauxite cargoes, addressing growing international concerns about the liquefaction potential of these materials during maritime transport. Our work involved directing the investigation and sampling of bauxite cargoes from multiple countries across Asia and Africa, ensuring a representative understanding of global material variability.
As active members of the Global Bauxite Working Group (GBWG), GCG played a central role in shaping the technical direction of the research. Our responsibilities included the design and oversight of laboratory testing programmes, interpretation of geotechnical behaviour under cyclic loading, and the development of criteria for distinguishing between stable and potentially liquefiable bauxite cargoes.
GCG co-authored the GBWG’s final report, which was formally presented to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in September 2017. This report formed the technical foundation for the introduction of two new cargo schedules in the IMSBC Code:
- BAUXITE (Group C) – cargoes not liable to liquefy
- BAUXITE FINES (Group A) – cargoes that may liquefy under certain conditions
These new classifications represent a major advancement in maritime safety, ensuring that moisture-sensitive bauxite cargoes are now subject to appropriate testing, handling, and loading protocols. GCG’s contributions were instrumental in driving this regulatory change, reinforcing our position as a global leader in the geotechnical assessment of bulk cargo behaviour.
Publications
We have given lectures on cargo instability during shipping to Universities, P&I Clubs, International Workshops on cargo liquefaction and seepage-induced instabilities, and the Lloyds Register’s annual symposium on liquefaction of bulk cargoes:
- Imperial College pre-Rankine Symposium: 31 Mar 2019 (Dr C. O. Menkiti)
- Imperial College Seepage-Induced Instability Workshop 31 Aug – 1 Sept 2017 (Dr C. O. Menkiti)
- Cambridge University Geotechnical Society 26 Oct 2016 (Dr D.W. Hight)
- Eranet-Martec Programme LiquefAction Workshop – French Embassy London 16 Jul 2018 (Dr C. O. Menkiti)
- P&I Clubs (Dr Menkiti: Britannia P&I Club 30 Apr 2019, North of England P&I Club 17 April 2018, Swedish Club 4 Dec 2019).
- Lloyds Register Liquefaction of Bulk Cargoes Seminar Sept 2017 (Dr Menkiti)
- Lloyds Register Liquefaction of Bulk Cargoes Seminar Oct 2018 (Dr Menkiti)
Location
