5.23 SAMPLING THE CARGO DISCHARGE

The ship should take and retain cargo samples at the start of discharging each grade of cargo, once during each watch that the cargo is being discharged and a final sample during stripping. This series of samples will demonstrate the quality of the cargo throughout the discharge of each grade.
Samples should be drawn at the transfer manifold. The crew member assigned to take the samples must be properly instructed. The sampling outlet must be flushed to a bucket or to the manifold drip tray before sampling and the sampling connection wiped off before it is inserted into the sample container. Only new, clean containers, with caps certified for petroleum samples, should be used.
The sample should be tagged immediately.

The sample tag or label must indicate:
• Voyage number.
• Date.
• Cargo grade.
• Time.
• Sample type (starting, mid-watch, finishing, frame, bottom, middle, top, or running).
• Discharge port.
• Ship name.
• Tank being discharged.
• Name of sampler.

Samples must be stored in a cool, well ventilated space, with suitable fire protection. They should be stored in wire baskets, not in the combustible cartons the bottles were shipped in.
Samples should be retained for one year, then discarded if no cargo claim has been raised.
If a cargo claim is raised by shippers or receivers, the corresponding samples should be removed to locked storage until owners have issued instructions for their shipment to a shore laboratory for testing.