Mold Growth on Goods: Investigation & Analysis

After conducting an inspection, we have identified the reasons for the mold growth on the goods. Firstly, the temperature of the goods was around 33 degrees Celsius when loaded into the cargo hold, and the ventilation ports on the hatch cover were opened in accordance with the 3-degree rule during the voyage. However, upon arrival at the anchorage, the crew discovered condensation in the cargo hold and opened the hatch cover for ventilation. At this time, the environmental temperature was only slightly over ten degrees Celsius, which was more than 20 degrees Celsius lower than the temperature of the goods. As a result, the rapid ventilation caused the surface of the goods to dry quickly and cool down, leading to the warm and humid air flow produced by the bottom layer of the goods to condense when it encountered the low-temperature surface. This resulted in the goods below the surface becoming extremely humid, leading to rapid microbial and mold growth. The growth of microorganisms further blocked the gaps between the soybeans, exacerbating the mold growth. We have observed this process to occur in as little as 20 hours. Ultimately, the high moisture content of the goods contributed to this phenomenon. Even if the crew did not open the hatch, the goods would still mold due to the phenomenon of 'hatch sweat'.