Mold Growth on Goods: Causes and Analysis

Regarding the reasons for mold growth on the goods, we have conducted an inspection and have the following opinions for your reference. Based on the ventilation records of the goods, we noticed that the temperature of the goods was approximately 33 degrees Celsius when they were loaded into the cargo hold. During the voyage, the crew opened the ventilation ports on the hatch cover according to the 3-degree rule. However, upon arrival at the anchorage, the crew discovered a significant amount of condensation in the cargo hold and opened the hatch cover for ventilation. At that time, the environmental temperature was only slightly above ten degrees Celsius, which was over 20 degrees Celsius lower than the temperature of the goods. The hatch being fully opened caused the ventilation rate to be fast, resulting in the goods' surface drying quickly and cooling down. The warm and humid air flow produced by the bottom layer of the goods would quickly condense when it encountered the low-temperature surface of the goods, causing the goods below the surface to become extremely humid and leading to rapid microbial and mold growth. The rapid growth of microorganisms would then block the gaps between the soybeans, causing the warm and humid air flow to be trapped in the moldy layer, further exacerbating the mold growth. This process occurs extremely quickly, as we have observed mold growth on goods within 20 hours. Ultimately, the high moisture content of the goods themselves is the root cause of this phenomenon. Even if the crew did not open the hatch, the goods' surface would still mold due to the phenomenon of 'hatch sweat'.