EXPLAINING THE TRAINING AND

ITS PURPOSE
EXPLAINING THE TRAINING AND
ITS PURPOSE
EXPLAINING THE TRAINING AND
ITS PURPOSE
 Introduction
The history of the container

Positioning and securing of containers

on board

Container stowage plans

 The history of the container
In May 2001, Malcolm P. McLean, the "Father of Containerization", died aged eighty-seven. He used
to say that he had the idea of rationalizing goods transport by avoiding the constant loading and
unloading from one means of transport to another way back at the end of the 1930s at the port of
Hoboken, when still operating as a small-scale hauler. To start with, McLean would load complete
trucks onto ships, in order to transport them as close as possible to their destination. The development
of standardized containers and trailers, moved by tractors, made it possible to ship just the trailers with
the containers, so saving on space and costs. Later, the trailers were also left behind and the ships
transported just the containers. Shipowners were more than a little skeptical about McLean's idea.
This prompted him to become a shipowner himselfand he appropriately named his company Sea-Land
Inc. At the end of the 1990s, McLean sold his company to the Maersk shipping company, but his
company name lives on in the name Maersk Sealand. In the literature, the "Ideal X" is mentioned as
the first container freighter. This ship left Newark on 26th April 1956 carrying fifty-eight containers,
which it transported to Houston. The first ship designed to carry only containers is the
"Maxton", a converted tanker, which could carry sixty containers as deck cargo. That was in 1956.
Another decade passed before the first container ship moored in Europe. The first container on
German soil was set down by the "Fairland" at Bremer Überseehafen on 6th May 1966. The first
containers used by SeaLand in Northern Europe were 35' ASA containers, i.e. they were constructed
to American standards. In other regions, 27' ASA containers and other ASA dimensions were often
used. Shipowners in Europe and Japan quickly recognized the advantages of the container and also
invested in the new transport technology. Since American standards could only be applied
 The history of the container
with difficulty to conditions in Europe and other countries, an
agreement was eventually reached with the Americans after painstaking negotiations. The resulting
ISO standards provided for lengths of 10', 20', 30' and 40'. The width was fixed at 8' and the height at
8' and 8' 6". For land transport within Europe, agreement was reached on a 2.50 m wide inland
container, which is mainly used in combined road/rail transport operations. The majority of containers
used worldwide today comply with the ISO standard, with 20'- and 40'-long containers predominating.
For some years, the ISO standard has come repeatedly under pressure. As stowage factors increase
for most goods, many forwarders want longer, wider and higher containers, preferably all at once.
Some shipowners have given in to the pressure and containers of dimensions larger than provided for
by the ISO standard are now encountered distinctly more frequently. "Jumbo" containers of 45' and 48'
in length, widths of 8'6" (2.60 m) and heights of 9'6" (2.90 m) have been in existence for some years.
Efforts to build even larger containers, e.g. 24' (7.43 m) and 49' (14.40 m) boxes 2.60 m wide and 2.90
m high, are mostly confined to the USA. Even 53' long containers have been approved for use for
some time throughout the USA, while some states will even allow 57'. In Europe and on other
continents, narrower roads are a limiting factor. Developing countries are understandably
against changing the standards. More details are given in the section entitled "Container dimensions
and weights".
The first container ship sets sail, April 26 1956
 Positioning and securing of
containers on board
General on-board stowage
On most ships which are specially designed for container traffic, the containers are carried
lengthwise:

Containers stowed lengthwise fore and aft stowage on board a ship

Positioning and securing of
containers on board
• Cell guides in an all-container ship
• Guide rails of two adjacent slots
 Positioning and securing of
containers on board
• Securing in vessel holds by cell guides and pins
• Example of stacked stowage with conventional securing
 Positioning and securing of
containers on board
• Securing in vessel holds by block stowage and stabilization
• This securing method is found less and less frequently, but it is still found on some conbulkers and
other multipurpose freighters. Containers are interconnected horizontally and vertically using single,
double and possibly quadruple stacking cones. The top tiers are connected by means of bridge
fittings.

Fastening containers
together
 Positioning and securing of
containers on board
• To the sides, the containers are supported at their corner castings with "pressure/tension
elements".
• Examples of block stowage method with stabilization
 Positioning and securing of
containers on board
• Securing on deck using block stowage securing . This method was used a lot in the early days of
container ships, but has been used less and less in recent years for economic reasons.
 Positioning and securing of
•
containers on board
Example of block stowage securing on deck
 Positioning and securing of
containers on board
• Securing on deck using stacked stowage securing
This securing method is the one used most frequently. Cargo handling flexibility is its key advantage.
The containers are stacked one on top of the other, connected with twist locks and lashed vertically.
No stack is connected with any other stack. The container lashings do not cross over the lashings from
other stacks, except for the "wind lashings" on the outer sides of the ship.
Positioning and securing of
containers on board
Positioning and securing of
containers on board
Positioning and securing of
containers on board
 Container stowage plans
• bay-tier-row system
Numbering system for the arrangement of containers on a vessel. In this numbering system, the bay is
specified first, then the tier (vertical layer) and finally the container row, which runs the length of the
ship.
 Container stowage plans
• Thirty-eight 20' container bays on a ship
 Container stowage plans
• Nineteen 40' container bays on a ship
 Container stowage plans
• Bay numbering system
 CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
• Badly fitted lashings can be a danger to the vessel and the safety of
the crew. Deck crew must be vigilant that stevedores are carrying
out their stowage duties efficiently. On occasions, it has been
discovered after a vessel has sailed that lashings have been
incorrectly fitted or wrongly tensioned, and it has even been known
for a stack to be discovered without any lashings fitted! Checks need
to be made whilestevedores are working that everything is in good
order. Should deck crew observe any incorrect or suspicious
practices being carried out by stevedores, the matter should be
reported immediately to the Deck Officer.
CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
 CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
• Safety
• Containership operations are personnel intensive. Although over the years, the transition from
general cargo to containerized cargo and from non standard vessels to standard cellular container
vessels has reduced manpower requirements on board.
• In port stevedores board the vessel for lashing, unlashing and cargo operations and their safety
whilst on board is the vessels responsibility. It is important to understand that any injury caused to
stevedores or shore personnel due to a condition on board being unsafe, can result in very large
claims to the vessel.
• On board containerships there are several potential safety hazards in the cargo working area and
these will have to be identified, made safe and monitored to ensure continued safety.
• All obstructions/protrusions on deck must be Marked / Highlighted, safety rails / guard rails,
walkways, ladders, handholds etc must be maintained in good condition and safety ropes/nets must
be rigged where necessary.
• Personnel should not be near / under objects like Containers, Hatch covers etc then these are
moving overhead.
• When hatch covers are closed, forced ventilation must be operated for a suitable period of time
before man entry into cargo holds.
• Safe access to and from the vessel, its cargo working areas and cargo holds must be provided and
maintained at all times. All cargo working areas and accesses must be adequately illuminated.
 CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
• BEFORE SAILING
• Before sailing, and certainly before the ship reaches open sea, as many lashings and
securing devices as
• possible should be checked:
• • Are all lashings in place and secure?
• • Are all twistlocks closed?
• • Are all lashings hand tight, and neither slack nor over-tight?
• • Are the refrigerated containers all connected and working properly?
• • Are there any signs of leaks, especially from dangerous goods containers?
• Checks should include making sure no ‘rogue’ or incompatible lashings have been
used or brought on
• board from another vessel. Most of the vessel’s own lashings should have a colour-
coding system
• showing how long each has been in use. A lashing without these colour markings
might be a possible‘rogue’. If one is discovered it should be reported and, if possible,
replaced with one of the ship’s own
• devices. If it cannot be removed it should be noted and replaced when the container is
discharged.
 CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
• If it is impossible to physically check every lashing either before or soon after sailing,
then at least checks
• should be done on lashings and securing devices on:
• • The heaviest stacks
• • Outboard stacks
• • Exposed stacks, either fully or partially
• • Dangerous goods containers
 CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
• At sea
• 24 hours after sailing, examine, check and tighten turnbuckles. Check that lashings
are applied in accordance with the Cargo Securing Manual and that twistlocks have
been locked
• examine lashings daily. Check that they have not become loose and tighten
turnbuckles as necessary
• before the onset of bad weather, examine lashings thoroughly and tighten
turnbuckles, being careful to keep an equal tension in individual lashing rods. If
necessary, apply additional lashing rods to the outboard stacks and to stacks with 20-
foot containers in 40-foot bays
• re-check lashings after passing through bad weather
• make sure that lashing equipment that is not in use is correctly stored in baskets or
racks
• make an inventory of lashing equipment and order spares before they are needed
• check that refrigerated boxes remain connected to the ship’s power supply
 CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
• BEWARE OF IMPROVISED LASHINGS
• Improvised or makeshift lashing devices should never be used,
other than in an emergency and if there isno alternative.
Improvised devices are potentially unsafe and can seriously
jeopardise the stability of astow. Stevedores and crew should
always use certificated lashing devices of the type specified in
thevessel’s CSM. The only possible exception might be in a
sudden and extreme emergency, when temporary improvised
lashings might have to be rigged.
CHECKING LASHINGS AND
SECURING DEVICES
• Training video :
• Container operation
• Safety onboard
• Vessels have a routine of briefing crew members involved in
loading and stowage operations justbefore berthing. Carried out
properly by the Duty or Deck Officer, and adjusted to include
specific information about the approaching port, its working
practices, the efficiency of its stevedores and shore staff, and its
security measures, such as a briefing, can be a valuable practice
for increasing the vigilance and safety-consciousness of the crew
during the coming stowage operations.