HOW CONTAINERS ARE LOADED ON A FULL CONTAINER SHIP

HOW CONTAINERS ARE LOADED ON A FULL CONTAINER SHIP
Sometimes, customers ask us to have the steamship line load containers on a ship’s deck, or on top of all other containers to avoid risking cargo being squeezed and damaged due to collective container weight. Unfortunately, these requests are out of our control.

In this article, you will learn how containers are loaded onto vessels, what types of parameters and constraints there are when loading, and why there is such a specific loading process.

OPERATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL CONSTRAINTS WHEN LOADING CONTAINERS.

The manifest, sent by each shipping agency for loading containers on a particular ship, contains an accurate description of each container, from which it is possible to know its type, size, weight and final destination.

When looking at container types, in addition to the standard 20 and 40-foot containers, there are other types of containers, such as reefers, hazardous containers, flat racks, etc.

First, containers for dangerous goods cannot be stowed on deck and in contiguous cells, while refrigerated containers must be stowed in particular cells, as they require the proximity of a power outlet to maintain the temperature necessary to avoid damaging goods during transit.

Next, for specialty containers, the Vessel Planner decides the position of them on board, based on ship information, trip specifics, the various ports called, and the quality and quantity of the cargo already on board. However, one exception is containers for dangerous goods. With these containers, the Vessel Planner must comply with the Harbor Authority’s instructions at the time of issue of the authorization to embark.

OVERVIEW OF STABILITY CONSTRAINTS.

Stability constraints refer to a correct weight distribution on board the ship. In general, it should establish the safest way to stow containers on board. Stability constraints not only refer to the calculation of the stability, but also to rules derived from the above-mentioned constraints and the experience and knowledge of the cargo and ship. They help to establish the most-correct way to proceed with the arrangement of containers on board, so that a balanced distribution of weights is already considered in this phase.

Stability constraints require that the ship be loaded in such a way as to be able to successfully deal with its own navigation in all weather conditions. This means that the containers must be stowed in such a way as to avoid the buckling, sagging or twisting of the ship, which could, in extreme cases, cause splitting or otherwise compromise navigation. It is also advisable that the stability constraints are respected even after eventual landings in intermediate destinations, to avoid unbalancing due to the unbalanced discharge of containers.

TOGETHER, ALL OF THESE FACTORS ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN LOADING CONTAINERS ONTO A FULL CONTAINER SHIP.