
Safe Transport of Containers by Sea - Guidelines on Best Practices
This ICS/WSC publication sets out best practices for the safe transportation of containers. It discusses container design and stuffing, marine terminal operations, the responsibilities of ship operators and their crews, booking and assignment of cargoes and arrangements for stowage planning. The book is accompanied by a CD version with a search function.
This publication focuses on safety at every stage of the container transport chain. Particular emphasis is given to international regulations, container maintenance and inspection, correct packing, labelling and weighing of cargoes (including dangerous goods) when they are stuffed into containers, safe handling and stowage of containers when loaded on board, planning and computer systems used in container stowage.
The primary responsibility for the safe carriage of containers at sea rests with the ship operator, both the shore based management and the seafarers serving on board. However, there are many other parties in the transport chain concerned with the movement of containers. There are those employed by shipping lines involved with the booking and assignment of cargoes, and the subsequent arrangements for stowage planning; and there are the freight forwarders, ports and terminal operators and – particularly important – the shippers, from whom the cargo originates. All of these parties have vital and unavoidable responsibilities towards the safety of ships on board which containers are transported and towards the cargo itself.
These responsibilities concern the correct packing, labelling and weighing of cargoes when they are stuffed into containers, the accurate and proper declaration of the goods by the cargo interests, and the safe handling and stowage of these containers when they are received by a port facility and loaded on board a ship, the latter requiring complex planning, calculations, and the use of sophisticated computer systems. There is also the maintenance and inspection of the containers themselves. All of these activities have a direct bearing on the safety of ships and the reduction of the risks to the lives of ships’ crews and other personnel in the transport chain.
The oceans in which containerships operate present a very challenging physical environment, and the pressures and forces exerted on a ship, particularly in heavy weather, may not always be readily appreciated by those who may not have experienced a voyage at sea.
It is especially important to stress the dangers that can arise from containers being overloaded, weights being wrongly declared, or containers being improperly stowed and secured. The results can cause damage to the ship or other containers on board. Apart from the dangers of heavy container stacks collapsing, such practices can have a serious effect on the stability and structural integrity of ships as a whole, potentially placing all those on board in considerable danger.
The dangers of poor stowage and/or incorrect labelling of Dangerous Goods are also difficult to over emphasise. As well as presenting a serious threat to the health and safety of personnel, the unsafe carriage of Dangerous Goods can result in one of the worst eventualities with which seafarers can ever be confronted – a fire or explosion on board.
Notwithstanding the hazards that can exist at sea, the safety record of shipping is very impressive and has improved considerably during the last 20 years. However, when dangerous incidents still occur, the root cause is usually a failure to comply with existing international legislation or to adhere to established industry procedures.
The best practices in this Guide are therefore intended to cover the various parts of the transport chain that have an impact on the safe movement of containers by sea. The following chapters represent a distillation of the good practices that are already undertaken by the vast majority of responsible companies in the industry, but they have been consolidated in one place to provide a useful resource that should be of benefit to all concerned with the safe transportation of containers.
Because the different chapters are directed at slightly different audiences, there is inevitably a degree of repetition with regard to some of the advice. However, it is suggested that the entire contents of this Guide should be digested by all concerned with the movement of containers, in the interests of understanding the procedures that should be followed in those other parts of the transport chain in which the reader may not otherwise be directly engaged.
1. INTRODUCTION
2. REGULATIONS GOVERNING TRANSPORT OF CONTAINERS
2.1 Overview
2.2 International Maritime Organization (IMO) Instruments
2.3 Other International Instruments Relevant to the Transport of Containers
3. CONTAINERS
3.1 Overview
3.2 Container Design and Construction
3.3 Responsibilities for Examination and Plating
3.4 CSC Examination Policy
3.5 Maintenance
3.6 Repair Standards
3.7 Preparation for Cargo
3.8 Operating Guidance for Refrigerated Containers
3.9 Tank Container Test Intervals
4. BOOKING AND ASSIGNMENT
4.1 Overview
4.2 Practical Constraints
4.3 Operational Recommendations
5. SHIPPING LINE STOWAGE CO-ORDINATION
5.1 Overview
5.2 Acceptance of Containers and Exceptional Cargoes
5.3 Planning Container Stowage On Board
5.4 Guidelines for Confirming Proper Loading of Ship
5.5 Ship Stowage Planning Basic Flow
6. CONTAINER STUFFING
6.1 Overview
6.2 Key Requirements
6.3 Checking the Container
6.4 General Stowage
6.5 Safety and Securing
6.6 Placarding for Dangerous Goods
7. MARINE TERMINAL OPERATIONS
7.1 Overview
7.2 Shipper’s Booking
7.3 Berth Assignment
7.4 Cargo Cut-Off
7.5 Safety and Security Checks Prior to Entry
7.6 Export Yard
7.7 Stowage Instruction
7.8 Crane Sequencing
7.9 Ship/Shore Communication
7.10 Arrival Condition
7.11 Implementing the Loading Plan
7.12 Discharging
7.13 Loading
7.14 Container Lashing
7.15 Prior to Departure
7.16 Transhipment Containers
8. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MASTER AND CREW
8.1 Overview
8.2 Prior to Arrival at Way Port
8.3 During Stay at Way Port
8.4 After Departure from Way Port
9. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
9.1 Overview
9.2 Computer Systems Used in Container Stowage
9.3 Designing and Enforcing Effective Business Processes
9.4 Ensuring Data Quality
9.5 Use of Good IT Tools
Annexes
Annex A – ISO Standards Relating to Containers
Annex B – Serious Structural Deficiencies in Containers
Annex C – Model Stowage Co-ordinator Flow Checklist
Annex D – Visibility Requirements for Containerships Under SOLAS
Annex E – Authoritative Sources of Stowage Data
Appendices
Appendix A – Future Developments
Appendix B – Domestic and Intermodal Transport
ICS
The
International
Chamber
of
Shipping
(ICS)
is
the
principal
international
trade
association
for
the
shipping
industry,
representing
shipowners
and
operators
in
all
sectors
and
trades.
ICS
membership
comprises
national
shipowners’
associations
in
Asia,
Europe
and
the
Americas
whose
member
shipping
companies
operate
over
80%
of
the
world’s
merchant
tonnage.
Established
in
1921,
ICS
is
concerned
with
all
technical,
legal,
employment
affairs
and
policy
issues
that
may
affect
international
shipping.
ICS
represents
shipowners
with
the
various
intergovernmental
regulatory
bodies
that
impact
on
shipping,
including
the
International
Maritime
Organization.
ICS
also
develops
best
practices
and
guidance,
including
a
wide
range
of
publications
and
free
resources
that
are
used
by
ship
operators
globally.
https://www.ics-shipping.org/about-ics/about-ics
World
Shipping
Council
The
World
Shipping
Council’s
goal
is
to
provide
a
coordinated
voice
for
the
liner
shipping
industry
in
its
work
with
policymakers
and
other
industry
groups
with
an
interest
in
international
transportation.
The
WSC
and
its
member
companies
partner
with
governments
and
other
stakeholders
to
collaborate
on
actionable
solutions
for
some
of
the
world’s
most
challenging
transportation
problems.
In
particular,
the
WSC
plays
an
active
role
in
the
development
of
programs
that
improve
maritime
security
without
impeding
the
free
flow
of
commerce.
Additionally,
the
World
Shipping
Council
and
its
member
companies
are
working
to
promote
sound
environmental
stewardship
through
new
international
standards
for
ships
and
achievement
of
reduced
air
emissions,
including
carbon
dioxide.
Other
areas
of
interest
include
establishment
of
a
new
international
convention
on
cargo
liability;
enhanced
customs
information;
and
international
technology
standards
for
containers.
In
recognition
that
a
modern
and
efficient
transportation
infrastructure
is
critical
to
economic
growth,
the
WSC
also
routinely
works
with
a
broad
range
of
stakeholders
from
the
public
and
private
sectors
to
advance
policies
and
programs
that
will
ensure
adequate
and
efficient
global
transportation
infrastructure
capacity.
https://www.worldshipping.org/about-the-council
- Number of Pages:
- 80
- ISBN:
- 9781838078454
- Published Date:
- June 2020
- Book Height:
- 0 mm
- Book Width:
- 0 mm
- Author:
International Chamber of Shipping