Page 29 - Layout 1

5 Cargo

5.3.6 Prevention

It is obvious that small mistakes e.g. forgetting a gasket • Lashing equipment and securing points must be

or not tightening the nuts correctly can cause costly maintained regularly and inspected for wear.

cargo claims. It is important that tasks are completed • Try to reduce the vessel’s GM when not fully laden.
by following checklists and procedures. It is generally• If possible, check that the container seals are intact

a requirement for the Chief Oficer to verify that jobs and that serial numbers concur with numbers in

have been completed correctly. We have seen thatcargo documents.
this is often not the case, and the Chief Oficer simply • Do not mix high cube containers with standard

assumes that tasks have been correctly undertaken. This height containers in stacks. This does not allow

can mean the difference between an accident and no bridging pieces to be itted between stacks.
accident.• Ensure that weights are declared and that maximum

Misdeclaration of a container’s contents is also very stack mass and height limits are not exceeded.

common and, of course, the containers misdeclared are • Consult IMDG code for characteristics of
often the ones most likely to cause a problem on board. commodities.

Regrettably, there is much less that a Master can do• Crews need to investigate bilge alarms in the cargo

in relation to containerised cargo compared to bulk or holds as even a small amount of water can cause
tank cargo.serious damage.

It is often the case that a Master is provided with • Weather routing should be used to avoid heavy

the Dangerous Goods Manifest only, and, indeed, it is weather.
unreasonable to expect him to review and verify the • In heavy weather, adjust course and speed to ease

declared contents of every container on the vessel. In the ship’s motion.

practice there is little more a Master can do other than • Have bilge alarms in all cargo holds, which both the
to ensure that those dangerous goods he does know bridge and engine room receive.

about are carried in accordance with the IMDG Code • It is not always easy to ind the time to clean the

and that proper checks of the containers are carried out bilges on a container vessel but it is something that
during the voyage.has to be done or there is a high risk of pumps and

valves becoming damaged. Many accidents are the
Speciic prevention for container vessels
result of bilge pumps and sensors becoming heavily
• Check and verify that the lashing methods follow corroded. The inspection of the bilges needs to be

the requirements as outlined in the vessel’s cargo completed at least every month.

securing manual.• Make sure the lashings are as per the cargo securing
• The cargo securing manual should be applicable for material if heavy weather cannot be avoided and it

the stowage arrangements and lashing equipment is essential that crews carry out extra rounds and
used, written in a language readily understood by check that any out of the ordinary cargo is properly

the crew and other people employed for securing the secured.

cargo.

27 www.swedishclub.com