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Port and Agency Services

Container

veriication

adds weight to improved

safety measures

E
rrors in weight declaration of containers can have devastating accompanied on arrival at the export port by a certiicate

consequences as seen with the MSC Napoli when it ran into verifying the gross weight of that container – so the weight of
dificulty off the UK’s Cornish coast in January 2007.the container plus the contents,” said Mr Williams.

Accurate weight information is necessary for ships so He said there were two issues associated with under-
containers can be placed and stowed evenly, therefore declared – or overweight – containers.

maintaining stability of the vessel during the voyage. It is also The irst issue is loading them on the ship. “It is self-evident
important, as overweight containers can cause problems for that heavy containers should be loaded at the bottom of the

workers at container terminals when trying to load them and stack and lighter ones above, but if the weight is not accurately
additionally for the whole transport chain.declared then heavy boxes can mistakenly be loaded on top,

New International Maritime Organization (IMO) Safety leading to the ship becoming dangerously unstable (as in the
of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention amendments – regulation case of the MSC Napoli), or to the crushing of containers lower

6.2 – which come into force on 1st July, 2016 should in down and stack collapse, often in heavy weather, which can
result in containers being lost overboard or the ship taking on a
theory prevent such risks as they seek to ensure the accurate
veriication of container weight. However Jonathan Williams, dangerous list”

General Manager of The Federation of National Associations The second is the impact on the shore-side handling
of Ship Brokers and Agents (FONASBA) says there is huge equipment such as forklifts, along with the possibility of

concern over how the new requirement will be implemented trucks tipping over if they, say, take a bend too fast” explained
and the impact on the transport chain as a whole.Mr Williams.

“The crux of the matter is that from 1st July, every “The reasons for the new regulation are understood by
container for shipment on board a deep sea vessel must beall parties and really all it is doing is codifying what should

34 The SHIP Supplier Issue 67 2015