Container Cargo

Cargo Work Container Cargo Sea Containers were invented in the mid 1950s by Malcolm McLean, a North Carolina trucking owner who grew tired of wasting his trucking company’s time with trucks standing idle in line as ships were unloaded bit by bit by dockworkers. McLean developed sealed truck trailers and the concept of loading and unloading the trailer interiors only at the points of origin and destination. The first ship modified to accept these “containers” on deck, sailed with 58 of them from New York to Houston in April 1956. This was the start of McLean’s company, the Sea-Land Corporation. The Matson Line (Hawaii) put the first fully containerized ship into service in 1960. The International Standards Organization (ISO) first established container standards in 1961. The ISO standard is not prescriptive and instead simply stipulates tests that the containers must pass. Modern container ships have only one problem – when the ship arrives in port, the object is to unload the containers quickly to get them on to their final destination and to get the container ships back out to sea fully loaded heading for the next port. To accomplish this, container ships are equipped with steel skeletons called “cell guides”. A special lifting fixture is used with remote actuators, which engage the corner blocks on the top of the container. A recent survey indicates that port crane operators can execute full crane cycles to remove and position containers at rates of between 30 and 60 boxes per hour.

Containers come in two basic sizes – 20 Footer and 40 Footer and are commonly known as TEU (Twenty Equivalent Units) and FEU (Forty Equivalent Units). The external body of the container is made of corrugated sheet metal and is not capable of taking any load. The four corners have shoes and are strengthened to take in load.

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

By Capt Ajantha Pushpakumara

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Identification System

Example of an ISO 6346 conform container number

[edit] Owner Code The owner code consists of three capital letters of the Latin alphabet to indicate the owner or principal operator of the container. Such code needs to be registered at the Bureau International des Containers in Paris to ensure uniqueness worldwide.

[edit] Equipment Category Identifier The equipment category identifier consists of one of the following three capital letters of the Latin alphabet: U for all freight containers J for detachable freight container-related equipment Z for trailers and chassis

• • •

[edit] Serial Number The serial number consists of 6 (Arabic) numeric digits, assigned by the owner or operator, uniquely identifying the container within that owner/operator's fleet.

[edit] Check Digit The check digit consists of one (Arabic) numeric digit providing a means of validating the recording and transmission accuracies of the owner code and serial number.

[edit] Calculation Step 1 An equivalent numerical value is assigned to each letter of the alphabet, beginning with 10 for the letter A (11 and multiples thereof are omitted): A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 24

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

X

Y

Z

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25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 34 35 36 37 38 The individual digits of the serial number keep their numeric value.

[edit] Calculation Step 2 Each of the numbers calculated in step 1 is multiplied by 2position, where position is the exponent to basis 2. Position starts at 0, from left to right. The following table shows the multiplication factors: 1. nbr

2. nbr

3. nbr

4. nbr

5. nbr

6. nbr

7. nbr

8. nbr

9. nbr

10. nbr

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

1

2

4

8

16

32

64

128

256

512

[edit] Calculation Step 3 a) Sum up all results of step 2 b) Divide them by 11 c) Erase all decimal digits of the division (i. e. make the result an integer value) d) Multiply the integer value by 11 e) Subtract result of d) from result of a): This is the check digit! If the final difference is 10, then the check digit becomes 0. To ensure that this does not happen, the standard recommends that serial numbers should not be used which produce a final difference of 10, however there are containers in the market which do not follow this recommendation, so handling this case has to be included if a check digit calculator is programmed. Notice that step b) to e) mean to find the integer rest of dividing the result of a) by 11. Most programming languages have a modulo operator for this. Attention should be paid on how it is working in the language chosen; i. e. if it is giving back the decimal rest or the integer rest in order to get proper results. - 11 is used as divisor because a containernumber has 11 digits in total. In step 1 the numbers 11, 22 and 33 are left out as they are multiples of the divisor.

[edit] Example C

S

Q

U

3

0

5

4

3

8

13

30

28

32

3

0

5

4

3

8

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

By Capt Ajantha Pushpakumara

Calc.

Page 3 of 20

1

2

4

8

16

32

64

128

256

512

=

=

=

=

=

=

=

=

=

=

13

60

112

256

48

0

320

512

768

4096

b) Division by 11:

6185 [a)]

562.272...

c) Erase decimal digits:

562

d) Multiply by 11:

6182

e) a) minus d) = Check Digit:

3

[edit] Practical Problems In day-to-day business it happens that containers do appear which do not follow the ISO 6346 identification at all, however they are fully CSC safety approved containers. Usually these are "shippers owned" containers what means that they are not owned by the carrier but supplied by the cargo owners (shippers). They may have no or no registered owner code and no category identifier and have no check digit. Generally it is not advisable not to follow ISO 6346 as this causes problems to the carriers and container terminals to correctly identify the equipment and to properly deliver the cargo because computer systems require ISO 6346 conform naming and as such missing prefixes are invented, for example YYYY at the carrier and XXXX at the terminal what causes the equipment to mismatch.

[edit] Size and Type Codes ISO 6346 also gives size and type codes for containers. When displayed on the container, the size and type codes shall be used as a whole. The codes are compiled of the following elements: • • •

First character, representing the length (coded) Second character, representing the width and height (coded) Third and fourth character indicating the type of the container

The following is an overview of the most common codes:

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

By Capt Ajantha Pushpakumara

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ISO Type Group

Code

20GP

Description

ISO Size Type

Code

Description

20G0

GENERAL PURPOSE CONT.

20G1

GENERAL PURPOSE CONT.

GENERAL PURPOSE CONT.

20HR

INSULATED CONTAINER

20H0

INSULATED CONTAINER

20PF

FLAT (FIXED ENDS)

20P1

FLAT (FIXED ENDS)

20T3

TANK CONTAINER

20T4

TANK CONTAINER

20T5

TANK CONTAINER

20T6

TANK CONTAINER

20T7

TANK CONTAINER

20T8

TANK CONTAINER

20T0

TANK CONTAINER

20T1

TANK CONTAINER

20T2

TANK CONTAINER

22B0

BULK CONTAINER

20TD

20TG

20TN

22BU

TANK CONTAINER

TANK CONTAINER

TANK CONTAINER

BULK CONTAINER

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

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22GP

22HR

22PC

22PF

22G0

GENERAL PURPOSE CONT.

22G1

GENERAL PURPOSE CONT.

22H0

INSULATED CONTAINER

22P3

FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE)

22P8

FLAT (COLL.FLUSH FOLDING)

22P9

FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE)

22P1

FLAT (FIXED ENDS)

22P7

FLAT (GENSET CARRIER)

GENERAL PURPOSE CONT.

INSULATED CONTAINER

FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE)

FLAT (FIXED ENDS)

22RC

REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD)

22R9

REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD)

22RS

BUILT-IN GEN. F. POWER SPLY OF REEF

22R7

BUILT-IN GEN. F. POWER SPLY OF REEF

22RT

REEFER CONTAINER

22R1

REEFER CONTAINER

22SN

NAMED CARGO CONTAINER

22S1

NAMED CARGO CONTAINER

22T3

TANK CONTAINER

22T4

TANK CONTAINER

22T5

TANK CONTAINER

22T6

TANK CONTAINER

22TD

TANK CONTAINER

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

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22TG

22TN

22T7

TANK CONTAINER

22T8

TANK CONTAINER

22T0

TANK CONTAINER

22T1

TANK CONTAINER

22T2

TANK CONTAINER

TANK CONTAINER

TANK CONTAINER

22UP

HARDTOP CONTAINER

22U6

HARDTOP CONTAINER

22UT

OPEN TOP CONTAINER

22U1

OPEN TOP CONTAINER

22V0

VENTILATED CONTAINER

22V2

VENTILATED CONTAINER

22V3

VENTILATED CONTAINER

22VH

VENTILATED CONTAINER

25GP

GP-CONTAINER OVER-HEIGHT

25G0

GP-CONTAINER OVER-HEIGHT

26GP

GP-CONTAINER OVER-HEIGHT

26G0

GP-CONTAINER OVER-HEIGHT

26HR

INSULATED CONTAINER

26H0

INSULATED CONTAINER

28TG

TANK FOR GAS

28T8

TANK FOR GAS

28UT

OPEN TOP (HALF HEIGHT)

28U1

OPEN TOP (HALF HEIGHT)

28VH

VE-HALF-HEIGHT =1448 MM HEIGHT

28V0

VE-HALF-HEIGHT =1448 MM HEIGHT

29PL

PLATFORM

29P0

PLATFORM

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

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2EGP

42GP

42HR

42PC

GEN. PURP. WITHOUT VENT WIDTH 2.5M

2EG0

HIGH CUBE CONT. (WIDTH 2.5M)

42G0

GENERAL PURPOSE CONT.

42G1

GENERAL PURPOSE CONT.

42H0

INSULATED CONTAINER

42P3

FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE)

42P8

FLAT (COLL.FLUSH FOLDING)

42P9

FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE)

GENERAL PURPOSE CONT.

INSULATED CONTAINER

FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE)

42PF

FLAT (FIXED ENDS)

42P1

FLAT (FIXED ENDS)

42PS

FLAT (SPACE SAVER)

42P6

FLAT SPACE SAVER

42RC

REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD)

42R9

REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD)

42RS

REEFER CONT.(DIESEL GEN.)

42R3

REEFER CONT.(DIESEL GEN.)

42RT

REEFER CONTAINER

42R1

REEFER CONTAINER

42SN

NAMED CARGO CONTAINER

42S1

NAMED CARGO CONTAINER

42T5

TANK CONTAINER

42T6

TANK CONTAINER

42TD

TANK CONTAINER

42TG

TANK CONTAINER

42T8

TANK CONTAINER

42TN

TANK CONTAINER

42T2

TANK CONTAINER

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

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42UP

HARDTOP CONTAINER

42U6

HARDTOP CONTAINER

42UT

OPEN TOP CONTAINER

42U1

OPEN TOP CONTAINER

45BK

BULK CONTAINER

45B3

BULK CONTAINER

45G0

HIGH CUBE CONT.

45G1

HIGH CUBE CONT.

45P3

FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE)

45P8

FLAT (COLL.FLUSH FOLDING)

45GP

45PC

HIGH CUBE CONT.

FLAT (COLLAPSIBLE)

45RC

REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD)

45R9

REEFER CONT.(NO FOOD)

45RT

REEFER CONTAINER

45R1

REEFER CONTAINER

45UT

OPEN TOP CONTAINER

45U1

OPEN TOP CONTAINER

45UP

HIGH CUBE HARDTOP CONT.

45U6

HIGH CUBE HARDTOP CONT.

46HR

INSULATED CONTAINER

46H0

INSULATED CONTAINER

48TG

TANK FOR GAS

48T8

TANK FOR GAS

49PL

PLATFORM

49P0

PLATFORM

4CGP

GP CONTAINER

4CG0

GP CONTAINER (WIDTH 2.5 M)

L0GP

HIGH CUBE CONT.

L0G1

HIGH CUBE CONT.

L2GP

HIGH CUBE CONT.

L2G1

HIGH CUBE CONT.

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

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L5GP

HIGH CUBE CONT.

L5G1

HIGH CUBE CONT.

Country Code (Optional) The country code consists of two capital letters of the Latin alphabet as described in ISO 3166. It indicates the country where the code is registered not the nationality of the owner or operator of the container. The letters of the code shall not be less than 100 mm high.

Mandatory Operational Marks Operational marks are intended solely to convey information requested for the movement of containers or give visual warnings. They relate to • • • •

the weight of containers a symbol to denote air-surface container a sign warning of overhead electrical danger a height mat be for containers higher than 2.6m (8 ft 6 in)

Container Dimensions Outside Dimensions

Internal Dimensions

Door Dimensions

Length Height Width Length Height Width Width Height

8 ft 2.43 m 2.26 m Container 8 ft 7ft 6 in

Capacity Cubic

Max Tare Weight Weight Gross

Weight

2.11 2.10 6000 2.20 2.28 m 2.06 m 1.99 m 950 kg m m 9.95 cm kg m 7 ft 6 6 ft 6 6 ft 6 2100 6 ft 6 6 ft 6 351 cf 13243 7 ft in in in lbs in in lbs

2.35 2.34 10,160 1,300 2.99 m 2.59 m 2.43 2.84 m 2.39 m 2.28 m 10 ft m m 15.95 cc kg kg 9 ft 10 8 ft 6 m 9 ft 3 7 ft 10 7 ft 5 Container 7 ft 8 7 ft 8 561 cf 22,400 2,870 in in 8 ft in in in in in lbs lbs 20 ft 6.06 m 2.59 m 2.43 5.9 m 2.39 m 2.35 2.34 2.28 m 33.1 cm 30,480 2,230 Container 20 ft 8 ft 6 m 19 ft 4 7 ft 10 m m 7 ft 5 1,170 cf kg kg in 8 ft in in 7 ft 8 7 ft 8 6,700 4,920

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

By Capt Ajantha Pushpakumara

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in

in

in

lbs

lbs

12.04 2.35 2.34 2.59 m 2.43 2.39 m 2.28 m 40 ft 12.2 m m m m 67.6 cm 3,0480 3,680 8 ft 6 m 7 ft 10 7 ft 5 Container 40 ft 39 ft 5 7 ft 8 7 ft 8 2,386 cf kg kg in 8 ft in in in in in

20 ft Tunnel

2.35 2.34 2.59 m 2.43 5.84 m 2.39 m 2.28 m 6.06 m m m 8 ft 6 m 19 ft 1 7 ft 10 7 ft 6 20 ft 7 ft 8 7 ft 8 in 8 ft in in in in in

20 ft Opensider

2.28 2.21 2.59 m 2.43 5.9 m 2.29 m 2.16 m 6.06 m m m 31 cm 24,000 3,400 8 ft 6 m 19 ft 4 7 ft 10 7 ft 8 20 ft 7 ft 6 7 ft 5 1,170 cf kg kg in 8 ft in in in in in

40 ft High Cube

12.04 2.35 2.34 30,480 3,900 2.89 m 2.43 2.69 m 2.58 m 12.2 m m m m 76.2 cm kg kg 9 ft 6 m 8 ft 2 8 ft 5 40 ft 39 ft 5 7 ft 8 7ft 5 2,700 cf 71,650 8,600 in 8 ft in in in in in lbs lbs

32 cm

2,4000 2,340 kg kg

2.35 2.34 2,160 2.59 m 2.43 5.96 m 2.35 m 2.28 m 20 ft 6.06 m m m 33 cm 30,480 kg 8 ft 6 m 19 ft 4 7 ft 8 7 ft 8 Open-top 20 ft 7 ft 8 7 ft 5 1,170 cf kg 4762 in 8 ft in in in in in lbs 12.04 2.35 2.34 3,720 2.59 m 2.43 2.35 m 2.28 m 40 ft 12.2 m m m m 67.6 cm 30,480 kg 8 ft 6 m 7 ft 8 7 ft 8 Open-top 40 ft 39 ft 5 7 ft 8 7 ft 5 2,386 cf kg 8,201 in 8 ft in in in in in lbs

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

By Capt Ajantha Pushpakumara

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The inside bottom has a wooden ceiling. There are weather-insulted vents provided to facilitate venting. The weights marked on the containers are TARE weight and LADEN weight. TARE weight is the weight of the empty container and is usually 2200KGS for a TEU, while the LADEN weight may be anything from 20000KGS to 32000KGS (strengthened steel construction). The container shoes fitted at the corners are hollow with 5 oval slots to facilitate the fitting of container fittings as well as for lifting the container – either by using conventional wire slings or by spreaders.

Since the containers are concentrated weights the loading of the same require special heavy dunnaging to spread the load evenly over the deck – if carried as deck cargo on conventional general cargo ships. Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

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However the carriage of containers are primarily on container ships or on ships, which have been built to take in general cargo as well as containers to a limited extent. Container Carriers Handling and Safety Instructions 1.

Instructions on the proper handling of the securing devices on containers (and other standardized cargo): - All loose securing elements have to be applied according to this Cargo Securing Manual. - It is recommended to have only one type of twistlock on board. If more than one type of twistlocks, the different types should be clearly identified. - All twistlocks in use have to be locked. - Twistlocks must be inserted so that opening devices are accessible for opening. - Adjustable pressure- or tension / compression elements have to be set with a minimum clearance to the longitudinal bulkhead in order to reduce the movement within the container block. - Damaged containers are not allowed to be loaded. - Cargo carried within the standardized cargo units should be packed and secured within these units. The same principles to stowage and securing of cargo inside the containers should be applied as the same cargo being stowed conventionally onboard. - The skirts of the bottom rails of the container should not be allowed to come in contact with the underlying dunnage. These structures are not strength members, and will buckle and give way if placed on dunnage.

2.

Safety instructions related to handling of securing devices and to securing and unsecuring of containers (or other standardized cargo by ship or shore personnel): - People working in the cargo area are always to wear a protective helmet and protective shoes. - Any securing or unsecuring of containers must be carried out during the ship’s stay at berth safe anchorage.

or

- Dropping of container fittings from above is forbidden. - Work on top of container stacks is generally to be avoided. If work on top of containers is not avoidable, an approved fall protection system must be used. Access to the top of a container stack for inserting, locking, unlocking or collecting securing devices is only allowable by means of an approved lashing cage. - A fall hazard shall exist whenever employees are working within 0.9 meters of the unprotected edge of a work surface and 0.3 meters or more, horizontally, from the adjacent surface. Weather conditions may impair vision or sound footing of workers on top of containers. - Fall protection systems must be inspected and maintained prior to each day’s use. - Each fall protection system shall be rigged to minimize the free-fall distance.

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

By Capt Ajantha Pushpakumara

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Stowage and Securing Instructions Possible consequences from misuse of securing devices or misinterpretation of instructions given might result in the following: - Exceeding the maximum stack mass may result in: - overstressing hatch cover construction - overstressing stowage and securing devices - damaging containers or loss of containers overboard - When twistlocks are not locked properly this may result in: - overstressing stowage and securing devices - damaging containers or loss of containers overboard - When lashings are not applied in the relevant places this may result in: - overstressing of twistlocks - damaging containers or loss of containers overboard - When the weight distribution in the stack is not like prescribed in this manual this may result in: - overstressing stowage and securing devices - damaging containers or loss of containers overboard - If the maximum GM - value in the stowage plan is exceeded this may result in: - higher transverse accelerations - overstressing stowage and securing devices - overstressing the ship structure - damaging containers

Stowage and Securing Plan (not included in this model manual) Lashing of containers on purpose ships are supplied from reputed lashing makers and have been tested for the loads they are to lash. Various fittings are used and all of these are generally carried on board.

Base stacker

Twist Lock

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

Double Stacker

By Capt Ajantha Pushpakumara

Page 14 of 20

Corner Eye Pad

Twist Lock

Side Stack Thrust

Rod Lashing Bar

Bridge Fitting

Spacer Stacker

A spacer stacker is used where there is a difference between adjacent containers as loaded in their heights, one being the 8ft and the other 8.5FT. On normal ships where these fittings may not be available wire ropes are used however the number of ropes to be used would be decided by the weight of the container. On GC ships with no provision for built in shoes only single height loads are carried. However on container ships the hold stacks may extend to 7 high and on hatch top/ deck to 5 high. The hold and the deck/ hatch top being strengthened. The lashings to be done are specified in the container-lashing manual supplied to the ship from the building yard. This is not to be reduced since the stresses have been calculated and the number of lashings incorporated. The containers are loaded onto a container ship in a specified manner. The ship is divided into BAYS or ROWS. Looking from the side the bays are marked from forward to aft. The containers are stacked in tiers and are in general called the stacks. This way ensures that any container can be located very easily – knowing the bay number and the row number isolates the location and the stack height give the exact position of the container. On container ships the containers are lowered onto slots inside the holds, the holds bottom is provided with sunken shoes, twist locks/ stackers are fitted onto these and the container is lowered onto them.

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

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Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

By Capt Ajantha Pushpakumara

Page 16 of 20

Cell Guides on Deck – Open hatch concept:

Some containers are designed to carry refrigerated cargo, these special containers have their own cooling plant in built on one end of the container, and all that is required for the ship to provide is a power point for the electricity. The containers come with their own recording device and card, the Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

By Capt Ajantha Pushpakumara

Page 17 of 20

ships officers has to renew the card on the expiry of the same, and is to see that the cooling plant does not stop functioning, manuals are provided whereby ships staff can do some minor repairs to the plant.

Today a variety of cargo which previously was thought could only be loaded onto a general cargo ship, is transported on container ships. An example is a tank, thus small parcels of liquid is carried on container ships.

Lashing of containers is very important since a typical container ship has a low GM(F), consequently the ship rolls quite a bit and the stresses developed by the cargo swaying is liable to break the lashings and put the containers into the sea.

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

By Capt Ajantha Pushpakumara

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All lashings are to be done following the ships lashing manual. In general the following is a typical lashing system, others may also be accepted if permitted by the manual.

The planning of loading of a container ship is normally undertaken ashore, but the officer in charge of the watch should keep an eye on the loading to detect errors in stowage which may occur. A

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

By Capt Ajantha Pushpakumara

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particular watch should be kept for containers with dangerous goods placards to see that their stowage satisfies segregation requirements as laid down in the IMDG code. Other things to watch for are that container marked for underdeck stowage do not end up on deck – this is serious since the container may be for second port by rotation, also the heavier containers are generally loaded underdeck to increase the GM. Thus in addition to a loss of GM the ship would also have a mess up at the disport. Refrigerated containers should be loaded where they can be connected to the ship’s power supply and the duty officer is to ensure the same. While loading a slight slackening of watch can become a liability since the gantries load very fast and to unload or to shift is expensive and time consuming – even if the fault actually is of the port. Sometimes containers are loaded which due to the nature of the contents have to be overstowed, in this case the container is loaded and the container is then blocked off so that there would be no chance of any pilferage – such containers may carry – currency/ coins, drugs, and mail or other high value cargo.

Cargo Work and Seamanship II NDT Nautical

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