Page 19 - Port of Hamburg | Port of Hamburg Magazine 1.2022

Every detail is crucial on board
Correctly securing cargo on a containership has a threefold impact – on the cargo, the crew and the environment. In pursuit of continuous improvement, Hapag-Lloyd concentrates on details. Years ago, the company developed a sustainable solution: The steel-floor container.
On board out on the high seas, everybody needs to re- ly on cargo safety. The number of containers in the in- dustry that go overboard annually may be only a mat- ter of millionths of the total transported. Yet even losses of single boxes can inflict great damage – if hazardous goods are involved and harm the environ- ment. To secure cargo optimally, container shipping companies, their customers and packers turn to the CTU – Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units. The official guidance from the IMO – Interna- tional Maritime Organization provides clear and sim- ple guidance. This covers both fixing the container to the ship and on other hand, securing the cargo inside the container.
Through corner castings on the containers, these twistlocks attach them to the vessel and to one anoth- er. Lashing rods also fix the vertically stacked contain- ers to the ship. To enable them to be separately stowed or unloaded, container stacks are no longer diagonally linked. In heavy seas, this freedom gives them improved elasticity.
The stability of the vessel must also be taken into ac- count. A containership’s complex safety systems are measured using empirical formulae from the classifi- cation societies. Longitudinal, diagonal and vertical stresses are also taken into account. Every link in the safety chain is crucial.
Yet safety in transport already starts away from the containership, in port logistics and wherever the box- es are stuffed. Secure loading of special cargo, espe- cially, requires consultation among all those involved. In the Port of Hamburg, for example, Hapag-Lloyd works closely with HHLA to heave heavy cargo like railway construction machines on to a containership. For a start, these have to be delivered to a special pier – see photo. “Where load safety is concerned, the lev- el of quality in the Port of Hamburg compared to oth- er ports worldwide is among the highest – and a very fine reference,” stresses David Piel, Senior Manager Special Cargo for Hapag-Lloyd. “When I have to send special cargo to China or Asia, I am happy to share photos from Hamburg with our teams on the spot to show them the best way of securing cargo.”
STEEL HAS REPLACED A TIMBER-BAMBOO HYBRID
Over ten year ago, Hapag-Lloyd was already aiming to make securing of cargo, and especially the contain- er floor, sustainably
CONTAINER WORLDS ■
better: More stable, requiring fewer re- pairs, and recyclable. The company there- fore developed a
David Piel
Senior Manager Special Cargo Hapag-Lloyd
Properly secured, goods can withstand even a storm.
Port of Hamburg Magazine | June 2022 | 19
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