P & I technical advice no. 2: Container ships calling at Australian ports
21-Jan-2010
Container ships at risk of arrest in Australian ports.
Inspection of container lashing equipment.
Australian authorities have announced that they will conduct an inspection campaign focussed on
container securing equipment. The 3 month campaign will start on 1 February 2010. In this period,
ships calling at Australian ports may be boarded by a port or flagstate inspector who will give special
attention to the loose and fixed container lashing equipment.
"If an inspector finds a deficiency that is serious in nature, the surveyor may detain the vessel under
the 1912 Navigation Act", the Australian Maritime Safety Administration (AMSA) has indicated.
It is not known yet how detailed these inspections will be, but best measures to avoid a failure on the
container lashing equipment are:
- The vessel has an approved and up-to-date Cargo Securing Manual (CSM) with Container
- Securing Arrangement fit for the type and size of containers carried on board.
- The actual stowage and lashing of the containers meets the guidelines in the CSM.
- Only those lashing elements (twistlocks, lashing bars, turnbuckles etc.) are on board which are specified in the CSM. Different type of lashing elements are removed from the deck area.
- The inventory list for the container lashing equipment is up to date and shows at least the quantities which are listed in the CSM to be on board for a full deck stow.
- Defective or unsuitable lashing equipment such as wrong turning twistlocks, twistlocks with broken handles / wires, heavily trade worn or corroded material is removed from the deck area and discarded.
- Lashing equipment is in an operable and well maintained condition; the CSM shows the maintenance advice.
- The printouts of the container lashing programme on board do not show any overloaded stacks (thus less than 100%).
Manufacturers / suppliers of the lashing equipment and the classification society are the usual first points of contact, should deficiencies need to be rectified.