Lashing problems
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FREIGHT has been put on road trailers in many cases with only symbolic lashings or no lashings at all, Jan Telle, principal surveyor, Det norske Verites, Oslo, told the conference.
It is clear, he said, that this is one of the main reasons for recent accidents.
He said that it is alarming that it is not clearly established and recognised among the various elements in the transport chain who are responsible for the lashing inside the cargo carrying unit. It should be the person who does the packing.
However, Mr Telle's report on operational aspects of cargo securing said that there has been an increase in the standard of stowage and securing on ro-ro vessels in recent years.
Fourteen shipowners were quizzed on lashing by his company. On their short-sea routes 59 per cent of their cargo was road trailers, and on deep-sea routes 32 per cent.
For the short sea routes two replied that the assumed or given gross weights were never verified by weighing by ship's personnel before being towed aboard and stowed.
Two said that there were "frequently" discrepancies from given gross weights for cargo carrying units; one answered "regularly". The amount of the discrepancies for road trailers only, were five shipowners five per cent; one 10 pc; none at 20 pc or 30 pc; but one at 40 pc.
The questionnaire asked: who on deep and short sea routes is responsible that lashing inside containers or road trailers is satisfactory? The answers were: shipper/agent, all terminal manager, one; and unknown, three.
Six said that this responsibility is clearly established among the various elements in the transport chain and seven replied no.
Mr Telle concluded at the end of his paper: "It should be the person packing and this has to be clearly stated so that everyone knows his responsibility."