Compliance with Marine Orders Part 42 Cargo Stowage and Securing
Marine Notice 17/2006
The purpose of this Marine Notice is to remind shippers, container handlers, ship owners, operators, crews, agents, stevedores and all other persons involved, of the need to monitor and control the stuffing, transport, loading, securing and discharge of containers as per the provisions of Marine Orders Part 42 , Issue 2 – Cargo Stowage and Securing.
As a result of identified shortcomings in securing of cargo transport units onboard ships, AMSA has been conducting random cargo securing inspections on ships to verify compliance with the cargo securing manuals required by SOLAS and Marine Orders. AMSA continues to be concerned with the number of obvious breaches of the securing requirements and will continue to intervene where deficiencies are found. This also extends to the condition and maintenance of securing equipment.
There have also been several incidents identified where containers have been loaded onto, and discharged from, vessels trading into Australian ports where the containers were subsequently discovered to be loaded in excess of the Maximum Gross Mass marking of the CSC Safety Plate. In one incident 10 out of 14 containers in one shipper’s consignment were found to be seriously overloaded.
Additionally there have been instances reported where cargo inside containers has shifted during transport. In one recent case cargo stuffed into a soft-sided container broke free during passage on a vessel and subsequently spilled through the side of the container and onto the deck. This obviously gave rise to significant risk of damage to the vessel or injury to personnel on board.
The following provisions of Marine Orders Part 42 are of note:
Provision 10.5 is a penal provisions that makes it an offence for a shipper to load a container to more than the maximum gross weight indicated on the Safety Approval Plate. It should be further noted that the definition of “shipper” is given to mean:
- any person, organisation or Government which prepares a consignment for transport, and in the case of goods shipped by container or vehicle in less than full container or vehicle load, includes the consolidator of those goods.
Provision 10.2 requires that cargo, cargo units and cargo transport units be so packed as to prevent damage or hazard to the ship and the persons on board.
Provision 9 is a penal provision that makes it an offence for any person to, in any way, load, stow or secure cargo on a ship except in accordance with Marine Orders Part 42.
Documentary evidence of compliance will be sought from persons responsible for stuffing, transport, handling and loading/discharge of containers in the event of any alleged breach of Marine Orders Part 42.
All persons involved in the stuffing, transport, handling and loading/discharge of containers are encouraged to take note of the provisions of Marine Orders Part 42 to help prevent any further dangerous occurrences from taking place. The full text of this and all other Marine Orders currently in force can be found on the Internet at: http://www.amsa.gov.au/Shipping_Safety/Marine_Orders/Marine_Orders_currently_in_force.aspClive Davidson
Chief Executive Officer
31 October 2006
Australian Maritime Safety Authority
GPO Box 2181
CANBERRA ACT 2601
File No: 029417
Term of Validity:- Temporary
Internet address for all current Marine Notices: www.amsa.gov.au