FACTORS TO CONSIDER FOR GENERAL CARGO

STOWAGE
The following must be borne in mind when loading general cargo:

1)Cargoes should be well distributed in all hatches to increase the Port speed.

2)Food stuffs and other cargoes liable to tainting - need proper separation
/segregation to avoid tainting damage.

3)Heavier cargo should be placed on deck/tank top whilst lighter cargo on top of these
cargoes to prevent crushing damage.

4)It is a general rule that fragile and light packages are stowed in tween deck(s) to
avoid the effects of roll and pitch of vessels.
 FACTORS TO CONSIDER FOR GENERAL CARGO STOWAGE
5)Ensure packages stowed evenly (not tilting), for example near turn of bilge,
end holds by the proper use of dunnage to achieve compactness of cargo
stowage.

6)Light packages (cartons, etc.) stowed away from cargo hold obstructions
such as -frames, deck beams, stiffeners.

7)Valuable cargo should be stowed in strong rooms or in Chief Officer’s office.

8)To avoid cargoes being crushed during slinging use proper gears like pallet,
spreader.

9)Proper securing of cargoes and lashing are essential. Extra pad eyes may
have to be welded to have more securing points for lashing cargoes.
 Port Speed
• Each day that a ship remains unnecessarily in
port results in a reduction of the ship’s earning capacity.

• An unnecessary delay in port increase the port dues allied costs and
encroaches on the time that she would have been steaming on her
next voyage.

• Ships officers should aim for increasing ‘port

speed’ by efficient distribution of cargo, readiness of cargo spaces etc.

• This ‘speed of turn round’ is also dependent on port facilities for clearing
the cargo etc.
 General Cargo Stowage

• The following points must be borne in mind when

planning loading of General Cargo by Chief Mate or
officer in charge of loading.
a ) Safety of the ship

• stability considerations

• proper trim/list/draught

• avoiding structural stresses

• avoiding physical damage from cargo

b) Safety of the crew and port workers

• preventing unstable cargo blocks

• avoiding blocking of escape routes /safety

appliances

• protection from toxic fumes/fire hazards

c) Avoiding damage to cargo

• using ‘filler’ cargo

• Rapid and systematic discharging and loading
• providing maximum number of working
hatches/even distribution
• preventing over stowed cargo
• preventing over carried/short landed cargo(proper
segregation/marking).
• enhancing ‘port speed’
 c) Avoiding damage to cargo

• Avoiding condensation/water damage

• protection from taint / contamination /interaction
• preventing physical damage to cargo
• preventing pilferage
• Maximum use of available space on board
• minimizing ‘broken stowage
Cargo Plans
• A cargo plan is a plan showing the disposition and distribution of cargo throughout
the vessel, in as much detail as is possible.

• A cargo stowage plan for a general cargo ship will usually be drawn up at the last
port of loading from information derived from the deck officers cargo workbooks, from
mates receipt and from loading plans produced by shore personnel.

• At the loading ports. Copies of the plan will usually be sent ahead of the ship to the
discharge ports
Cargo plan

• Whilst the plan is not a scale drawing, it should show with some accuracy the
location of specific parcels of cargoes in the
locker doors, hatchways so that the order of discharge may be planned.
• Whilst the format of the plan will vary from company to
company, most plans will show the lower holds in elevation (side view) and other c
ompartments such as tween decks and deck lockers, in plan view.
• Where possible, each parcel of cargo should be identified
separately, but this is not always possible
when many small parcels are involved (in which case they are grouped together).
• A typical entry on the plan could be as follows: -
Cargo plan

L’POOL/PNG
400 CASES CORNED BEEF
“SPAR” 23t.
• i.e. 400 cases of corned beef, loaded at Liverpool for discharge at Penang, all cases
marked “SPAR” for identification and the total weight of the parcel is 23 tones.
• It is usual to colour the plan according to the
port of discharge, so that the likelihood of overlooking a parcel of cargo and
carrying it to the next port (i.e. over carriage) is reduced.
• In the case of cargo having optional ports of discharge it is coloured in both port’s
colours.
• Where there is unused space adjacent to stowed cargo, it is measured up, and the
calculated volume measured, and entered on the plan.
Cargo plan

• Various symbols and conventions may be used: - for example, parcels

separated by a diagonal line on a side elevation, are side by side in the hold.
• In addition to the actual drawing, other useful information is shown in the plan.
• The name of the ship, master’s name, the voyage number, cargo loaded ON DECK, in
mast houses, and in various other extraneous places such as the mate’s office
and the draft at the last loading port are shown in the cargo plan.
• It is good practice to append a statement of dangerous cargo on board for quick
reference.
• A summary of total tonnages loaded in each hold and other information regarding
dead light, as fuel, stores and water; means of separation used between particular
parcels and the total space remaining are also appended to the plan.
 Functions of Cargo Plan
• it helps to avert over carriage and short delivery.
• the discharge sequence can be planned in advantage.
• the necessary cargo handling gear can be rigged in advance.
• discharge time can be estimated.
• Transport arrangement for a particular parcel of cargo can be made.
• proper decisions can be made on ventilation can be arranged with the aid of the cargo plan.
• in the event of a fire breaking out in the compartment, the cargo plan is invaluable
infighting the fire, particularly if dangerous cargoes are in the compartment.
• should any cargo shift while the vessel is at sea, prompt action can be taken with the aid of the
plan.
• the plan, enables the shipowner to assess the position regarding to diverting the vessel en route to
load further parcels of cargo.
Typical Stowage Plan
 Cargo Plan On Tankers
• Like the cargo ships, the tanker cargo plan is particularly useful when
a number of diverse cargoes are to be loaded.
• Unlike the cargo ship, it is only necessary to show the disposition of
the tanker cargoes in plan view, at one level.
• Most of the functions of the plan are similar to that of the general cargo
plan.
• It is particularly useful to deck officers when loading or discharging,
to the chief officer for planning tank cleaning and
to the chief engineer for maintaining cargo temperature.
• The cargo plan enables a visual record to be kept of previous
cargoes, which is
of significant importance to the chief officer when planning the dispo
sition of future cargoes.
 Stow Plan example

Given below is the data for storage space of a ship

Cold chamber port side with the volume of 317.1 m³

cold chamber starboard side with the volume of 313.1 m³

locker for specialised cargo with the volume of 106.6 m³

Tween deck having dimensions 22 x 7 x 3 m

Lower hold having dimensions 22 x 18 x 8 m

•
of course there are other spaces on the ship as well, but for this example just
assume that they do not exist since that would lead to complicated
calculations.

Now let us suppose that the following types of cargoes need to be transported
in this ship and that the following data is available regarding these cargoes.
Meat without bones Quantity 175 tons Stowage factor 1.74 m³/ton
Broken stowage 4% discharge port 2nd

Cases is filled with tea leaves quantity 220 tons stowage factor 1.90 m³/ton
broken stowage 10% discharge port 1st

heavy earthmoving equipment size 4 x 2.5 x 2.5 m quantity 36 discharge

port 1st

Machinery quantity 750 tons stowage factor 1.5 discharge port 2nd

Animal bones quantity 500 tons stowage factor 2.25 discharge port 2nd

Frozen seafood quantity 160 tons stowage factor 1.95 discharge port 2nd

Special cargo of coins quantity 350 tons stowage factor 0.3 discharge port
2nd
 Logic and Calculations
Locker for specialized cargo can contain 106.6 m3 and volume of special
cargo coins is 350 * 0.3 = 105 m3, hence will fit into the same.

Regarding two refrigerated cargoes, frozen seafood will occupy volume of

1.95 * 160 = 312 m3. So it can fit either in the port or starboard side cold
chamber BUT since the other refrigerated cargo requires a volume of 175 *
1.74 + 4% = 316.7 m3, this cargo of meat without bones can only go into the
port cold chamber, leaving the starboard side for frozen seafood.

Tea leaves cargo will go into the tween deck compartment since it has to be
discharged at first arrival port
The heavy earth moving equipment, the machinery and the animal bones
are stowed as per plan shown above in the lower hold.
As you can see some area in the right hand side diagram shown by shaded
lines is going waste but that is unavoidable since HEM equipment can only
be stored in whole numbers and not in parts.
Hence we have seen how a cargo plan is formulated for a ship
considering space, volume and other requirements.