Lashing of containers on deck

Lashing of containers on deck

In the early years of containerisation, existing general cargo vessels were
converted with the removal of ‘tween decks and the addition of cell guides
into the cargo holds. On deck, the hatchcovers were strengthened and
fittings added for lashings.

However, the containers on deck were seldom stowed above one high and
so were secured to the vessel by ‘traditional’ cargo ship methods.
 Typical midship section of an early vessel conversion

Often seen still trading today, are a few of the ‘first generation’ vessels built
during the late sixties and early seventies. These ships were the first to be
designed and built as pure container carriers. The holds and hatchcovers
were as wide as possible, and container posts were fitted on deck to
facilitate loading of deck-stowed containers out to the ship’s side.
 Typical midship section through an early generation cellular container
vessel

For this generation of vessel, two systems of securing the cargo were
common. One relied on the use of twistlocks in conjunction with lashing
bars or chains, and the second relied on the use of stacking cones and
bridge pieces in conjunction with lashing bars or chains. Gradually, due to
the increased utilisation of differing height containers, the second method
became redundant and it became common practice to use twistlocks
throughout the stow. This method normally allowed containers to be
stacked three high and, in some cases, four high if the fourth tier was light
in weight or empty.

For first generation vessels, computer technology was not available

onboard to speedily calculate dynamic loads acting on container lashings
and frames. The shipboard computer (if any) was only used to calculate
stresses and stability for the ship itself. Therefore, the shipboard staff
would ensure the vessel was lashed according to a lashing plan taken from
the lashing equipment manufacturer’s manual, which appeared to assume
an ideal stow with respect to the distribution of weight in each stack (the
homogenous stack).

With further development in the industry during the 1970s and 80s, the size
of containerships continued to grow, with 9-high stowage in holds and 4-
high stowage on deck becoming commonplace and the industry began to
wake up to the fact that standards in lashing were required. Ships were, at
this stage, still supplied with loading computers that continued to calculate
a ship’s stability, shear forces, bending and, occasionally, torsion moments.
Very few had the capability to calculate dynamic loads on container frames
and lashing systems caused by ship motions and wind forces. And so the
lashings were still applied throughout the stow in accordance with the
manufacturer’s manual. Cargo was being lost overboard even though a
properly designed securing system was in place and the cargo was
correctly stowed. It became apparent that there was a great deal of
ignorance concerning the combined static and dynamic loads acting on a
securing system when adverse weather was causing severe ship motions,
particularly rolling.

Today, large container ships are being built – known as the ‘post-panamax’
class (too large to transit the Panama Canal) – capable of carrying up to
8,500 TEUs, and small container ships down to coaster/feeder vessels of a
few hundred TEUs. But in general terms, by a process of evolution, the
lashing systems in use on both types of vessels are very similar. Both have
adopted the twistlock and lashing bar/turnbuckle system.

On post-panamax vessels – where among other features the vessel’s large

beam results in an unavoidable, relatively large GM (metacentric height),
and 6- high stowage on deck is common – the modern practice is for the
vessel to be fitted with a lashing bridge; a substantial steel structure
running athwartships between each forty foot container bay. This allows
the second and third tiers of containers to be secured to the bridge using
lashing rods and turnbuckles, whilst the whole stow is secured throughout
with twistlocks.

Typical post-panamax lashing bridge arrangement (shown 4-high) – left;

Typical container vessel’s hatchcover lashing arrangement – right.

The lashing bridge allows the anchoring points for each stack to be moved
higher up the stack, which allows the lashings to be more effective in
reducing the tipping moments acting on a stack when a vessel is rolling
heavily. However, the practice of fitting the bridges between forty foot bays
means that the twenty foot containers can only take advantage of the
lashing bridges at one end. So, in effect, the twenty foot stacks have to
revert to the limits of a conventional lashing system. This is the case,
because the practice of estimating the forces acting on a stack divides the
container weight equally between each end of the container. So the weight
in each twenty foot container is limited by the capacity of the lashing
system at the container end, which does not have the advantage of being
secured by a lashing bridge.

On smaller vessels, the whole stow is also secured throughout with

twistlocks, and the lowest three tiers are secured to the hatchcover or
support post using the lashing bar/turnbuckle combination.

However, since the mid 1980s, naval architects have produced computer
programs to calculate the dynamic loads acting on container stacks. Such
programs have been designed for use by ships’ officers and container
planners. On modern vessels, 5-high and 6-high stowage on deck is
common; the use of onboard computers to check the dynamics of the stow
in all weather conditions is vitally important for the safe carriage of the
cargo. The use of a computer lashing program, together with the IMO
requirement for every vessel to carry onboard an approved Cargo Securing
Manual, should mean a reduction in collapsed stows and losses overboard,
provided the operators maintain the lashing equipment and comply with
the requirements of the Manual. The vigilance of ships’ staff is therefore
vital to ensure that lashings are applied correctly.
General Securing Information
When a container securing plan (for the holds and the deck) is prepared,
the following are some of the important considerations:
1. The stresses from the ship’s motions.
2. The stresses from the wind thrust.
3. Slippage and toppling.

The popular ways to carry the containers together is by:

● Stacking the containers in vertical guide rails
● Stowing them in stacks
● Stowing them in blocks,

The containers are connected together by twist locks, bridge

clamps & double stackers etc and fixed to parts of the vessel by lashing
rods, bottom stackers and bottom twist locks etc.

Securing in Vessel Holds with Cell Guides

Securing in vessel holds with cell guides is mostly by cell guides alone.
Fully containerised ships are provided with cell guides with vertical
guide rails as securing means. The Containers are not connected vertically.
Since the containers are not connected together vertically, lateral stress is
transmitted by each individual container to the cell guides. In such cell
guides individual containers are not usually able to shift. The advantage of
such stow being negligible damage to other containers or stack even
if the corner posts of one of the containers at the bottom of a stack
collapse under excessive pressure.

The containers are guided by these rails of the cell guides during loading
and unloading. At the bottom they mainly have fixed cones, which engage
in sockets welded into the tank top area, supported by stiffened structure
below the tank top.

Securing in Vessel Holds without Cell Guides, by Conventional Securing and

Stacked Stowage
A variety of securing pattern may exist in the holds of older, conventional
general cargo vessels. Most common being the stacked stowage, combined
with various securing methods. The lower containers stand on
foundations capable of withstanding the stack pressures, which can be
very high in certain loadings. Dovetail foundations, into which sliding
cones fit, are provided to prevent slippage. The containers are connected
together by single or double stacking cones or twist locks. The entire stack
or container block is lashed using lashing wires or rods
and turnbuckles. This system involves a lot of lashing work and material
and, moreover, is less secure than securing in cell guides.

This securing method is found less and less frequently, but it is still found
on some conbulkers and other multipurpose freighters. Containers are
interconnected horizontally and vertically using single, double and
possibly quadruple stacking cones. The top tiers are connected by means
of bridge fittings.

To the sides, the containers are supported at their corner castings with
‘pressure/tension elements’.

This type of container securing suffers from the following disadvantages:

● If an individual container breaks, the whole container block is affected.
● Due to dimensional tolerances a large wear and tear is caused to
the stacking cones. The entire block can move in rough seas, causing the
intermediate stacking cones to break and an entire block may collapse.

Securing on deck using container guides

On some ships, carriage of containers on deck in cell guides or lashing
frames has been experimented. On some ships, cell guides can be pushed
hydraulically over the hatch cover as soon as loading below deck is
completed and the hatches have been covered up.

Securing on Deck using Block Stowage Securing

This method was used a lot in the early days of container trading, but has
been used less and less in recent years for economic reasons.

The containers in the bottom layer are positioned in socket elements or

on fixed cones. Double stacking cones are used between the layers and
the corner castings of adjoining containers are connected at the top
by bridge fittings. The containers are held together over the entire width of
the ship or hatch cover by cross lashings. The difficulty encountered being
at the time of loading and unloading, where the choice and flexibility is
curtailed when a particular container in the lot is to be reached. Diagonal
lashings help resist racking. The usual arrangement is to fit one tier of
lashings placed diagonally within the width of container securing the
bottom of the second tier of containers. A second pair of lashing may be
fitted reaching to the bottom of third tier of containers for additional
strength parallel lashings may be use.

Securing on Deck using Stack Stowage Securing

The main advantage of this securing method on deck is the high cargo
handling flexibility. The containers are stacked one on top of the other,
connected with twist locks and lashed vertically. No stack is connected
with any other stack. The container lashings do not cross over the
lashings from other stacks. ‘wind lashings’ however must be taken on the
outer sides of the ship. Containers on deck may be secured by twist locks
alone provided the stack is not more than two high.
When containers are two high the twist lock alone will be sufficient if the
containers are not heavy. The twist locks resist horizontal movement and
lifting of containers in heavy weather. If the stow is twist lock alone then
the racking strength of the containers is a concern, therefore for the
stows of more than two high lashing rods are fitted.