AMSA issues safety bulletin highlighting improperly secured cargo
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) issues a safety bulletin highlighting that improperly secured cargo continues to contribute to container losses, prompting renewed focus on inspections, crew training and weather preparedness. According to the World Shipping Council (WSC), the number of containers lost at sea has fluctuated over the 17 years of recorded data. The overall trend is encouraging. Despite occasional spikes, long-term data shows a clear decline in container losses compared to earlier years. At the same time, awareness and caution surrounding cargo loss have increased.
Australia, together with member Authorities of the Tokyo and Indian Ocean MoUs, continue to identify issues related to improper cargo securing and stowage and as a result, both MoUs, in collaboration with the Paris MoU, plan to conduct a Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on cargo securing and stowage in 2026, according to AMSA.
During ships inspections AMSA identified the following stowage and securing issues involving cargo containers:
- exceeded maximum permissible container stack weights
- exceeded maximum permissible weight distributions within stacks
- cargo was not appropriately secured throughout the voyage to prevent loss of cargo overboard.
Maintaining and monitoring cargo securing arrangements
- Operators must ensure that securing devices are in good condition, compatible with the ship and maintained in accordance with the inspection and maintenance schedule contained in the cargo securing manual. This includes establishing maintenance schedules to ensure cargo securing equipment and fittings are regularly inspected and maintained.
- Maintenance processes and procedures should be regularly reviewed for continued effectiveness. Crew need to monitor cargo securing arrangements throughout the voyage to ensure the lashing arrangements have not become loose.
The World Shipping Council (WSC) on 15 September also announced the launch of its Cargo Safety Program, an industry-led initiative to detect misdeclared and undeclared dangerous goods in order to prevent ship fires, protect crews, vessels, customers’ cargo, and the marine environment.
Procedures and training
- Operators should provide training to ensure crew are appropriately trained and familiar with the contents of the approved cargo securing manual, in accordance with their respective roles on board. Exceeding the mass limits defined in the cargo securing manual may result in the destruction of lashings and fittings or the collapse of individual containers.
- The approved cargo securing manual should be comprehensive and understandable. Poorly written procedures will likely result in poor practices or non-compliance. It is important to ensure the manual is developed to align with the way tasks are actually conducted onboard for safety and practicality.
- Operators should regularly review the procedures and manual to ensure they are up-to-date and effective to enable the crew to implement the requirements of the manual appropriately.
Preparing for weather and sea conditions
Severe weather conditions may be experienced at any time of the year off the Australian coast. Most container loss incidents in Australian waters have occurred during severe weather conditions.
Strong southerly winds, when combined with an easterly swell, can create extreme wave conditions where container ships are at risk of losing cargo overboard.
In such incidents, swell size and interval may lead to excessive or even parametric rolling resulting in extreme acceleration forces on container stacks. Cargo shall be stowed and secured in accordance with the Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing (CSS Code).
The CSS Code General Principles state: Decisions taken for measures of stowage and securing cargo should be based on the most severe weather conditions which may be expected by experience for the intended voyage.
Additionally, due to the construction of container ships, the effects of parametric rolling are pronounced and can cause stress on securing systems leading to container loss. As such, vessel dynamics should be considered in evaluating sea states and applying weather routing during voyage to minimise effects of parametric rolling.
While the vessel’s safety management system will contain procedures relating to heavy weather, early avoidance is better than proceeding through heavy weather. Effective weather routing procedures should be in place.
The master should always consult the latest available weather information and vessel operators should ensure the master always has access to this information.
Download the safety bulletin: Maritime Safety Awareness Bulletin issue
