|
Compared with other cargoes, automobiles are considered a very light
container cargo. The mass of an automobile constitutes only a fraction of
the payload of the container. The rubber tires are a great advantage with
regard to cargo securing.
As far as the "fitness for loading of the container" is
concerned, particular care needs to be taken to ensure that no sharp-edged
or pointed objects have been left in or on the floor which could damage the
tires. No materials with a relatively high moisture content, such as lumber
etc., should be in the container with the automobile. Condensation could
cause mildew to appear on upholstery etc. or other damage.
When opening containers packed with road vehicles, it should be ensured that
no sparks are produced and that there are no naked flames in the vicinity,
as leaking fuel could have created an explosive mixture in the container.
Access to such containers should therefore only be permitted after thorough
ventilation.
If vehicles are driven directly into containers, space
must be left for getting in and out. The vehicles have therefore to be
driven up relatively closely against one of the container walls (the
right-hand container wall in the case of left-hand drive vehicles). However,
enough space must be left to rule out the chance of contact with the
container walls even if the vehicle structure sways.
The ideal positions for lashing points on a vehicle are
shown in the Figure. In practice they are not generally in these positions.
To achieve a uniform lashing angle, the fastening
points on left-hand drive vehicles would have to be fitted symmetrically at
front and back but somewhat eccentrically relative to the left-hand side of
the vehicle. On right-hand drive vehicles, which would have to be driven up
close to the left-hand container wall, the lashing points would have to be
arranged somewhat to the right of center.
Very often, vehicles only have inappropriately fitted
tow eyes as lashing points, for example back right and front right, back
left and front right and similar combinations. If this is the case, the
lashing angles with which an automobile is secured in a container are
inevitably different:
 |
 |
 |
| |
Asymmetrical
lashing angles resulting from inappropriate arrangement of tow eyes or
lashing points |
However, damage is most frequently caused to
automobiles in containers not as a result of inadequate securing but as a
result of carelessness during driving in and out and during working in the
cramped conditions inside the container.
For various reasons, sufficiently stable and/or easily
accessible lashing points are often not present on vehicles. Moreover, the
preparatory work carried out on vehicles, such as covering the driver's seat
with protective film, does not in practice meet current requirements. Here
is an example:
|
|
 |
| |
Automobile securing with
unfavorable angles |
The lashing points on the vehicle would have ensured
uniform angles, if the vehicle had been driven forwards into the container.
However, the vehicle was intended for South America, where vehicles are
often damaged during reversing out of the container. The shipowner thus
specified that the vehicles were to be reversed into the container in
Germany. Since it is also a requirement that the driver get in and out
through the driver's door only, and only the driver's side was protected by
a film covering, it was only possible to drive the vehicle so its right-hand
side was against the left-hand container wall. If the lashing points had
been fitted symmetrically and at the same time the passenger side had been
covered with film, such vehicles could be parked against the right-hand
container side: symmetrical lashing angles would be the positive result.
A
polypropylene wrapped Hercules was used for securing by means of a
"Spanish windlass", which is an extremely reliable and quick method.
However, it is extremely important for the tightening spar to be secured
against coming undone.
 |
 |
| |
Defective use of a tightening
spar |
The left-hand tightening spar is positioned centrally.
The rope turns are evenly distributed on both sides, as they should be, but
the winding could come undone. The rope should therefore have been longer.
The wooden members or wedges have no business to be in the container.
Blocking wheels with wedges or lumber nailed laterally against the wheels
does not constitute sensible cargo securing, since there is too great a risk
that the tires will be damaged when the material is inserted or that the
tools used will damage the paintwork or make small dents.
|
|
 |
| |
Unfavorable angles -
tightening spar not secured against coming undone - use of wheel
wedges |
The wooden wedge, which has moreover been incorrectly
cut, has no doubt been used because the
lashings have a very small longitudinal component.
|
|
 |
| |
More favorable transverse
components due to the existence of two lashing points on the
automobile |
If the automobile had two lashing points at front and
back, it could be far better secured than when only one lashing point is
available at each end.
| |
 |
| |
Longitudinal components
improved by different positioning of tow eyes |
Two lashing points at front and back allow greater
flexibility in the fixing of
lashings.
N.B. With all of the above methods, there is a risk of
the tightening spar coming undone. If this risk cannot be combatted, the use
of prefabricated rapid-tightening systems is recommended. However, using
them is more cost-intensive.
| |
 |
Above and selective
enlargement to the left:
Automobile in a refrigerated container: "Modern" securing hooks |
Many lashing lugs (a) are hidden behind removable flaps. Lashing hooks (b)
have to be hung in these hidden lashing lugs (a) for lashing the vehicles.
| |
 |
Above and selective
enlargement to the left:
Risk of damage due to "modern" lashing hooks |
Because of these hooks, in which two
lashings have to be hooked and fastened, the vehicle has a degree of
"play" to the left and right (see red arrows) and can move to and fro.
It should be pointed out that such impractical methods
are used by a very large number of automobile manufacturers, many being very
much less suitable than those described here. Many automobiles do not have
any lashing points and have to be lashed by the wheel rims.
If two hooks could be fixed to the lashing lugs,
vehicles would be fixed appropriately by the lashing means used, provided
that the angles and resultant force components conform to shipping stresses:
| |
 |
Above and
selective enlargement to the left:
Possible method of fixing a vehicle using two lashing hooks in the
lashing lug |
| |
 |
Above and
selective enlargement to the left:
Sensibly fitted lashing lugs and hooks |
With two lashing lugs and hooks at back and front, the vehicles would be
appropriately equipped for securing. |
